ZIMBABWE: DFID Implements Anti-Corruption Measures to Protect Taxpayers’ Money
Corruption has become a significant challenge in Zimbabwe, with the country’s ranking on the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index (CPI) falling from 65th out of 90 countries in 2000 to 154th out of 183 countries in 2011. The UK Government is committed to transparency and value for money, and as such, it has taken steps to implement anti-corruption measures in Zimbabwe.
DFID’s Approach to Tackling Corruption
The Department for International Development (DFID) sets the highest standards for spending its own money and works to reduce corruption in each of its partner countries, including Zimbabwe. In November 2011, the Independent Commission on Aid Impact reviewed DFID’s approach to tackling corruption and found that it had a good awareness of fraud risks and sought to safeguard UK funds through appropriate funding channels and programme design.
Anti-Corruption Strategy
As part of its response, DFID is producing anti-corruption strategies for each of its main partner countries, including Zimbabwe. The strategy sets out how DFID will safeguard UK taxpayers’ money and support efforts in Zimbabwe to reduce corruption and improve the use of public funds over the next three years.
Key Initiatives
- Assessing the relative risks of fraud and corruption across existing programmes
- Scaling up monitoring and evaluation
- Working closely with other donors that are co-funding programmes
- Strengthening public sector policies and systems
- Improving financial and human resource management
- Supporting civil society to focus on transparency, accountability, and integrity
- Providing equipment and training to the Auditor General and State Procurement Board
- Supporting Zimbabwe’s Public Accounts Committee
- Funding community scorecards in the health sector
- Supporting independent media and Zimbabweans’ efforts to monitor and provide feedback on service delivery
Country Programme
The country programme is available on the DFID website at www.dfid.gov.uk/Zimbabwe, and inquiries can be directed to pressoffice@dfid.gov.uk.