The Commonwealth works with national authorities to uphold transparency and accountability in public services.  We pay particular attention to strengthening anti-corruption agencies, public administration and financial management systems in small and less developed countries.

People rely on the public sector to deliver services like hospitals, schools and the police. The public sector is also responsible for regulating companies, collecting taxes, and distributing pensions and other benefits to citizens. To deliver good services, institutions need principles and processes that reinforce integrity, transparency and accountability.

Commonwealth action

The Commonwealth brings together heads of national anti-corruption institutions, cabinet secretaries and civil service heads in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific to learn from each other, at meetings like the Commonwealth Ministers for Public Service Forum.

We have built global and regional networks, such as the Commonwealth associations of anti-corruption agencies in both Africa and the Caribbean, and the Commonwealth Public Procurement Network.

Together with the Government of Botswana, we set up the Commonwealth Africa Anti-Corruption Centre to help countries develop their skills in corruption prevention, investigations, forensics and prosecutions.

Results of our work

The value of our work has been recognised around the world. In 2018 we won the International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award.

Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Indices show that 9 of the 10 least corrupt countries in Africa are members of the Commonwealth. In the Caribbean, data shows Commonwealth countries are perceived as less corrupt than their non-Commonwealth neighbours.

Anti-Corruption Benchmarks