The World Bank and Anticorruption in Europe and Central Asia

In Europe and Central Asia, the radical shift in economic and political systems that occurred in most countries after 1990 made existing forms of corruption more visible and opened opportunities for new forms of corrupt practices. Fostering transparency, accountability and voice, all of which reduce the incentives for corrupt behavior, has been a priority for the World Bank in Europe and Central Asia. The World Bank's assistance in anticurruption ranges from direct advice in developing anticorruption programs to ensuring, more indirectly, that transparency and accountability feature prominently in all of our areas of assistance, from health care and education reform to infrastructure and energy programs. This booklet provides a summary of the ways in which the World Bank is helping countries in Europe and Central Asia reduce corruption. It is not intended to be a full inventory, but rather a brief decription of the breadth of the World Bank's activities. It includes a section on service delivery.