Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoUnifeed
UN / AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS
STORY: UN / AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS
TRT: 2.19
SOURCE: WORLD BANK
RESTRICTIONS: EMBARGOED UNTIL 15 MARCH 2010, 1700 GMT
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 12 MARCH 2010, WASHINGTON DC/ FILE
FILE - JUNE 2009, LAGOS, NIGERIA
1. Wide shot, traffic
2. Various shots, buses
FILE - JUNE 2009, DAKAR, SENEGAL
3. Various shots, farmers riding carts
4. Various shots, trucks and cars
5. Close up, Dakar sign
6. Pan left, road construction
7. Various shots, kids eating
12 MARCH 2010, WASHINGTON DC
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Shanta Devarajan, Chief Economist for the World Bank’s Africa Region:
“Quiet corruption is different from grand corruption which we read about in the headlines, where a lot of money changes hands. Quiet corruption is the phenomenon where no money changes hands but poor people are directly affected by the use of public power. For instance, when teachers don’t show up for work, even when they are getting paid, or fertilizer that is intended for farmers is actually diluted so that the fertilizer doesn’t help the farmers boost their productivity.”
FILE - JUNE 2009, LAGOS, NIGERIA
9. Wide shot, streets
FILE - JUNE 2009, MALLAWI
10. Wide shot, farmer woman picking cotton
FILE - JUNE 2009, LAGOS, NIGERIA
11. Wide shot, streets
FILE - JUNE 2009, MALLAWI
12. Various shots, teacher with kids in classroom interior
13. Various shots, , teacher with kids outdoors
14. close up, blackboard
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Shanta Devarajan, Chief Economist for the World Bank’s Africa Region:
“Quiet corruption is very difficult to combat because it is there as a result of political and vested interests that are keeping it there. So the only way you can really combat it is for poor people who are affected by quiet corruption to be able to bring pressure on those politicians in order to bring about change, and that is what ADI tries to do, is to bring this information out there so that poor people can learn and everybody can learn, how pervasive, how devastating quiet corruption can be so that there might be some pressure for change”
FILE - JUNE 2009, DAKAR, SENEGAL
16. Various shots, mothers and children at clinic
The failure of public servants to deliver goods or services paid for by governments is pervasive in Africa and is having a disproportionate effect on the poor, with long-term consequences for development, according to a new World Bank report released today (15 March).
The report - Africa Development Indicators (ADI) 2010 - focuses on the way quiet corruption leads to an increasingly negative expectation of service delivery systems, causing families to ignore them.
The ADI report says such corruption is particularly harmful for the poor, who are more vulnerable and more reliant on government services and public systems to satisfy basic needs.
SOUNDBITE (English) Shanta Devarajan, Chief Economist for the World Bank’s Africa Region:
“Quiet corruption is different from grand corruption which we read about in the headlines, where a lot of money changes hands. Quiet corruption is the phenomenon where no money changes hands but poor people are directly affected by the use of public power. For instance, when teachers don’t show up for work, even when they are getting paid, or fertilizer that is intended for farmers is actually diluted so that the fertilizer doesn’t help the farmers boost their productivity.”
The report features data and research on quiet corruption in the health, education, and agriculture sectors of African countries including Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda.
One of the most damaging aspects of quiet corruption in Africa, the report notes, is that it can have long-term consequences. For example, a child denied a proper education because of absentee teachers will suffer in adulthood with low cognitive skills and fewer chances of a good job and good health.
The new ADI report also carries data and explanations on why quiet corruption is such a hindrance to achieving African countries’ long and short term development goals. While some solutions are offered, the hope is that shining a light on the problem of quiet corruption will begin a wider debate and hasten the push for solutions.
SOUNDBITE (English) Shanta Devarajan, Chief Economist for the World Bank’s Africa Region:
“Quiet corruption is very difficult to combat because it is there as a result of political and vested interests that are keeping it there. So the only way you can really combat it is for poor people who are affected by quiet corruption to be able to bring pressure on those politicians in order to bring about change, and that is what ADI tries to do, is to bring this information out there so that poor people can learn and everybody can learn, how pervasive, how devastating quiet corruption can be so that there might be some pressure for change”
In addition to the quiet corruption study, the Africa Development Indicators report provides the most detailed collection of data on Africa available in one volume, and introduces new survey tools for further research.
Download
There is no media available to download.
