COVID and Corruption P1

The Impact: Coronavirus and Organized Crime

It’s clear that throughout the recorded history of humanity, corruption has been present – and in a modern context Transparency International define corruption as the “abuse of entrusted power for private gain”.

In this time of unprecedented economic recession due to the COVID health crisis, organized corruption networks, are in a perfect position to bleed the system and organized criminal groups will be in line to slice off their share.

When huge economic stimuli are injected into the system, it causes unintended consequences. As one of our guests today wrote that "an emergency offers unparalleled opportunities for the coordinated looting of public coffers that feeds such networks. Life is upended; emotions run high. In the scramble, tested procedures are ignored and structures are disorganized. Exhausted decision makers, pressured to “do something,” miss crucial details, even as quantities of cash are injected into the chaos.”

Guests

Sarah Steingrüber - Independent Global Health Consultant/U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre

Innocent Chukwuma - Director, West Africa at the Ford Foundation

Sarah Chayes - Journalist and Author, Thieves of State: Why Corruption Threatens Global Security AND the upcoming book On Corruption in America.

Ana Castro - Coordinator for Central America at Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

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