Studies have found that bribes make up 14% of the total shipping costs for standard containers to certain ports in southern Africa.However, corruption at borders and points of entry is only the tip of the iceberg. Over two-thirds of countries in the 2023 Transparency International Global Coalition Corruption Perceptions index score below 50 out of 100, which signals they have serious corruption problems.The global average is stuck at 43. Most countries have made no progress or declined in the last decade. What is more, 23 countries fell to their lowest scores to date in 2023, according to the compilers of the indexDespite improvement in some countries, sub-Saharan Africa maintains the lowest average at 33, with democracy and the rule of law under pressure.Seychelles (CPI score: 71) is the top scorer in the region, followed by Cabo Verde (64) and Botswana (59). At the bottom of the list are Equatorial Guinea (17), South Sudan (13) and Somalia (11), none of which show any signs of improvement.South A f r ica’s CPI score has declined over the past five years, having dropped two points in 2023 to 41/100.The country ranks 83/100. Transparency International says the blame does not lie solely with government officials.“For too long, professionals and businesses operating in the non-financial sector have escaped both public and regulatory scrutiny,” it says in a report titled “Loophole Masters: How Enablers Facilitate Illicit Financial Flows from Africa”. “A lack of scrutiny has meant that policymakers have largely been unaware of the specific risks posed by these professionals and businesses.”The report cites the example of the daughter of former Angolan president, Isabel dos Santos, who is said to have had a network of 400 shell companies in 41 countries, which were used to launder millions of dollars.“Cross-border f lows of dirty money would not be possible if corrupt officials and criminals were unable to enlist the services of enablers operating all around the world. “And while financial institutions such as banks have been in the spotlight for facilitating corruption and money laundering on a large scale, professionals working in the non-financial sector – like accountants, consultants, real estate agents, lawyers and corporate service providers – have often escaped both public and regulatory scr ut iny.”The report is also highly critical of foreign “enablers” in countries such as the British Virgin Islands, Panama, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, United States, Portugal and the United Kingdom who facilitate the moving of funds abroad. ER
