News

Uganda joins global anti-corruption initiative

20 September 2013

Uganda has become the 10th country to join the international transparency initiative, CoST.

The African nation is the second country to join this year, following El Salvador in May.

CoST will be working with the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), which will lead in the implementation of CoST plans within the country.

CoST (the Construction Sector Transparency Initiative) promotes transparency in public sector construction by reporting against 31 indicators of government projects and disclosing the information to the public.

Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Ethiopia have been members of CoST since it was piloted in 2009.

CoST says the the programme is having "a profound and positive effect" in Africa.

In Ethiopia, CoST says, it recommended an alternative design for a 33km rural road, which saved an estimated $3.7m.

Bekure Ketema, CoST board member and consultant to the Ethiopia Federal Ethics & Anti-Corruption Commission, said: "With ten countries now on board, we are in a position to show that CoST really is a global phenomenon, and that it creates genuine and measurable impact."

CoST is seeking $20m from donors to continue its work beyond December 2014, when start-up funding from the World Bank runs out.

Source: CoST

Story for GCR? Get in touch via email: [email protected]

Latest articles in News