Transparency International awarded US$6.9 million grant

The grant will support a three-year program aiming to promote good governance that will result in greater access and improved delivery of key basic services in sub-Saharan Africa: health, education and water.

Through this grant, TI will foster and support civil society in Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia and make them leaders in developing strong and sustainable networks providing analysis and advocacy for improved integrity, transparency and accountability in basic service delivery.

“We are grateful for this grant which will not only allow Transparency International to show the devastating impact corruption has on poverty reduction and sustainable development in Africa but also to empower local stakeholders in their efforts to strengthen direct accountability mechanisms,” said Rima Al-Azar, regional director for Africa and the Middle East at Transparency International. “Citizens will be able to demand transparent and accountable public financial management, reducing the diversion of funds by private interests and monitoring so that power entrusted to decision-makers is not abused,” added Al-Azar.

“Improved governance can contribute to ensuring that resources allocated to providing basic services to the poor actually achieve their intended impact,” said Charles Lyons, director of special initiatives for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Global Development Program. “This program will bolster local efforts aimed at making resource flows more transparent and service providers more accountable.”

The program - entitled “Transparency and Integrity in Service Delivery in Africa” - will run from 2008 to 2011, and will involve the development of analytical tools such as corruption “risk maps” to inform advocacy aimed at ensuring greater integrity, transparency and accountability, leading to improved services and better lives.