This USAID Guide to Countering Corruption Across Sectors is the first comprehensive technical guidance document designed to transform USAID's anti-corruption approaches and programming. Developed by USAID's Anti-Corruption Task Force (ACTF) with contributions from staff across the Agency's offices, bureaus, and missions, the guide serves as part of a broader suite of anti-corruption resources. It provides sectoral guidance and practical tools to help USAID personnel integrate anti-corruption strategies into their development work across various sectors and programming areas.

This research study examines transnational corruption, strategic corruption, and kleptocracy (TASCK) in sub-Saharan Africa to help USAID improve its anti-corruption programming. Following recent U.S. policy directives, the study addresses how these sophisticated, cross-border forms of corruption impact African communities and whether current development responses adequately address them. The research aims to provide Africa-specific insights to help USAID adapt its programming to more effectively counter corruption that undermines government legitimacy and diverts public resources.

This study examines how transnational and strategic corruption and kleptocracy (TASCK) affect governance and development in sub-Saharan Africa. Phase I identified key sectors and regions impacted, while Phase II focused on elections and natural resources in Madagascar and Nigeria. Findings aim to help USAID and other agencies better address TASCK through targeted programming.

The USAID Anti-Corruption Task Force commissioned research on how social and behavior change (SBC) approaches address social norms and behaviors related to corruption and where SBC approaches can be used to improve current and future anti-corruption activities. This summary offers key take-aways from that research. More information and context can be found in the full findings and recommendations report.

Drawing from the fields of psychology, neuroscience, economics, and political science, SBC is the application of theory-based approaches to address the factors that drive or enable behaviors at the individual, community, and/or societal levels. Approaches to change behaviors, attitudes, and norms are widely understood to form a critical part of efforts to counter corruption, but these approaches are currently poorly understood and underutilized. As a result, few large-scale anti-corruption initiatives have been informed by SBC insights—partly due to a lack of evidence on the effectiveness of SBC approaches for these efforts.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded anti-corruption (AC) programs implemented during the 2019 Novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. In particular, the study explores the degree to which USAID-funded programs adapted to corruption risks that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic and the effectiveness of these adaptations in achieving their objectives. The study uses these findings as the basis for recommendations on how USAID might adapt its AC programming during the next pandemic or comparable crisis.

In line with the U.S. Strategy on Countering Corruption, USAID now defines corruption as “the abuse of entrusted power and influence for personal or political gain”. At the heart of this definition is the exploitation of power - both formal and informal - to divert, misappropriate or capture public resources, goods and access for personal and political purposes.

This guidance is a resource for USAID staff working in countries trapped in severe corruption, particularly those whose courageous citizens open windows of opportunity for reform. It also aims to set the agenda for the broader community of donors, implementing partners, scholars, and other experts focused on countering kleptocracy and strategic corruption.