Working Group warns that bribery could undermine global response to coronavirus (COVID-19)

Article summary

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation’s (OECD) Working Group on Bribery has warned that the global response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) should not be undermined by bribery. According to the OECD Working Group, the global coronavirus pandemic ‘is bringing unprecedented challenges, human suffering, uncertainty and major economic disruption on a global scale, which in turn can create environments that are ripe for corruption’. The OECD Secretary-General, Angel Gurría, therefore calls on all international actors to ‘respect the rule of law and transparency to ensure the most efficient and effective distribution of the products’. The OECD Working Group on Bribery has also revealed that it intends to ‘examine the possible impact and consequences of the coronavirus pandemic on foreign bribery, as well as solutions to help countries strengthen their anti-bribery systems’.