The GOVERNANCE blog

J.C. Sharman and David Chaikin on Corruption and Anti-Money-Laundering Systems: “Developing countries are sorely afflicted by corruption and yet are failing to capitalize on the investment they have made in anti-money-laundering systems that could assist in countering corruption . . . AML systems are seen as a totem with which to impress outside audiences rather than a tool to tackle pressing local problems.”

Clay Wescott on World Bank Support for Public Financial Management and Procurement: “Much of the actual reform was incremental, based on targets of opportunity rather a coherent strategy, even with the most ambitious Anglo-Saxon reformers. There was a gap between the promise of new announcements and initiatives on the one hand, and the actual delivery of reforms on the other. There is little evidence that the considerable cost of the reforms is justified by the benefits achieved.”