The IMF has developed systems of statistical reporting to help governments improve their economic reporting. In my view Kenya could benefit by adopting one of these systems. In my opinion, it is greatly in the interest of the people of the developing nations for the international community to focus on this issue because it is so central to economic development. I also believe it is important for the IFIs to withhold assistance when corruption undermines the viability and effectiveness of their reform programs, as they have done and should continue to do. But it is also important for the international financial and development institutions to provide technical assistance and other forms of support to help countries take the steps I've laid out above.
Developed countries have an important role to play in addressing corruption as well.
After all, corruption is a two-way street. In 1976, the United States passed the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which outlaws bribery by our businesses and investors in other countries. For the last several years, we have been urging the OECD countries to get forceful to discourage bribery. The OECD Bribery Convention was a critical step in recognizing the responsibility of industrial countries to discourage the giving of bribes by ending their tax deductibility and criminalizing them. Having said that, the largest burden in this effort falls on the shoulders of African governments and the citizens of their countries.