Analysis of the Impact of Corruption on Governance and Integrity, and Discussion on Global Anti-corruption Initiatives
Recent or Current Example of Corruption:
In one of the recent examples, the head of the Customs Authority was arrested in Egypt. He was accused of taking bribes, and in December 2018, he was charged with this corruption. Gamal Abdelazim allowed entry of banned goods into the country and for this purpose, he took bribes from parties. It should be highlighted that this arrest is one of many cases of corruption in the customs department (Knecht, 2018).
Effect of Corruption on Integrity of the Customs Authority:
The Customs Authority of Egypt has the rule under which it does not allow banned goods into its territory. Head of the authority is supposed to play this role, but this act of corruption has affected the integrity of the Customs Authority of Egypt very much. The integrity of the authority has been compromised and affected badly because the head of the authority has not abided by the obligations set under his role. This has sent a negative message to the authority and its officials that he was not able to expect professionally from officials of the Customs Authority. Thus, the transparency and integrity of the author were compromised badly.
Moreover, this act of corruption has also affected stakeholders of the authority because the nature and jurisdiction of the authority make its widespread impact and deep. These corrupt practices by the head of the Customs Authority have affected stakeholders, the State, and partners directly and indirectly. It is charged against the head that he took $41,993 for allowing banned goods into the country. It affected the legitimacy of the country that his officer was allowed goods which were banned. It was a very bad impression for people around the world. Secondly, the state was deprived of the customs fee and revenues. It hurt partners and officials inside the Customs Authority because others might follow similarly.
Moreover, it may also prompt other criminals to approach the Customs Authority for the same leniency and flexibility of the rules. The whole process got distorted through this act of corruption. Collectively, it affected the ability of the administration to fulfill border management role and its corruption destroyed the first wall of defense because their role starts from the border and their dishonesty and corruption made their role fractured. The head of authority established a corrupt practice to follow (Aboudi, 2018).
Corruption, Its Spread, and Prevention in the Customs Authority:
The incident of corruption with Gamal Abdulazem is a localized act of taking bribes for allowing banned goods into the country. It does not fall under the broader socio-political environment because the act of corruption was carried out because of love for money. He took bribes because he used his authority for earning money from illegal means. Egypt has long been ranked as a highly corrupt country, and the protest against Hosni Mubarak was also carried out because the public was against corrupt practices. There are other government agencies which are involved in corrupt practices and actions have been taken against corrupt people. In this background, the head of the Customs Authority was also involved in corrupt practices. These practices could have been prevented by having a check on the head of the authority, but its prevention was very difficult because of autonomy enjoyed by the Customs Authority and head of it. The spread of corruption due to the involvement of the head of the Customs Authority can be noted from the tax officer’s arrest in bribery along with him (Al-Youm, 2018).
Weaknesses in Governance and Prevention of Corruption in the Customs Authority:
There are certainly weaknesses in the governance of the authority because the head of the authority cannot be controlled or prohibited if he firmly aims to earn money through illegal means. The Customs Department has autonomy and freedom of decision making, and it cannot be controlled if the person in charge has made up his mind to commit corruption. However, the response of the administration to prevent corruption in the department has been appropriate because the administration has caught the person in the right manner. The crime has been proved that the head of the Customs Authority has taken bribes for allowing banned goods into the country. Now, the country and its corruption control agencies should adopt practices to prevent re-occurring of corruption. Prevention or discouraging corruption may be possible if checks and balances are imposed on the heads of authorities in the country and autonomy of decision making by the Customs Authority should be controlled as well (Egypt Today staff, 2018).
International Community, Its Tools and Resources, and Effectiveness:
The international community to end corruption at the border or in the customs department includes some international level bodies like the World Customs Organization, the US Aid, and the OECD. Moreover, interaction and collaboration of customs departments and neighboring countries are also important in this regard because countries are also concerned about this corruption in the customs department. Corruption at the border is controlled through US Aid as well, but the most prominent role is from the World Customs Organization. Tools and resources available to this international community would be discussed and highlighted in this section. Then, their effectiveness would also be examined.
Tools and resources possessed by the International Community:
Tools and resources having by international community contain broader principles of integrity by ensuring sound measures of integrity. It is suggested that there should not be an opportunity for corruption and for this purpose, the use of automation and transparency of procedures should be employed. Salary and compensation packages should be attractive enough that customs staff cannot indulge in corrupt practices. Moreover, there should be reviews, audit, and strong prosecution procedures so that customs integrity can be established. These resources and tools have been developed with the help of WCO and OECD, but these are not the only agencies combating corruption on the borders as there is US AID as well. US AID stands for United States Agency for International Development. US AID has developed interrelated and connected 16 components which ensure integrity program at the borders and in the customs department (Module 4, 2019).
Here are some of the steps taken by these bodies for border management and customs administration. Countries with weak security systems need these initiatives. For example, WCO takes the record of electronic transmissions of Customs data in advance. The purpose of this procedure is to have timely information about goods being traded across borders. In the result, governments can take steps to make the process secure and safe (OSCE, 2017). The role of OECD has been useful in customs administration as the Anti-Corruption Working Group of G20 has requested OECD to ensure integrity in customs. Both bodies have collaborated to ensure border management and customs administration (OECD, 2018). In one of the reports, World Banks has stated that lending operations of the bank have been used for modernization of operations for customs administration over the last 30 years. The bank has taken serious steps to do so as it has published CMH and CMI while it has also outlined a Capacity Building Framework of WCO. These steps by bank show its intention for collaboration and eagerness to finance operations for customs administration and border management (World Bank , 2006).
These steps or initiatives by international bodies are there for improvement in transparency, monitoring, accountability, and implementation of a code of ethics. These are the reasons why customs administration and border management are stressed. Different tools and resources have been detailed in customs modernization handbook, code of conduct, a revised integrity development guide, and procedure and policies as these are also tools for customs administration and border management.
Furthermore, there should be well integrated and well-connected border management between countries so that there are no illegal practices on the ground, which can be less effective for integrity in the operations and actions of border security and customs. These tools and resources are very helpful for ensuring transparency and integrity in the department and for this purpose, customs administration can be more effective and useful. However, the effectiveness of these tools and resources should also be addressed.
Application of these Tools and Resources on Selected Example:
A selected example is from Egypt, where the head of Customs Authority has been arrested on charges of taking bribes for allowing entry of banned goods into the country and these tools and resources effectively fits this example. These tools and resources can be used in the given example, as automation of the process can be very effective. There should be a proper check on goods which enter the country. Each good should be scanned and passed through the automation process under which it is determined whether it is legal or not legal. Therefore, it is very easy to have a look at each good and product. If this automation process would have been there, then it might be very difficult for the head of Customs Authority to take bribes for allowing illegal goods. Moreover, the culture of the department should also be addressed so that it can be known what the factors leading head of the Customs Authority to commit this crime are. High remuneration and compensation packages should be given, and in the case of the given example, the head of the Customs Authority should be given a ratio of goods being transported into the country. In this way, such events of corruption could have been controlled and eliminated.
International Community and its Efforts to end Corruption at the Border:
The international community is doing and practicing effective measures to end or eliminate corruption at the border, and the tools and procedures by OECD, WCO, World Bank, and US AID are effective. However, there are more steps which should be taken, and this can be done by allowing the interaction and cooperation of neighboring countries. Neighboring countries should come forward to ensure that everything remains under legal limits. Everything should be passed through proper check and balance. Otherwise, mere tools and resources by US AID, OECD, and WCO cannot be enough at all.
The Statement by Shaver and My Argument:
I agree with the statement that real casualties of corruption are ordinary citizens. A few people are affected by acts of corruption, but in reality, common people are affected. Rules and laws are made for the peace and prosperity of societies, and common people rely on the peace and prosperity of communities. If heads of government agencies are corrupt, then this peace and prosperity are compromised, and real casualties of corruption are ordinary citizens of society.
References
Aboudi, S. (2018). Ex-head of Egypt’s Customs Authority faces graft charges: prosecution office. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-corruption/ex-head-of-egypts-customs-authority-faces-graft-charges-prosecution-office-idUSKBN1O92DP
Al-Youm, A.-M. (2018). Tax officer arrested along Customs Authority head for bribery. Retrieved from https://ww.egyptindependent.com/tax-officer-arrested-along-customs-authority-head-for-bribery/
Egypt Today staff. (2018). A closer look at Egypt’s ongoing anti-corruption battle. Retrieved from http://www.egypttoday.com/Article/2/55693/A-closer-look-at-Egypt%E2%80%99s-ongoing-anti-corruption-battle
Knecht, E. (2018). Egypt arrests head of Customs Authority for alleged bribery. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-corruption/egypt-arrests-head-of-customs-authority-for-alleged-bribery-idUSKBN1JZ261
Module 4. (2019). Customs Integrity and Role of the World Customs Organization.
OECD. (2018). Integrity in customs: Taking stock of good practices. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/gov/ethics/integrity-customs-good-practices.htm
OSCE. (2017). The Role of Customs and the World Customs Organization in border management. Retrieved from https://www.osce.org/atu/24649?download=true
World Bank . (2006). Customs Modernization. Retrieved from http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTCUSTOMPOLICYANDADMIN/Resources/Customs_
Modernization_Project_Preparation_Guidelines_January_26_2006.pdf
