Afghanistan and Nigeria rank among the world's most corrupt countries... yet we give them millions of pounds in aid - says Britain

Britain are not happy with the massive aid giving to Nigeria and Afghanistan. Global rankings show Nigeria and Afghanistan  among the world’s most corrupt countries. Despite this, Britain gives £237million a year in aid to Nigeria and £198million to Afghanistan, the latest figures show. The total aid spending on the two countries is 35 per cent higher than when David Cameron came to power in 2010.

Transparency International, an international non-governmental organisation, ranks war-torn Afghanistan as the third worst country in the world for corruption, only better than North Korea and Somalia, while Nigeria is 32nd from bottom.

Two years ago, a report from an aid watchdog found that UK aid fuels corruption in Nigeria, with one scheme increasing the likelihood that locals would have to pay backhanders to the police. The Independent Commission For Aid Impact said the Department for International Development (DfID) was not ‘up to the challenge’ of tackling corruption, often because it was concerned about offending local politicians.

NIGERIA: CORRUPTION

Transparency International’s corruption perception index puts Nigeria at 136 out of 168 countries.

Corruption is endemic in Nigeria, with estimates as high as 400billion US dollars lost since it won independence from Britain in 1960.

A 2014 study by the Independent Commission For Aid Impact found: ‘Petty corruption touches virtually every aspect of life and is accepted throughout society as normal and necessary. We heard stories of parents paying bribes to teachers to educate their children, workers paying bribes to get jobs and receive their salaries, and pensioners paying bribes to receive pensions.’

It is believed that up to 20billion US dollars have gone missing from the books of the state oil company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

Millions of dollars meant to be spent on vaccinations and on the fight against ebola have been illegally diverted.

AFGHANISTAN: CORRUPTION

Transparency International’s corruption index puts Afghanistan at 166 out of 168 countries.

The New York Times once wrote: ‘Corruption can no longer be described as a cancer on the system: it is the system.’

Corruption takes the form of bribes, nepotism, position buying and illegal land transfers.

Policemen are accused of turning a blind eye to or even colluding with criminals and insurgents in smuggling or kidnapping for ransom.

A United Nations survey in 2012 found 50 per cent of Afghans were forced to pay bribes for government services. Money was demanded by teachers, customs officials, judges and prosecutors.

Corruption in Afghanistan goes right the way to the top – with former president Hamid Karzai himself apparently implicated. The Kabul Bank corruption scandal in 2010 saw members of his family and others accused of spending the bank’s money to fuel their lavish lifestyles.

AND HERE’S THEIR AID

In 2014, the UK gave £198million in aid to the country despite its record. The DfID says none of the money goes to the government and is only handed to local charities, with robust checks in place.

Millions have been spent on trying to crack down on the opium and heroin trade, but despite all the efforts the country’s poppy harvest is now at its highest ever level.

Last month it was reported that two schools in Helmand province, which were refurbished using British aid money, are now being used as bases for the Afghan army.

Billions of dollars of aid have been siphoned off by political elites linked to Mr Karzai. Experts believe that much may also have ended up in the hands of the Taliban.

The DfID said our funding supports basic services such as healthcare and education, economic development, and anti-corruption measures.

THE PM, THE QUEEN, THE ARCHBISHOP AND A VERY UNDIPLOMATIC REMARK 

 

David Cameron: ‘We’ve had a very successful Cabinet meeting this morning to talk about our anti-corruption summit.’

The Queen: ‘Oh yes.’

David Cameron: ‘The Nigerians, the, well, actually we’ve got some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain.’

The Queen: Inaudible

Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby: Inaudible

David Cameron: ‘No, Nigeria and Afghanistan, possibly the two most corrupt countries in the world.’

Justin Welby: ‘But this particular president is actually not corrupt.’

The Queen: ‘He’s trying?’

Justin Welby: ‘Oh yes, he’s trying very hard.’

John Bercow: ‘They are coming at their own expense obviously.’

David Cameron: ‘[chuckling] Oh yes. Because it’s an anti-corruption summit everything has to be open so there are no closed door sessions, it’s all in front of the press, so it could be quite interesting. But there you go.’

Afghanistan and Nigeria rank among the world's most corrupt countries... yet we give them millions of pounds in aid - says Britain