SHAFAQNA- The 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released by Transparency International ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption on a scale of zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). The CPI global average remains unchanged at 43 for the tenth year in a row, and two-thirds of countries score below 50. The CPI shows that corruption levels remain at a standstill worldwide, with 86 per cent of countries making little to no progress in the last 10 years.
Transparency International found countries that violate civil liberties consistently score lower on the CPI. Complacency in fighting corruption exacerbates human rights abuses and undermines democracy, setting off a vicious spiral. As these rights and freedoms erode and democracy declines, authoritarianism takes its place, contributing to even higher levels of corruption, Transparency International reported.
Afghanistan was ranked as one of the most corrupt finishing 174th in the list with a score of 16 along with North Korea and Yemen, WION mentioned. The UAE has been ranked the least corrupt Arab country, being placed at 24 out of 180 countries in the Index. Qatar comes next among the least corrupt countries in the Middle East and North Africa, ranking 31 out of the 180 countries, the index showed. Saudi Arabia has maintained its position compared to last year, ranking at 52 out of the 180 states, with a score of 53 out of 100, Arab News reported. Libya, Yemen and Syria were at the bottom of the list as the worst performing countries at global and regional levels, ranking 172, 144 and 178 respectively.