Abu Dhabi: The UAE has ranked as the region’s first and the world’s 21st cleanest country, scoring 71 out of 100, in the 2017 Corruption Perceptions Index by Berlin-based Transparency International.
The index, which gives an overview of the perceived levels of public sector corruption on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean), indicated that the UAE ranked higher than in previous years.
These results, the index stated, were due to “good and efficient management of public finances, improved public procurement and better access to public services and infrastructure”.
The UAE has a zero-tolerance policy on corruption and has taken many steps towards tackling the subject via comprehensive legislative provisions that include the UAE Penal Code, or Federal Law No. 03 of 1987. Various ministries and government departments have also published several codes of conduct to ensure probity in their organisations, reflecting the UAE government’s commitment to corporate governance, transparency and accountability.
The UAE is a signatory to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2003, and the Arab Anti-corruption Convention, adopted by the League of Arab States in 2010.
New Zealand, Denmark and Finland topped the list of 180 countries, scoring 89, 88 and 85, respectively. The bottom three positions were Syria with a score of 14, South Sudan at 12, and Somalia scoring just nine.
