New Liberian President must quickly make good on anti-corruption pledge

Transparency International outlines recommendations for new anti-corruption governments

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President-elect of Liberia, takes office today on a solid anti-corruption platform, promising a wave of change for a country long plagued by a culture of corruption with impunity.

“Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s courageous commitment to attack corruption brings the possibility of stability and prosperity to Liberia,” said Huguette Labelle, Chair of Transparency International. “Her first months in office are crucial. Rapid and visible progress in delivering on the anti-corruption agenda will assure the people of Liberia that their future holds greater hope and opportunity. This is essential to build new trust between the people and the government, and will help put the country on a sustainable path.”

In a letter this week, Labelle and Transparency International offered the incoming president the organisation’s expertise in fighting corruption, based on recommendations included in New Anti-Corruption Governments: the Challenge of Delivery, a publication TI launches today. The recommendations, based on a 2004 conference in Nairobi, Kenya, on anti-corruption strategies open to new, reform-minded governments, call for introducing some important anti-corruption measures during the first year in office and establishment of a constant or accelerating pace of reform. They also suggest giving the highest priority to integrity in the judiciary.

TI’s special recommendations for Liberia include public sector reform and wage reviews, along with well-planned poverty alleviation strategies that recognise the connection between poverty and corruption. The letter calls for an increase in wages for the civil service and increasing funding for the judiciary and prosecutors. Another key action will be to create a National Anti-Corruption Action Plan with the participation of civil society.

Embracing TI’s recommendations will arm the incoming Liberian government with the know-how to act quickly in the critical period following the president’s inauguration. Members of the international community, private sector and civil society also need to know how best to promote and support reform processes.

The new president can benefit from the experience of other governments elected on anti-corruption tickets, which was reviewed at the TI conference in Nairobi.. From Kenya to Georgia, Ukraine to Indonesia, Mexico to Nigeria, new political leaders with strong anti-corruption agendas have faced enormous challenges in delivering on election promises.

“Managing public expectation is essential. Mistrust breeds conflict and undermines democracy and development,” declared CENTAL, the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia and Transparency International’s contact group there. “The new Liberian government must cultivate honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability to justify and sustain the trust of the people. In fulfilling the Social Contract, citizens, too, must generate a new culture of participation in public decision-making, holding their representatives accountable for the trust bestowed upon them.”

Liberia’s government has been decimated by years of conflict. The challenges faced by its new president include the need to end political patronage, confront and expose conflicts of interest and tackle the tolerance of corruption that has allowed it to flourish.

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Transparency International is the global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption.

Note to editors:
The TI report published today is the result of a 2004 conference in Nairobi, Kenya, on the anti-corruption strategies open to new, reform-minded governments. In addition to developing recommendations to support their efforts, the conference examined the role of civil society, international donors and the private sector in supporting government reform efforts. The meeting brought together 230 participants from 33 countries.

The report is available at http://www.transparency.org/news_room/in_focus