Iceland records its worst-ever score in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index

Iceland drops two points in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index for 2023 from the previous year. Iceland scores 72 out of 100 possible points. This is in line with Iceland’s long-term trend in the index. Iceland has lost six points in the last five years and ten
points in the past decade.

Iceland stands significantly apart from other Nordic countries in the index. Denmark scored the highest 90 points, as it did the previous year. Following Denmark, Finland scores 87, Norway scores 84, and Sweden scores 82. Iceland is among the 23 countries receiving historically poor ratings this year. Other countries include the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, and Venezuela. In total, 28 countries improved their scores, while 34 saw a decline, leaving 118 countries unchanged.

Transparency International Iceland notes that in 2023, nearly 20 individuals were suspected of attempting bribery in Iceland. This, along with repeated issues at risk of weakening public trust in good governance, such as revelations about the re-privatisation of Islandsbanki and matters involving Samherji in Namibia.

A recent survey by the Social Science Research Institute of the University of Iceland in relation to a working group on fishery reform indicates that the Icelandic public perceives the fisheries industry and its management system as corrupt. Only 1 in 6 respondents believe in the honesty of the Icelandic fisheries and its management system.

The year 2023 was characterised by instability within the government’s coalition parties, which could affect trust in the government’s ability to combat corruption and uphold good governance. Due to the ongoing Fishrot case (IS: Samherjaskjölin), an international bribery case originating from Iceland, Transparency International Iceland specifically highlights Namibia’s position in the index. Namibia now scores 49 points, unchanged from the previous year. Namibia has lost three points in the last five years but gained one in the past decade. Transparency International Iceland points out that Namibia has lost three points since the revelations of Icelandic fishing company Samherji’s actions in Namibia. Iceland’s score has dropped by six points during the same period.

Corruption in countries at the top of the index usually takes less visible forms: blurred lines between politics and business, inadequate controls on political finance and revolving doors between industries and their regulators. Countries at the top can often export and enable
devastating corruption in other countries. Large-scale corruption schemes may often originate from a country lower down the CPI ranking, but they almost always have a transnational element. Many cases have involved companies from top-scoring countries that resort to corruption when doing business abroad. Others have implicated professionals who sell secrecy or otherwise enable foreign corrupt officials.

In Europe, Transparency International suggests that a lack of strong responses to corruption, political corruption, and rampant favouritism in politics contribute to increased distrust. Western Europe is the highest-scoring region in the index, but in 2023, for the first time in almost a decade, the average score for the region fell from 66 to 65 points.

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) meanwhile says:

It is likely that Namibia gains credit for commencing prosecutions in the Fishrot case in the CPI.

But this is counteracted by the areas where Namibia should be taking action to tackle corruption but where we are lagging behind. As a result, while we are not slumping on the CPI we are also not making progress.

Namibia needs to take a series of concerted actions in order to demonstrate its seriousness in fighting corruption and promoting integrity. Among these actions are:

*Full implementation of the Access to Information Act.

*Full implementation of the Whistleblower Protection Act

*Join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) – the global standard for good governance of oil, gas, and mineral resources

*Advance beneficial ownership transparency through central registers that are directly accessible to a range of stakeholders within and outside government to better prevent, detect, and combat corruption

*The Electoral Commission of Namibia to take proactive steps to ensure transparency in the funding of political parties as per the stipulations in Electoral Act

*Systemise the declaration of assets for public officials and elected politicians which is open and transparent.