As the G8 prepares to gather in Gleneagles next month to tackle the question of how effectively to provide aid to Africa, the issue of corruption is likely to be at the top of the agenda. The US, which is the key player in any aid package, has through the Millennium Challenge Account made aid conditional on evidence that the state concerned has cracked down on corruption.
Many African countries have made pledges to eradicate corruption but have found that action is harder than rhetoric. A notable exception is Zambia, which set up a taskforce on corruption and began proceedings before the London Courts at the end of last year against the former President Dr FJT Chiluba and others from the previous government, who were accused of fraud.
