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Focus Areas

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Click on the boxes below to learn more about the key issues in defence and security corruption that Transparency International's Defence and Security Programme is currently working on.

Government Defence Index

Our new Government Defence Anti-Corruption Index measures the risk of corruption in 82 national defence establishments around the world. Read more.

Defence Companies Index

Our new Defence Companies Anti-Corruption Index measures what 129 defence companies from 31 countries do - and fail to do - to prevent corruption. Read more.

Procurement

Procurement is cited by defence officials as the area in which corruption is greatest in the sector. It is also the one where there is the largest range of anti-corruption tools to address the problem. Read more.

Offsets

Offsets are arrangements made by purchasing governments with their suppliers, requiring the contractors to reinvest a percentage of the value of the deal in the importing country. Offsets are very opaque and receive much less transparency and attention than they should, given their high susceptibility to corruption. Read more.

Defence Budgets

A crucial ingredient in the creation of accountable armed forces and defence establishments is having a transparent budgeting process. Defence budgets are the primary tools to show accountability. Read more

Assets

In both the military and the civilian worlds, assets are economic resources and include both intangible assets (capital/financial) and tangible assets (e.g. buildings,
land, equipment). The two most commonly subject to corruption are land, buildings, and weapons. Read more.

Arms Export Controls

Illicit arms transfers have negative consequences for international humanitarian law, human rights, and sustainable development as well as for efforts to combat violent organised crime and terrorism. We advocate for stronger arms export controls so that they are free from corruption and bribery. Read more.

Corruption in Conflict Zones

Conflict and corruption are often deeply intertwined: conflict breeds corruption, and in turn, corruption often fuels conflict. Read more.

UN Arms Trade Treaty

We are working on the global arms trade, current policy offsets agreements and the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). We advocate for strong policies on offsets and a robust ATT that include strong measurements to prevent corruption. Read more.

Organised Crime

Organised crime is present in every country and is a growing transnational security threat. It penetrates national defence, security, and intelligence establishments and intersects with corruption in these spheres. Read more.

Off-Budget Expenditure

Off-budget funding has become the principal means through which arms are procured in many states, with the secrecy and shadowy nature of arms trading and lack of accountability in many defence budgets creating ample opportunities for corruption. Read more.