A new anti-corruption strategy for Ukraine
The kickoff for the new anti-corruption strategy for Ukraine occurred last week, coming at a very important time for the Government of Ukraine. Like many anti-corruption strategies worldwide, the previous strategy began with great enthusiasm, and then four or five years later some of the program is implemented, blaming and shaming occurs and then everyone moves on and a promise of a better strategy in the future. (See my post Anti-corruption strategies - the good, the bad and the ugly)
So how do we avoid this in Ukraine? To start with, the right people need to participate and there has to be buy-in by government. The timing for this is ideal if the Ukrainian government is serious. In this new strategy, if this is developed when a hope for peace is there, it will allow for a more productive and comprehensive approach. As I mentioned, strategies need to truly address local concerns, and in this case, with the hope for significant reconstruction, the Ukrainian government will need to provide reassurance to the international investor that their money will be in a truly safe hands. Additionally, the government will need to assure the citizens that access to their services will also be considered and that the work of the anti-corruption agencies, as well as the government writ large will be considered.
This is a daunting task, but it should be considered very seriously as this will be a strategy that everyone will be looking at. This is the moment for civil society, donors and governments to come together, take the time and move towards a more transparent and less corrupt Ukraine.