03 Mar

Corruption Perceptions Index 2024: Part One

Courtheath's blog
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A Global Assessment

The 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), recently released by Transparency International, highlights persistent global challenges in addressing corruption. With more than two-thirds of countries scoring below 50, the findings underscore the links between corruption, democratic decline, economic inequality, and barriers to climate action, reinforcing the far-reaching impact of corruption on global stability.

In the first of this two-part blog series, we examine the 2024 CPI rankings, key findings, regional trends, and offer an overview of Transparency International’s 5 key ingredients to address corruption. In part two, we will focus on Australia’s improved ranking, and the broader challenges in the Asia-Pacific region.

Understanding the CPI

The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) was introduced by Transparency International in 1995. Published annually, it evaluates perceived levels of public sector corruption in 180 countries and territories around the world. The Index is based on 13 independent sources, including expert assessments and business surveys, to gauge perceptions of corruption in public institutions.

Countries are scored from 0 to 100, where 0 represents high corruption and 100 indicates a very clean public sector. A score below 50 suggests significant corruption challenges and weak institutional integrity.

The 2024 CPI shows that corruption remains a systemic problem in many regions, with few countries making notable progress. Countries with strong democratic institutions tend to have higher scores, while those with weak governance, authoritarian rule, or conflict tend to score lower.

What kind of corruption does the CPI measure?

According to Transparency International, the data sources used to compile the CPI specifically cover the following manifestations of public sector corruption:

  • Bribery
  • Diversion of public funds
  • Officials using their public office for private gain without facing consequences
  • Ability of governments to contain corruption in the public sector
  • Excessive red tape in the public sector which may increase opportunities for corruption
  • Nepotistic appointments in the civil service
  • Laws ensuring that public officials must disclose their finances and potential conflicts of interest
  • Legal protection for people who report cases of bribery and corruption
  • State capture by narrow vested interests
  • Access to information on public affairs/government activities.

“Corruption is an evolving global threat that does far more than undermine development – it is a key cause of declining democracy, instability and human rights violations. The international community and every nation must make tackling corruption a top and long-term priority. This is crucial to pushing back against authoritarianism and securing a peaceful, free and sustainable world. The dangerous trends revealed in this year's Corruption Perceptions Index highlight the need to follow through with concrete action now to address global corruption.” — François Valérlan, Chair of Transparency International

CPI 2024 Key Findings

  • CPI score changes, 2012-2024: 32 countries have improved, 47 have declined, 101 have stayed the same.
  • Denmark ranks first for the seventh consecutive year with a score of 90, followed by Finland (88) and Singapore (84) in second and third place. New Zealand (83), dropping out of the top three for the first time since 2012, remains in the top ten alongside Luxembourg (81), Norway (81), Switzerland (81), Sweden (80), the Netherlands (78), Australia (77), Iceland (77), and Ireland (77).
  • Countries facing conflict, severe restrictions on freedoms, and weak democratic institutions rank at the bottom of the index. South Sudan (8), Somalia (9), and Venezuela (10) have the lowest scores, followed by Syria (12), Equatorial Guinea (13), Eritrea (13), Libya (13), Yemen (13), Nicaragua (14), Sudan (15), and North Korea (15).
  • Australia’s score has increased to 77, up from 75 in 2023. Australia last scored 77 from 2017 to 2020, with its highest score recorded in 2012 (85), when the methodology used to calculate the CPI was updated, and a new scale of 0-100 was established.
  • Two-thirds of the world’s countries score below 50, indicating widespread corruption concerns, with the global average score remaining at 43.
  • The gap between democratic and authoritarian regimes is stark, with full democracies (24 countries) averaging 73, flawed democracies (50 countries) 47, and non-democratic regimes (95 countries) 33.
  • Climate-related corruption is a growing issue, affecting policymaking, funding allocation, and environmental regulations.

Regional Results: A Snapshot

Americas (42 – average score)

  • Top: Uruguay (76), Canada (75) and Barbados (68).
  • Bottom: Haiti (16), Nicaragua (14), Venezuela (10).

Asia Pacific (44)

  • Top: Singapore (84), New Zealand (83), Australia (77).
  • Bottom: Afghanistan (17), North Korea (17), Myanmar (16).

Eastern Europe & Central Asia (35)

  • Top: Georgia (53), Armenia (47) and Montenegro (46).
  • Bottom: Russia (22), Azerbaijan (22), Tajikistan (19) and Turkmenistan (17).

Middle East & North Africa (39)

  • Top: United Arab Emirates (68), Israel (64), Qatar (59) and Saudi Arabia (59).
  • Bottom: Libya (13), Yemen (13) and Syria (12).

Sub-Saharan Africa (33)

  • Top: Seychelles (72), Cabo Verde (62), Botswana (57) and Rwanda (57).
  • Bottom: Eritrea (13), Equatorial Guinea (13), Somalia (9) and South Sudan (8).

Western Europe & EU (64)

  • Top: Denmark (90) and Finland (88).
  • Bottom: Malta (46), Romania (46), Bulgaria (43) and Hungary (41).

How to Stop Corruption: 5 Key Ingredients

There is no single solution to eliminating corruption, but several key strategies have proven effective in reducing it. Transparency International highlights five essential measures that governments and citizens can adopt to strengthen integrity and accountability.

  1. End impunity: Corruption thrives when wrongdoers face no consequences. Strong enforcement, backed by independent courts and legal institutions, help to ensure that corrupt individuals are prosecuted and held accountable. Without such measures, impunity persists, enabling corruption to become deeply entrenched.
  2. Reform public administration and finance management: Effective financial management helps prevent the misallocation of public funds. In some countries, reforms that increase oversight—such as budget transparency and independent auditing—have been more impactful than broad public sector reforms in reducing corruption. Ensuring that resources are allocated and spent transparently limits opportunities for misuse.
  3. Promote transparency and access to information: Open access to government data and freedom of the press are crucial in combating corruption. When people can easily obtain information about government spending, decision-making, and policies, officials are more accountable. Countries with strong transparency laws tend to have higher public trust and lower levels of corruption.
  4. Empower citizens: Public engagement plays a significant role in reducing corruption. Community-led monitoring initiatives have exposed corruption, reduced financial leakages, and improved public services in some countries. When citizens have the tools to demand accountability, trust between the public and government institutions improves.
  5. Close international loopholes: Corrupt officials rely on global financial systems to launder and hide illicit wealth. Stronger regulations in major financial hubs can help prevent dirty money from being funnelled through offshore accounts. Strengthening international cooperation to block illicit financial flows is essential to cutting off corruption at its source.

Addressing corruption requires a multi-faceted approach, where law enforcement, financial accountability, transparency, public engagement, and global cooperation work together to create a system that resists corruption.

Conclusion

The 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index highlights persistent governance challenges, with more than two-thirds of countries scoring below 50. Corruption remains a significant issue, particularly in regions experiencing political instability and weak institutional oversight. Countries facing conflict and authoritarian rule continue to rank among the lowest.

Despite some improvements, overall progress remains slow, reinforcing the urgent need for sustained transparency and accountability efforts.

In the final part of this two-part blog series, we will focus on Australia’s ranking, which rose from 75 (2023) to 77 (2024), and the broader Asia-Pacific region.

Resources

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CourtHeath acknowledges the Traditional Aboriginal Owners of Country throughout Victoria and pays respect to Elders past and present, and to the ongoing living culture of Aboriginal people.

A participant in the UN Global Compact, CourtHeath seeks to raise awareness about the sustainable development goals and the principles of the Global Compact with business and government organisations in Victoria.

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Image: Corruption Perceptions Index 2024, Transparency International

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Written by Wendy Cavenett

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CourtHeath Consulting

CourtHeath Consulting provides expert procurement and probity advice to government and not for profit organisations. We provide specialist consulting services about procurement issues and organisational procurement operations – as well as management of simple and complex tender processes. Our probity audit and advisory services help clients meet government probity standards especially regarding conflict of interest, confidentiality, ethical conduct and corruption risks.