Maldives moves up Corruption Perception Index 2020, ranked 75

The Maldives has gained 14 points in the Corruption Perception Index for 2020 by Transparency International.

The index (CPI) is an index published annually by Transparency International since 1995 which ranks countries by their perceived levels of public sector corruption. 

The 2020 index was determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys. This year the index covered 183 countries and territories across the globe to provide a comprehensive overview of the state of corruption around the world. Scores are on a scale of 0-100, where 0 means that a country is perceived as highly corrupt. 

This years’ index shows the Maldives ranked at 75 with 43 points. New Zealand and Denmark topped the list with 88 points, while Finland, Singapore, Switzerland, and Sweden followed behind with 85 points. 

South Sudan and Somalia were ranked as the most corrupt countries.

The index shows that the Maldives gained 14 points when compared with the previous index. In the order of nations, this is a rise of 55 levels. The Maldives however, still remains among the nations that received lower than 50 and shows that despite the enhancements and improvements to the judiciary of the Maldives, the country still had work to do to overcome and successfully combat corruption. 

Transparency Maldives, in a statement about the index, stated that corruption hindered the rightful efforts against disasters such as COVID-19 and that a transparent policy was paramount to this work. The organization also called on the government to ensure that supplies and resources are provided to those in need and to strengthen the work of independent institutions. 

Transparency Maldives also added that contracting systems needed to be addressed as well as situations of conflict of interest and fair prices. The organization called to hold the government responsible and accountable, defend democracy and reveal information about the work of the government in a convenient and easy manner.