The World Bank has said curbing corruption in pandemic period is more important than ever and governments can make progress in this fight even under the most challenging conditions, the lending agency said in a report.
It said government are mobilizing huge resources and spending unprecedented levels of emergency funds to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and offers most effective approaches and tools to enhance government accountability in spending, said a press release.
In Bangladesh, innovative approach in this regard is bringing progress. It said the implementation of e -government procurement, combined with increased transparency and citizen participation, halved the number of single bidder tenders.
It has improved competition significantly; increased the number of contracts awarded to non-local firms; and led to better prices with successful bidders, the report said.
Enhancing Government Effectiveness and Transparency remain key to fighting high level corruption it emphasized adding the fight against corruption must focuses on ways to enhance the effectiveness of anti-corruption strategies in the sectors most affected.
It serves as a reference guide to policy makers and anti-corruption champions to further sharpen the application of traditional tools.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has led to large scale emergency spending by governments at rapid speed to revive the economy as well as protect the poor, vulnerable people who suffered disproportionately."
As countries embark on the road to a more resilient and inclusive recovery, prudent use of scarce resources in a transparent manner is critical," said World Bank Managing Director Mari Pangestu.
Progress is possible in all environments working closely with partners in government, civil society, and in the private sector, he said.
The World Bank said speedy emergency spending is understandable but without adhering to the regular checks and balances it exposes governments to a variety of corruption risks that may undermine the effectiveness of their responses.
To foster greater accountability, the report has called on governments to clearly articulate their actions, enforce rules, address violations, and promote remedy for problems as quickly as possible, and in a transparent manner.
The report covers five key thematic areas: public procurement, infrastructure, state-owned enterprises, customs administration, and service delivery, and cross-cutting themes such as open government initiatives and GovTech, with case study examples from around the world.
It will help equip public sector officials and civil society with a modular set of approaches and tools that can be drawn upon and adapted to their specific country context.
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