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A6 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 31 January 2024

Global anti-corruption efforts are faltering, partly due to a ‘decline

in justice,’ survey finds

By GEIR MOULSON the sixth consecutive year,
Associated Press with 90. It was followed by
BERLIN (AP) — Efforts to Finland with 87 and New
fight public sector corrup- Zealand with 85.The others
tion are faltering around in the top 10 were Norway,
the world, in part because Singapore, Sweden, Swit-
a “global decline in justice zerland, the Netherlands,
and the rule of law since Germany and Luxem-
2016,” according to a cor- bourg.
ruption index released The United States was un-
Tuesday. changed with a score of
Transparency International, 69, putting it in 24th place.
which compiles the annual At the other end, Soma-
Corruption Perceptions In- lia again had the weakest
dex, found 23 countries at score with 11. It was fol-
their worst level since the lowed by South Sudan, Syr-
global ranking began al- ia and Venezuela with 13
most three decades ago, each; Yemen with 16; and
including both high-ranking Equatorial Guinea, Haiti,
democracies and authori- North Korea and Nicara-
tarian states. gua with 17 each.
On the reported decline in The global average was
justice, the group said that unchanged at 43 for the
“the rise of authoritarianism Department store windows display the Danish flag and the Danish crown in Copenhagen, 12th consecutive year, and
in some countries contrib- Denmark, Saturday evening, Jan. 13, 2024. more than two-thirds of
utes to this trend, and even Associated Press countries scored below 50.
in democratic contexts, The report found “little to
the mechanisms that keep François Valérian said in a ing to 13 data sources in- ting their lowest level were no meaningful progress”
governments in check statement. He added that cluding the World Bank, relatively high-scoring de- toward curbing corruption
have weakened.” “leaders should fully invest the World Economic Forum mocracies such as Iceland, in the Asia-Pacific region,
“Corruption will continue in and guarantee the in- and private risk and con- the Netherlands, Sweden and expressed concerns
to thrive until justice sys- dependence of institutions sulting companies. It ranks and Britain. Authoritarian about “opacity and undue
tems can punish wrong- that uphold the law and 180 countries and territories countries including Iran, influence” in justice systems
doing and keep govern- tackle corruption.” on a scale from a “highly Russia and Venezuela also in Latin America and the
ments in check,” Transpar- The organization measures corrupt” 0 to a “very clean” dropped. Caribbean.q
ency International chair the perception of public 100. Denmark led the index
sector corruption accord- Among the countries hit- with the highest score for

South Africa evacuates small coastal communities near Cape

Town as wildfires burn out of control

By GERALD IMRAY be completely evacuated. said as many as six wild- of homes had been gut- ble Mountain overlooking
Associated Press The fires began Mon- fires had broken out in the ted. No injuries were report- Cape Town over the week-
CAPE TOWN, South Africa day and were fueled by area. Four had been con- ed but authorities issued a end. It was quickly brought
(AP) — Residents were the hot, dry weather and tained or extinguished, she code red, meaning the fires under control.
evacuated from small strong coastal winds. An- said, but one was heading presented a serious and im- The Department of For-
coastal towns near Cape nelie Rabie, mayor of the straight for Pringle Bay. mediate danger to people estry, Fisheries and the En-
Town in South Africa as Overstrand municipality The Overstrand govern- and property. vironment said its firefight-
wildfires swept down from that oversees the towns, ment said a small number Around 95% of a nearby ing crews were working on
surrounding mountains and nature reserve had also wildfires in four regions of
burned out of control for a burned, the government the Western Cape. One fire
second day on Tuesday. said. Residents of Pringle had been burning for nine
Authorities ordered a full Bay were moving to a near- days.
evacuation of Pringle Bay, by town, local authorities A huge fire swept across Ta-
a coastal village popular said, while firefighters bat- ble Mountain in 2021, caus-
with holidaymakers about tled to get remaining fires ing extensive damage and
80 kilometers (50 miles) under control. Helicopters taking days to put out.
from Cape Town. People were scooping up water The main causes of the
evacuated parts of the from the ocean and dump- wildfires are discarded
nearby town of Betty’s Bay ing it on the fires, a com- cigarettes, people lighting
on Monday. mon tactic in the region. cooking fires or burning de-
Wildfires are relatively com- Wildfires have broken out bris and sometimes arson,
mon in the mountain rang- in numerous parts of South according to the Western
es around Cape Town and Africa’s Western Cape Cape local government.
further down the coast in Firefighters battle wildfires in Pringle Bay, near Cape Town, province in recent weeks, Coastal winds fan the blaz-
the South African summer, South Africa, Tuesday, Jan. 30 2024. including one on the slopes es and can make them
but it’s unusual for towns to Associated Press of the world-famous Ta- unpredictable.q