In the media

South Africa's Finance Minister has advocated an aid transparency initiative focused on monitoring aid flow and how the aid is managed. He underlined the importance that the huge volumes of aid that flows into Africa are adequately monitored and tracked. The minister welcomed the support of Sweden to help return monies stashed in European banks.

The report from Transparency International evaluates the bribes versed to construction contracts in the world to over 300 billions of dollars. Some thirty billions are promised for the reconstruction of Iraq and around 10 billions of dollars are aimed to the reconstruction of South-East Asian countries hit by the tsunami last December.

A new approach in development aid could be fuelling corruption. Western countries are testing the "budget support model", whereby funds are given directly to the government in order to reduce poverty. A report claims that up to June 2002, government expenditure was not supported by the correct documentation.