SDGs
Corruption undermines human development. It diverts public resources away from the provision of essential services. It increases inequality and hinders national and local economic development by distorting markets for goods and services. It corrodes rule of law and destroys public trust in governments and leaders.
The financial and economic costs of corruption are immense. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that approximately US$1.5 to 2 trillion are paid in bribes every year (IMF, 2018). The overall cost of corruption including embezzlement, misallocation of public funds and fraud, may exceed US$2.6 trillion annually, or roughly 5% of global GDP (World Bank, 2022; United Nations, 2018).
