Mobilising broad anti-corruption coalitions

Abstract

Query

Please provide examples of successful efforts to advance anti-corruption reforms through the mobilisation of broad coalitions across civil society, the private sector and government. Specific examples from the Asia-Pacific region would be appreciated.

Summary

Building multi-stakeholder coalitions against corruption is emerging as a very promising approach to mobilise broad-based political will, strengthen civil society and support citizens demand for accountability. A number of lessons can be drawn from the experience of Transparency International, Coalition 2000 in Bulgaria, the National Anti-Corruption Forum in South Africa, as well as from sectoral multi-stakeholder initiatives such as the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI), the Medicine Transparency Alliance (MeTA) or the Construction Sector Transparency Initiative (CoST). At the country level, there is no blueprint for setting up broad-based anti-corruption coalitions, as the building process strongly depends on the local circumstances, including the political context and the space available for civil society. Besides political and operational challenges, initiatives in all countries face major obstacles of sustainability, including the need to secure the long term collaboration of stakeholders with very different and at times irreconcilable agendas, operating logics and patterns of incentives.

Citation

Chêne, M. Mobilising broad anti-corruption coalitions. U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, CMI, Bergen, Norway (2010) 9 pp. [U4 Expert Answer 262]

Mobilising broad anti-corruption coalitions

Published 1 January 2010