A1 Plus | 14:35:04 | 20-10-2004 | Official |

TI SAYS CORRUPTION IS RAMPANT IN 60 COUNTRIES

A total of 106 out of 146 countries score less than 5 against a clean score
of 10, according to the new index, published today by Transparency
International, the leading non-governmental organisation fighting corruption
worldwide. Sixty countries score less than 3 out of 10, indicating rampant
corruption.

Corruption is perceived to be most acute in Bangladesh, Haiti, Nigeria,
Chad, Myanmar, Azerbaijan and Paraguay, all of which have a score of less
than 2. In the 2003 Index, where 133 countries were considered, Armenia was
placed 18th with its 3,0 points. In the 2004 Index Armenia is 82nd with 3.1
points among 146 countries.

The Corruption Perceptions Index 2004 shows, oil-rich Angola, Azerbaijan,
Chad, Ecuador, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Libya, Nigeria, Russia,
Sudan, Venezuela and Yemen all have extremely low scores. In these
countries, public contracting in the oil sector is plagued by revenues
vanishing into the pockets of western oil executives, middlemen and local
officials.

TI urges western governments to oblige their oil companies to publish what
they pay in fees, royalties and other payments to host governments and state
oil companies.

The Corruption Perceptions Index is a poll of polls, reflecting the
perceptions of business people and country analysts, both resident and
non-resident. This year’s Corruption Perceptions Index draws on 18 surveys
provided to Transparency International between 2002 and 2004, conducted by
12 independent institutions.

Countries with a score of higher than 9, with very low levels of perceived
corruption, are predominantly rich countries, namely Finland, New Zealand,
Denmark, Iceland, Singapore, Sweden and Switzerland.

The index includes only those countries that feature in at least three
surveys. As a result, many countries – including some which could be among
the most corrupt – are missing because there simply is not enough survey
data available.