Georgia
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Patterns of informality: A novel approach to understanding failing anti-corruption methods
In the context of a multi-centre research project, the Institute and its partners seek to map the manner in which informality is associated with the resilience of corruption. In this innovative project, researchers shift the focus away from analysing the implementation of formal legal frameworks, regulations and policies to concentrate on informal actions and practices that may be effectively taken into consideration where conventional anti-corruption interventions have failed. For this purpose dedicated local researchers are conducting fieldwork in Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda studying patterns of informality that are linked to high corruption levels and associated with the poor performance of conventional anti-corruption approaches. Amongst potential factors assessed in this context are the role of electoral processes in heightening corruption risks, the role of informal networks based on kinship, ethnicity as well as opportunistic considerations as well as the role that informality may play or not in two "success stories" namely Rwanda and Georgia.
Basel Institute’s Public Governance division to lead corruption research projects in East Africa and post-Soviet countries
The Basel Institute has been awarded two new research grants; one by the British Academy as part of its GBP 4 million global anti-corruption research scheme in partnership with the Department for International Development DFID in the context of DFID’s Anti-Corruption Evidence 'ACE' Research Programme; the second by DFID’s East Africa Research Fund EARF . The BA grant will support a 24-month research project titled Informal Governance and Corruption – Transcending the Principal Agent and Collective Action Paradigms. Under the leadership of the Basel Institute’s Head of Governance Research, Dr Claudia Baez Camargo, and in close collaboration with Professor Alena Ledeneva from University College London and Dr Scott Newton from SOAS University of London this research project proposes to adopt a bottom-up perspective to understand the role that informality plays in fuelling corruption and stifling anti-corruption policies. By suggesting this emphasis on informality, the project seeks to shift away from the more commonly held perspective of viewing endemic corruption as a collective action problem and prescribing the strengthening of formal mechanisms top-down. Through the application of a comparative research design, the research will thus test the impact of informality on corruption and anti-corruption within a wider set of countries in East Africa Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda and the former Soviet Union Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia . A second grant, by DFID’s EARF, provides funding for an 18-month research study on “Corruption, Social Norms and Values in East Africa.” The project will also be led by Dr Claudia Baez Camargo in close cooperation with a number of local researchers in the target countries in East Africa Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda . In order to gain a better understanding of how endemic corruption “works” from the perspective of the affected populations themselves, this research project focuses on petty corruption, and in doing so intends to: understand social norms and mental models associated with the propensity of officials to ask for, accept or reject bribes; and that of citizens to offer, concede, resist and report bribery in daily interactions; understand the factors including social norms, habits, emotions, mental biases, sense of agency which influence these; and identify further evidence gaps and consider implications for anti-corruption interventions in the three concerned countries.
Publications
Anti-corruption Reforms in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Progress and Challenges, 2016-2019
Corruption remains high in the region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Governments have undertaken many reforms to tackle corruption. However, empirical data and perception surveys show a poor enforcement track record and that countries have not fully aligned their laws with the international standards. This report takes stock of the actions that countries in the region took to address corruption since 2016. It identifies progress achieved as well as remaining challenges that require further action by countries.
The report summarises outcomes of the fourth round of Istanbul Anti-Corruption Action Plan monitoring that covered nine countries in the region: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. The Istanbul Anti-Corruption Action Plan is an initiative of the OECD Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ACN).
The report analyses three broad areas of anti-corruption work, including anti-corruption policies and institutions, criminalisation of corruption and law-enforcement, and measures to prevent corruption in public administration and in the private sector. Examples of good practice from the OECD and other countries and comparative cross-country data help to illustrate the analysis. The report also reviews the role that the OECD/ACN played in supporting anticorruption efforts in the region.
Informal Governance and Corruption – Transcending the Principal Agent and Collective Action Paradigms in Georgia
This Georgia country report is part of a research project funded by the Anti-Corruption Evidence (ACE) Programme of the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID) and the British Academy.
The project has identified informal practices in selected countries in order to establish their general and specific features in comparative analysis; assess their impact based on the functions they perform in their respective economies and indicate the extent to which they fuel corruption and stifle anticorruption policies.
The comparative research design involves seven countries from two geopolitical groups East Africa and Post-Soviet countries as follows:
- East Africa: Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda
- Post-Soviet countries: Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia
The goal of the research is to produce evidence for the relevance of informality in support of the ‘localisation’ of anticorruption strategies and promoting the development of a new generation of policies that may harness the transformative potential of local patterns of informality.
See the research findings on the Basel Institute’s Informal Governance website.
The State of Corruption: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine
Corruption remains a major problem in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, threatening economic development and political stability as well as the credibility of governments. While some progress has been made in adopting anti-corruption laws in all five countries, the capture of important institutions by powerful interests is seriously undermining the effective enforcement of these laws.
In order to address the problem, Transparency International national chapters conducted in-depth research on the strengths and weaknesses of more than 60 institutions responsible for preventing and fighting corruption across the five countries. This report presents the results of this research, identifies trends and issues of common concern across the region, highlights promising developments in the field of anti-corruption and makes concrete proposals for reform.