The fight against corruption: a global imperative for governance and sustainable development

Since the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (A/RES/58/4) on 31 October 2003, International Anti-Corruption Day has been observed every year on 9 December, with the aim of raising public awareness of the problems associated with this scourge.

Indeed, corruption is undoubtedly a global threat that affects all segments of society and institutions in every country. No State or international organization is immune to this phenomenon, whose scale and consequences vary from one place to another and from one sector to another.

Corruption takes many different forms. It may involve the impairment of mental faculties, the falsification of data or official documents, or the manipulation of decision-making processes (fraud); the receipt of money or gifts secretly offered to unlawfully obtain an advantage (bribery); the use of force to obtain something from another person (extortion); the misappropriation or theft of others’ property for personal enrichment; and many other malicious, selfish, and reprehensible acts, which often result in sanctions when discovered.

The seriousness of the problems and the threats posed by corruption to social, political, and economic development are numerous. Considered a crime, corruption undermines democratic efforts by challenging the rule of law, degrading the quality of life of populations, damaging institutions and ethical values, and paving the way for more serious acts such as large-scale organized crime and multifaceted security threats. Consequently, many challenges, inequalities, injustices, and impediments to development faced by States are linked to corruption. It constitutes a real obstacle to institutions, political stability, economic growth, transparency, the protection of citizens, and their well-being, and therefore deserves the attention of all in order to curb its spread and, if possible, eradicate it.

In this context, since 2004, International Anti-Corruption Day has been marked worldwide through actions by governments, civil society organizations, the private sector, the general public, and the media, all of whom raise awareness of its harmful effects and call for sustained action against corruption in order to reduce its corrosive impact on sustainable development and international cooperation.

This strong commitment by the various stakeholders also stems from the work of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which serves as the Secretariat of the Conference of the States Parties to the Convention. The Convention had been ratified by 192 parties (States and organizations) as of 2023. From 15 to 19 December 2025, the eleventh session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption will be held in Doha, Qatar, under the theme: “Uniting with Youth against Corruption: Shaping the Integrity of Tomorrow.” This session will help strengthen youth contributions to upholding commitments to responsible and sustainable governance, accountability, and the development of preventive strategies against nepotism, influence peddling, and other forms of corruption.

The African Training and Research Centre in Administration for Development (CAFRAD) — a pan-African intergovernmental organization established in 1962 to improve public administration and governance in Africa by serving as a center of excellence for capacity building, comparative research, and the training of senior civil servants, with a vision of a modern, intelligent, and accountable administration serving citizens — is deeply concerned by this issue. CAFRAD stands alongside governments, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, the media, and all citizens, including children, youth, adults, and seniors from all regions of the world, to fight together against this crime, which accounts for more than 5% of global GDP (2024).

CAFRAD is particularly attentive to this scourge that hinders the development of States. It organizes training programs aimed at strengthening transparency mechanisms within public administrations and enhancing the ethical capacities of managers, with the objective of reducing the risks of mismanagement and anticipating them through effective preventive measures. In this fight, CAFRAD also provides advice on strategies for better equipping and protecting law enforcement and judicial actors engaged in combating this vice.

CAFRAD expresses the hope that the combined and sustained efforts of the various stakeholders will, over time, lead to innovative solutions, the promotion of a culture of integrity, responsibility, accountability, sound public financial management, robust legal frameworks, and proactive strategies necessary for effective development in States.