Ahmed Al Bashir, Staff Reporter
The UAE topped the Middle East and North Africa region and ranked 23rd globally on the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index issued by Transparency International, making it among the most transparent and honest countries in the world, with a score of 68 points on the general anti-corruption index.
The UAE outperformed countries such as Austria, France, Taiwan, the Bahamas and the United States.
The index, which ranks 180 countries according to perceived levels of public sector corruption according to experts and business circles, uses a scale from zero to 100, with zero being the most corrupt and 100 being the most honest.
The UAE still has the highest score in the Middle East, while its government has taken steps to increase efficiency in public administration.
According to the report, global corruption levels remain alarmingly high, with efforts to reduce them faltering. The report also reveals alarming levels of corruption around the world, with more than two-thirds of countries scoring below 50 out of 100, while the global average remained unchanged at 43, highlighting the need for urgent action against corruption and warning of a critical global obstacle to successful climate action.