South Sudan now world’s most corrupt country

South Sudan has overtaken Somalia and Syria to become the most corrupt country in the world according to the latest Corruption Perception Index published by Transparency International.

Out of 180 countries, South Sudan sits at the bottom with just an 11 per cent score out of 100, trailing the aforementioned countries with two points. Juba also ranks 77 points behind the least corrupt countries such as Denmark, Finland, and New Zealand with a joint score of 88.  

The report reveals that since the beginning of the pandemic, governments in over 130 countries, including South Sudan, have not made progress in fighting corruption despite commitments on paper.

“Two years into the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) reveals that corruption levels have stagnated worldwide,” the organization says in its annual report.

“Despite commitments on paper, 131 countries have made no significant progress against corruption over the last decade and this year 27 countries are at historic lows in their CPI score,” it further underscores.

Transparency International noted that countries with the highest rates of corruption also harbour gross human rights violations as rights and freedom erode.

“Meanwhile, human rights and democracy across the world are under assault. This is no coincidence. Corruption enables human rights abuses, setting off a vicious and escalating spiral,” it says.

“As rights and freedoms are eroded, democracy declines and authoritarianism takes its place, which in turn enables higher levels of corruption,” the report argues.

Since 2013, South Sudan has ranked among the most corrupt countries scoring a maximum of 15 points out of 100, which is within the red zone of the global ranking.

In 2020, Somalia was the only country that ranked below South Sudan in the corruption perception index.