Governments Fail to Curb Corruption in Defence: Survey


Bangalore:  A country’s defence system is meant to protect and safeguard the nation, but when it is tainted with corruption its efficiency takes a back seat. Over two thirds of countries in the world, including the world’s largest arms traders do not have sufficient measures to prevent corruption in their defence system, as per the survey done by anti-corruption watchdog, reported Adrian Croft for Reuters.

Out of the 82 countries surveyed by Transparency International UK, Germany and Australia are the only countries with strong anti-corruption mechanisms. As per the survey watchdog the first index in measuring corruption is how the governments curb corruption in defence.

According to the survey, fifty-seven of the countries, which estimate to almost 70 percent, have poor control against corruption. The governments of these countries were rated on criteria’s like the standards expected of defence firms and the strength of parliamentary oversight of defence policy.

94 percent of global military expenditure estimated to be worth $1.6 trillion in 2011 were accounted from the 82 countries surveyed, whereas at least $20 billion is estimated per year as the global cost of corruption in the defence sector, informed the watchdog.

The director of Transparency International UK's Defence and Security Programme, Mark Pyman said he expected the international survey would have led to governments improving their anti-corruption policies.

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