RSS FeedQatar's reputation as the least corrupt of the Arab states is further enhanced in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index issued by Transparency International. It has moved up to 22nd place out among the 180 countries included in the annual survey – which puts it ahead of France and only fractionally behind Belgium.
Four other Arab countries figure in the top third of the index: the UAE (30), Oman (39), Bahrain (46) and Jordan (49).
Saudi Arabia, which had long been perceived as the most corrupt of the Arab Gulf states, has improved its position this year, moving up to 63 from 80 last year. It is now marginally ahead of Kuwait.
Somalia is bottom of the entire list, with Sudan not far off at 176. Yemen has dropped several places to 154. The top country in the survey is New Zealand.
Arab countries in the corruption league table
| 2009 | 2008 | |
| Algeria Bahrain Comoros Djibouti Egypt Iraq Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Libya Mauritania Morocco Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia Somalia Sudan Syria Tunisia UAE Yemen |
111= 46 143 111= 111= 176 49 66 130= 130= 130= 89 39 22 63 180 176 126 65 30 154 |
92 43 134 102= 115= 178 47 65 102= 126 115= 80= 41 28 80= 180 173 147 62 35 141 |
Posted by Brian Whitaker, 19 November 2009.
