Anticorruption Reform: Learning From Experience Across Sectors

Even armed with a thorough approach for diagnosing corruption risk, anticorruption reformers may struggle to decide on next steps. Solutions to corruption problems do not always readily present themselves. The politicized nature of the issues also means generating real momentum behind reform can seem daunting. To help reformers with these choices, this NRGI briefing brings together eight case studies from other sectors. Cases were selected where positive changes can be demonstrated, even if the reform process is often incomplete. NRGI and the author also selected reforms which have potential replicability in the extractives sector, while recognizing that the details will look different. The case examples are organized by reform categories, as shown in the table below.

The briefing presents a short summary of each case and provides links to further materials, as well as accurate and up-to-date a summary as possible in each case, with the caveat that circumstances frequently change in anticorruption work. The briefing concludes with five lessons on anticorruption reform which can be drawn from across these cases. The aim is to show what can be achieved and support users of the diagnostic tool to learn from experiences outside the extractives sector.

The tool provides guidance to multi-stakeholder groups to identify forms of corruption harming a country’s extractive sector. Developing an anticorruption action plan is the sixth step in the tool and a key outcome of the diagnostic process. The action plan should follow from a broader discussion on strategy, through which users make choices on the issues to tackle, the people and agencies to engage, and how to brand reforms (see section 6.1. in the diagnostic tool, “Strategizing”).

To ensure the action plan provides a sound basis for reform, users of the tool should apply the following key principles:

• Engage all relevant stakeholders throughout the action planning process to secure buy-in for reforms.
• Set clear and specific objectives which balance feasibility and ambition.
• Ensure clear ownership and incentives, and lines of responsibility for actions.
• Set clear indicators and conduct regular monitoring to assess progress.
• Build in flexibility and be prepared to adapt plans to changes in the context.

The diagnostic tool includes templates and guidance for users when developing an action plan.