BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION PLAGUE MIDDLE EAST!

Political and governmental unrest can affect a region’s economy and the integrity of business
transactions. The current state of the Middle East exemplifies this phenomenon. While
governments in the region are making efforts to curb corruption, political instability and regime
changes often undermine these measures. Bad actors understand how to take advantage of such
vulnerabilities, leading to increased bribery and corruption across international borders. Recent
cases and statistics show that the problem persists in most countries in the region. Against this
backdrop, most government officials and private sector business leaders view it as a high priority
to reduce bribery and corruption. One of the problems, however, is that some dishonest
politicians use supposed anti-corruption efforts as a tool against political enemies. This makes
clear that the best approach is for government agencies and businesses themselves to lead from
the front.
By adopting an internationally recognized set of anti-bribery anti-corruption standards, increased
business integrity will result. Organisations that are committed to this effort are adopting the ISO
37001 – Anti-Bribery Management Systems standard as a comprehensive approach to mitigating
bribery and corruption risk. ISO 37001 and its elements tailored to any type of organisation, of
any size. The key elements include adopting an anti-bribery policy, appointing a person to
oversee anti-bribery compliance, training, risk assessments and due diligence on projects and
business associates. ISO 37001 also calls for implementing financial and commercial controls,
and instituting reporting and investigation procedures.
CORRUPTION A MAJOR CHALLENGE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
The Middle East lags behind several other regions when it comes to bribery and corruption. Even
as these elements are on a slight decrease globally, the Transparency International Corruption
Perceptions Index shows the troubled state of the Middle East and North Africa. “The Corruption
Perceptions Index 2018 presents a grim reality in the Middle East and Northern Africa where,
despite some incremental progress by a select few, most countries are failing in the fight against
corruption”. Syria, Yemen and Libya are at the bottom (worst) end of the list.
There are some bright spots, though. United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, both countries that
have taken strong stances on fraud and corruption, score the highest for the Middle East.
Morocco and Egypt showed some improvement. Overall, however, the political instability in the
region has created a tumultuous business environment. According to the article: “In many Arab
governments, powerful individuals have actively influenced government policies and diverted
public funds and state assets for their own self-interest and enrichment at the expense of citizens.
This reduces anti-corruption efforts to merely ink on paper, where laws pass, but are rarely
enforced or implemented.”
This is underscored by limits and obstacles that corruption throws up in the way of those looking
to enact real change. “Across much of the developing world, the corruption of courts and other
government institutions threatens the free flow of goods and capital that promotes economic
growth. Left unaddressed, such threats can lead to heightened tensions among nations and even
outright trade wars. Diplomats operate under constraints that limit how much they can call out
international bad actors who violate the rule of law. That’s why the role of outside watchdogs is
so important in promoting the Rule of Law and holding nations to the standards of fairness and
impartiality they claim to meet,” writes National Review.
One country that exemplifies the Middle East difficulties with corruption is Lebanon. The
problem is described by one analyst as “deeply rooted,” and even recognized by the country’s
rulers. In such a political structure as Lebanon, a campaign to combat “systemic corruption” is
often seen as the lens of political reprisals against rivals. “In autocratic systems, every now and
then, a campaign emerges under the banner of fighting corruption. The main reason is to buy
legitimacy for the system.
“While the same impetus could be behind the current move, there is strong speculation in
Lebanon that the move also, and more importantly, aims to shape a consensus within the country
to accept the giant leap towards assuming the leadership of the country after”.
While there has been some concern that the corruption crackdown is a cover for prosecuting
opponents, some disagree – positing that it depends more on which party is leading the effort.
“Corruption in Lebanon is linked to political power. Therefore, whichever of Lebanon’s two
main political factions takes over the executive branch, corruption among the members of that
faction increases. It’s clear that most observers aren’t convinced that the country’s anti-
corruption campaign is to be taken at face-value – yet.
COMBAT BRIBERY & CORRUPTION
Corruption certainly isn’t exclusively a Middle Eastern problem. Organisations around the world
are taking action to reduce risk. They’ve found the structure and process they need in ISO
37001. ISO 37001 was issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in
2016 to help organisations worldwide increase and measure their efforts against bribery and
corruption. Through
ISO 37001 ABMS, organisations can implement standards at every level.
These measures include adopting an anti-bribery policy and appointing a person to oversee anti-
bribery compliance, training, risk assessments and due diligence on projects and business
associates. It’s also critical that the organisation implement financial and commercial controls,
along with reporting procedures and investigation processes.
The Pros Sal/ABAC® Center of Excellence to help organisations of all types and industries
implement ISO 37001 certification and/or training.