Corruption: Only 6% of companies dare to lodge a complaint
68% of companies surveyed believe that corruption is widespread or very widespread in the country, compared with 8% who take the opposite view, according to the survey conducted by the Instance de probité
There is every reason to hope that 2024 will mark a major turning point, propelling us into a new era of preventing and combating corruption. The phenomenon of corruption would be part of a strong and lasting downward trend, enabling our country to set itself up as a model on the international scene « , says Mohamed Bachir Rachdi, President of the National Authority for Probity, Prevention, and the Fight against Corruption (INPPLC), who clearly sets out his ambitions in this area in Issue 5 of the Probity Letter he has just published. This coincided with the publication of several international indicators, including Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), the benchmark barometer in this field. An analysis of Morocco’s CPI results reveals a number of important points. In 2023, the country’s rating stagnated, slipping 3 places in the global ranking. Its score remains below the world average. The country ranks in the middle of the table in the MENA region, occupying the 10th place out of 18 countries, with no notable change from the previous year. On a continental level, it ranks 17th out of 53 African countries, losing two positions compared to 2022.
Bachir Rachdi’s institution conducted a national survey to measure the extent of the scourge of corruption in Morocco. The sample is made up of 6,000 resident citizens, Moroccan residents living abroad, and businesses. To be precise, this second edition of the survey targeted around 1,100 companies between May 2 and August 3, 2023. The aim is to identify the sources of corruption with which companies are grappling, with a view to developing and strengthening policies and mechanisms to deal effectively with such sources.
The results of this survey confirmed the persistence not only of a negative perception of the phenomenon, but also of a high level of exposure to acts of corruption. Specifically, 68% of companies surveyed believe that corruption is widespread or very widespread in the country, compared with 8% who take the opposite view. 23% of companies say they have been exposed to some form of corruption over the past 12 months. However, these businesses do not call out these practices even if they are entitled to the service in question. In fact, only 6% of companies exposed to corruption have filed a complaint, and less than 3% have denounced an act of corruption they witnessed. According to the companies surveyed, three areas are most affected by corruption: firstly, licenses, approvals, and authorizations. Secondly, public procurement and contracts.
Mohamed CHAOUI
