NGOs warn of link between corruption and poverty

Development and anti-corruption organisations are calling for the swift enactment of the Bribery Bill and are emphasising the links between corruption and poverty.

Today – International Anti-Corruption Day – the Bribery Bill has its second reading in the House of Lords. The Bill has been introduced to update the UK’s antiquated anti-bribery laws, particularly in relation to UK companies operating overseas.

CAFOD, Christian Aid, Global Witness, One World Action, Tearfund, The Corner House and Transparency International UK are calling on all political parties to ensure that the Bill is enacted before the general election.

The organisations are warning that if it is to be effective the Bill must not be watered down as it makes its way through Parliament.

In a joint statement, they said that bribery disproportionately affected the poor and was a "persistent threat to development and democracy, undermining the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals".

"When multinational companies bribe foreign public officials, it undermines the rule of law and the principle of fair competition and entrenches bad governance in developing countries, hindering their efforts to alleviate poverty and often contributing to instability and human rights abuses," they said.

"Corruption, including bribery, impedes the delivery of vital public services, denying millions of people access to water, health and education across the developing world.

“Bribery should not be tolerated either at home or abroad. As long as UK companies continue to pay bribes to secure lucrative business deals overseas they perpetuate the problem."

They urged the Government not to water down the Bill but to stop the supply side of corruption and make sure that UK companies paying bribes are held to account.

“The Bribery Bill will create a modern, effective legal framework to prosecute bribery and will help the UK put its own house in order and achieve compliance with the 1997 OECD Anti-Bribery Convention," they said.

"Failure to implement fully this international obligation to date has damaged the UK’s reputation and undermined efforts to promote development and good governance in countries that receive UK aid.

“Strong anti-bribery legislation will also enable the UK to use its influence to encourage major emerging economies to stop their own companies paying bribes.”