Corruption Perception Index 2012 in MENA Countries: Qatar Ranks on the Top

The MENA Weekly Monitor, Week 50

Transparency International issued its annual Corruption Perception Index (CPI) in which Qatar topped the list of 17 MENA countries and ranked 27th out of 176 countries across the world.

The Index measures the perceived levels of public sector corruption in countries worldwide. Based on expert opinion, countries are scored from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). Two-thirds of the 176 countries ranked in the 2012 index scored below 50, showing that public institutions need to be more transparent, as per Transparency International.

In the MENA region, 78% of countries were below the 50 mark compared to 66% in the Americas, 68% in Asia/Pacific, 95% in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, 23% in the EU and Western Europe, and 90% in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Ranks of MENA countries varied significantly between 27 and 173. The three top countries Qatar, UAE, and Bahrain ranked 27th for the former two, and 53 for the latter. On the bottom of the list came Libya, Iraq, and Sudan with respective ranks of 160, 169, and 173. Out of the 17 MENA countries, the ranks of seven countries improved year-on-year. Yemen and Libya showed the highest improvement, with the rank of each increasing by eight notches, followed by Algeria whose rank improved by seven notches. Syria registered the highest retreat with its rank decreasing by 15 notches, followed by Kuwait and Oman whose ranks decreased by 12 and 11 notches, respectively.

Published in The MENA Weekly Monitor Week 50 released by Bank Audi.