Corruption Perceptions Index 2020 - Executive Summary

UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 06:01 CET, 28 JANUARY 2020 ASIA PACIFIC With an average score of 45, the Asia Pacific region struggles to combat corruption and tackle the profound health and economic impact of COVID-19. 31 45 /100 COUNTRIES ASSESSED AVERAGE REGIONAL SCORE TOP SCORERS BOTTOM SCORERS AFGHANISTAN SINGAPORE CAMBODIA NEW ZEALAND 88 /100 85 /100 77 /100 21 /100 19 /100 18 /100 NORTH KOREA AUSTRALIA With a score of 88, New Zealand is consistently one of the top performers on the CPI, both in the region and around the world. The country is followed by Singapore (85), Australia (77) and Hong Kong (77). Conversely, Cambodia (21), Afghanistan (19) and North Korea (18) earn the lowest scores in the region. In some Pacific countries, COVID-19 and cyclone Harold exposed several cracks in already weak governance systems. Civil society actors and allies across Vanuatu (43), Papua New Guinea (27) and the Solomon Islands (42) called for greater transparency and accountability 39 in the COVID-19 response. In Papua New Guinea, civil society demanded an audit of emergency funds and procurement 40 to ensure an inclusive process. In the Solomon Islands, little progress has been made since the passing of the 2018 anti- corruption law and, in 2020, key government actors were accused of diverting funds 41 intended to help people struggling during the pandemic. In Asia, key economies such as India (40), Indonesia (37) and Bangladesh (26) experienced slow progress in anti-corruption efforts, with several government commitments to reform not yet materialising effectively. The Maldives (43), which climbed 14 points on the index since last year shows a positive trend on the CPI and experienced advances in democratic space and the removal of several repressive laws. With a score of 19, Afghanistan is a significant improver on the CPI, increasing 11 points since 2012. The country instituted significant legal and institutional reforms and recently announced plans to establish new anti-corruption commission. TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL 14