Digital tools can and must play an important role in the effort to eradicate corruption. Governments can use them to increase transparency, promote accountability and empower citizens. But, as the IACA meeting concluded, technology alone cannot guarantee success. Policymakers must also commit to anti-corruption measures, demonstrate leadership and vision, and uphold the rule of law.
To begin with, technology can contribute to the fight against corruption by enabling the digitalization of government services. Heavy bureaucratic processes too often become a breeding ground for corruption. Digital platforms that streamline and automate these services would reduce face-to-face interactions and therefore the possibilities for embezzlement. For example, Estonia, a pioneer in e-government, has digitized almost all of its public services, from tax payments to business registration, providing greater transparency and making it more difficult for corrupt officials to demand bribes.
Governments could also use blockchain technology and artificial intelligence to identify and prevent corruption. Blockchain-based public procurement systems would create a transparent and immutable record of tender processes. Additionally, governments have begun using AI and data analytics to spot illicit financial flows that often cost billions of dollars in lost tax and customs revenue. AI could also detect patterns and anomalies that could indicate corruption, such as suspicious financial transactions or inconsistencies in public procurement data. Such tools enable early intervention, which can prevent corruption from growing unchecked.
Some of the world’s biggest corruption scandals have been exposed by whistleblowers. To make it easier to report wrongdoing, policymakers should establish encrypted systems that allow individuals to report incidents of corruption and bribery anonymously. These platforms, combined with social media, allow citizens to speak out quickly and without fear of reprisal, putting pressure on governments and businesses to take action.
Despite advances in digital tools for exposing corruption, technology cannot prevent the corrupt from finding workarounds. Additionally, the digital divide between rich and poor countries means that citizens and officials in developing countries often lack access to anti-corruption tools when they most need them. This problem is particularly pronounced in rural areas, where corruption tends to be more widespread and people do not always have the digital literacy or resources to use e-government services or online reporting platforms. .
For digital tools to be effective in fighting corruption, those in power must have the skills to spot wrongdoing and know best practices. To this end, Iaca has focused its efforts on education and training programs. Ethics and moral reasoning must be integrated into school curricula from an early age. Civil servants, business leaders and law enforcement officers must receive regular training on the most effective and efficient anti-corruption measures.
Likewise, governments must uphold the rule of law by vigorously enforcing anti-corruption legislation and closing legal loopholes. Convicting corrupt actors requires strong legal frameworks, an independent judiciary and law enforcement agencies, without which even the best technology will have no real impact.
Eradicating corruption is one of the most important struggles of our time, and we now have a powerful new set of digital tools. But while technology can help detect and prevent wrongdoing, anti-corruption laws and the authorities charged with enforcing them must be given the authority to finish the job.
Azalina Othman Said, Minister attached to the Prime Minister of Malaysia (Law and Institutional Reform), chairs the Assembly of Parties of the International Anti-Corruption Academy in 2024.
© Project Syndicate 1995–2024
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