Press Releases

Transparency Internationals Defence and Security Programme’s new report finds that many countries disclose only limited or no information on national defence and security spending to their citizens. This hinders the ability of the public to hold their defence and security establishments to account for their spending decisions.

Chile stands out as an example in South America, due to its robust systems and its accountable defence establishments.

Transparency International’s Defence and Security Programme’s new report finds that many countries disclose only limited or no information on national defence and security spending to their citizens. This hinders the ability of the public to hold their defence and security establishments to account for their spending decisions.

Although regionally the UK is in the top group with other eight European countries, the score which gave it its ranking are not the highest. Although the audit reports of the classified budget are made available to parliament, legislators are not provided with some details regarding the spending on secret items.

As UN member states meet to discuss the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in New York this week, Transparency International UK underlines the need to ensure that the stronger controls over arms transfers set out in the treaty, are not undermined by corruption.

Defence establishments in most countries give very little guidance to their senior officers and officials, as a new study by Transparency International UK’s Defence and Security Programme’s on Codes of Conduct in Defence Ministries and Armed Forces shows. There seems to be little or no guidance on corruption risks and insufficient training in most countries covered by the study.  Good practice examples like Norway and Australia are the exceptions.

The Defence and Security Programme at Transparency International UK teamed up with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, and the Royal Services Institute (RUSI) to support a positive transition process for Afghanistan. Their advice is for the Afghan President to embrace these recommendations as his own mission against corruption, and to channel the public anger against corruption into a force for change.