Tackling corruption in defence and security is a process, requiring the diagnosis of specific problems and the engagement of officers, officials and stakeholders. A remedial plan is crucial to coordinating and managing integrity-building measures.

A good anti-corruption plan gives a targeted strategy with clearly-defined steps for establishments to take to build integrity and reduce corruption.

The first step in developing a plan is to take stock of strengths and vulnerabilities. This defines the areas that need reform and guides the strategy that will be taken. An anti-corruption plan needs specific time-frames and milestones. Progress on these steps should be reported regularly to a steering group. Most importantly, there should be a mechanism for monitoring progress and results. Options for monitoring include public surveys, employee surveys, external review, and media scrutiny.

Bulgaria: an anti-corruption example

Bulgaria has made significant reform in its defence and security sector in recent years. In 2009, the Ministry of Defence of the newly-inaugurated government made corruption its top priority, and did so publicly. The MOD developed a clear and practical anti-corruption plan, with input from TI-DSP, which they published online. This plan has 11 steps:

1. Zero tolerance of political corruption
2. Analysis and assessment of the corruption environment
3. Establishing an independent audit of defence policy decisions
4. Reorganising the control system for defence policy implementation
5. Self-assessment, results analysis and developing measures to prevent corruption and mismanagement
6. Developing a system for reporting and investigating potential conflicts of interest at the MoD
7. Improving processes for reporting corruption / whistleblowing
8. Anti-corruption training
9. Developing standards of behaviour
10. Building public-private partnerships against corruption
11. Measuring confidence in defence

This anti-corruption plan combines actionable, structural changes with reforms in ethical standards and behaviour. To ensure that the plan is implemented, there are MOD and government-wide steering committees that oversee progress.

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