Holding power to account for the common good by Transparency International   Feb. 2026   Corruption is worsening globally, with even established democracies experiencing rising corruption amid a decline in leadership, according to Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), published today. This annual index shows that the number of countries scoring above 80 has shrunk from 12 a decade ago to just five this year.   Our data show that democracies, typically stronger on anti-corruption than autocracies or flawed democracies, are experiencing a worrying decline in performance. This trend spans countries such as the United States (64), Canada (75) and New Zealand (81), to various parts of Europe, like the United Kingdom (70), France (66) and Sweden (80).   Another concerning pattern is increasing restrictions by many states on freedoms of expression, association and assembly. Since 2012, 36 of the 50 countries with significant declines in CPI scores have also experienced a reduction in civic space.   2025 saw a wave of anti-corruption protests led by Gen Z, mostly in countries in the bottom half of the CPI whose scores have largely stagnated or declined over the past decade. Young people in countries such as Nepal (34) and Madagascar (25) took to the streets to criticise leaders for abusing their power while failing to deliver decent public services and economic opportunity.   Transparency International is warning that the absence of bold leadership in the global fight against corruption is weakening international anti-corruption action, and risks reducing pressure for reform in countries throughout the world.   François Valerian, Chair of Transparency International said:   “Corruption is not inevitable. Our research and experience as a global movement fighting corruption show there is a clear blueprint for how to hold power to account for the common good, from democratic processes and independent oversight to a free and open civil society. At a time when we’re seeing a dangerous disregard for international norms from some states, we’re calling on governments and leaders to act with integrity and live up to their responsibilities to provide a better future for people around the world.”   Transparency International is calling for:   Renewed political leadership on anti-corruption, including the full enforcement of laws, implementation of international commitments, and reforms that strengthen transparency, oversight and accountability.   Protection of civic space, by ending attacks on journalists, NGOs and whistleblowers, and stopping efforts to restrict independent civil society work.   Close the secrecy loopholes that let corrupt money move across borders, including by reining in professional gatekeepers and ensuring transparency on who really owns companies, trusts and assets.   In many European countries, anti-corruption efforts have largely stalled over the past decade. Since 2012, 13 countries in western Europe and the EU have significantly declined, and only seven have significantly improved.   In December 2025, the EU agreed its first Anti-Corruption Directive to harmonise criminal laws on corruption. What could have been a zero-tolerance framework was watered down by some member states, including Italy (53), which blocked the criminalisation of public officials’ abuse of office. The result: a framework that lacks ambition, clarity and enforceability.   The United States (64) sustained its downward slide to its lowest-ever score. Although 2025 developments are not yet fully reflected, actions targeting independent voices and undermining judicial independence raise serious concerns. Beyond the CPI findings, the temporary freeze and weakening of enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act signal tolerance for corrupt business practices, while cuts to US aid for overseas civil society have weakened global anti-corruption efforts. Political leaders elsewhere have taken this as a cue to further restrict NGOs, journalists and other independent voices.   High CPI scores do not guarantee that countries are corruption-free, as several top-scoring nations enable corruption in other countries by facilitating the laundering and transfer of proceeds of corruption across borders, which the CPI does not cover. For example, Switzerland (80) and Singapore (84) are among the top scorers, but have faced scrutiny for facilitating the movement of dirty money.   In the last decade, politicised interference with the operations of NGOs has scaled up in countries such as Georgia (50), Indonesia (34) and Peru (30) where governments introduced new laws to limit access to funding, or even weaken organisations that scrutinise and criticise them. Such laws are often paired with smear campaigns and intimidation.   In countries like Tunisia (39), civic space is shrinking through administrative, judicial and financial pressures that constrain NGOs, even without new restrictive laws.   In these contexts, it is harder for independent journalists, civil society organisations and whistleblowers to speak out against corruption and more likely that corrupt officials can continue misusing their power. Transparency International chapters in Russia (22) and Venezuela (10) have been forced into exile due to repression of civil society.   Such restrictive environments not only silence critics and watchdogs but also create real dangers for those who dare to expose wrongdoing.   Since 2012, 150 journalists covering corruption-related stories in non-conflict zones have been murdered – nearly all of these in countries with high corruption levels.   The CPI ranks 182 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption on a scale of zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). The global average score stands at 42 out of 100, its lowest level in more than a decade, pointing to a concerning downward trend that will need to be monitored over time.   The vast majority of countries are failing to keep corruption under control: more than two-thirds – 122 out of 180 – score under 50.   For the eighth year in a row, Denmark obtains the highest score on the index (89) and is closely followed by Finland (88) and Singapore (84).   Countries with the lowest scores overwhelmingly have severely repressed civil societies and high levels instability like South Sudan (9), Somalia (9) and Venezuela (10).   Since 2012, 50 countries have seen their scores significantly decline in the index: those which dropped the most include Turkiye (31), Hungary (40) and Nicaragua (14). They reflect a decade-long, structural weakening of integrity mechanisms, fuelled by democratic backsliding, conflict, institutional fragility and entrenched patronage networks. These declines are sharp, enduring and difficult to reverse, as corruption becomes systemic and deeply embedded in both political and administrative structures.   Since 2012, 31 countries have significantly improved their scores on the index: among the biggest improvers were Estonia (76), South Korea (63) and Seychelles (68). The long-term improvements in democratic countries like these reflect sustained momentum with reforms, strengthened oversight institutions and broad political consensus in favour of clean governance. Success in these areas has been attributed to among other things, digitising public services, professionalising the civil service, and embedding regional and global governance standards.   http://www.transparency.org/en/press/corruption-perceptions-index-2025-decline-leadership-undermining-global-fight http://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2025 http://www.transparency.org/en/blog/corruption-united-states-global-leader-trump-first-year http://www.transparency.org/en/our-national-chapters Visit the related web page
	A peaceful, safe and just world for everyone is only possible if the rule of law prevails by Chatham House, Council of Europe, news agencies   5 Feb. 2026   Cuba: UN warns of possible humanitarian ‘collapse’, as oil supplies dwindle. (UN News)   The UN on Wednesday warned of potential humanitarian “collapse” in Cuba, following US efforts to block oil supplies from reaching the island. The United States has threatened to impose tariffs on any country providing oil to Cuba, increasing pressure on the island nation following a decades-long trade embargo and the US seizure of Venezuela’s leader Nicolas Maduro last month.   Venezuela had been the main supplier of oil to Havana but Washington has been ratcheting up pressure on Cuba in recent weeks, including an executive order last Thursday threatening to impose additional tariffs on countries that sell oil to Cuba, including Mexico.   “I can tell you that the UN Secretary-General is extremely concerned about the humanitarian situation in Cuba, which will worsen, and if not collapse, if its oil needs go unmet,” said UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.   The UN chief noted that the General Assembly has been calling for an end to the US embargo for more than three decades: “The Secretary-General urges all parties to pursue dialogue and respect for international law.”   The fuel crisis has pushed up food prices for Cubans, led to severe fuel shortages and major power cuts throughout the country.   Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Marta Hurtado:   "We are extremely worried about Cuba’s deepening socio-economic crisis – amid a decades-long financial and trade embargo, extreme weather events, and the recent U.S. measures restricting oil shipments. This is having an increasingly severe impact on the human rights of people in Cuba.   Given the dependence of health, food, and water systems on imported fossil fuels, the current oil scarcity has put the availability of essential services at risk nationwide.   Intensive care units and emergency rooms are compromised, as are the production, delivery, and storage of vaccines, blood products, and other temperature-sensitive medications.   In Cuba, more than 80 percent of water pumping equipment depends on electricity, and power cuts are undermining access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene. The fuel shortage has disrupted the rationing system and the regulated basic food basket, and has affected social protection networks – school feeding, maternity homes, and nursing homes – with the most vulnerable groups being disproportionately impacted. The electricity cuts also affect communications and access to information.   Access to essential goods and services, including food, water, medicine, and adequate fuel and electricity, should always be safeguarded, as they are fundamental in modern societies to the right to life and the ability to enjoy many other rights.   The long-term, sustained impact of sectoral sanctions creates economic hardship and weakens the State's capacity to fulfill its core responsibilities, including providing protection and assistance services.   UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk reiterates his call on all States to lift unilateral sectoral measures, given their broad and indiscriminate impact on the population. Policy goals cannot justify actions that in themselves violate human rights.   http://news.un.org/en/story/2026/02/1166895 http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-briefing-notes/2026/02/concerns-over-cubas-deepening-economic-crisis   3 Jan. 202   The United States has bombed Venezuela and abducted its President Nicolas Maduro.   Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro and his wife have been captured by US forces in a "large-scale" military strike on the South American nation. The pair are to be charged with with drug and weapons offences in New York, US officials say.   Journalist Vanessa Silva, who lives in the Venezuela capital Caracas, told the BBC that she heard huge explosions "stronger than thunder", causing her home to vibrate during the military attack. The Venezuelan government said the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira were also hit.   During a news conference, US President Donald Trump announced that the US would now “run” Venezuela and administer a political transition. He also announced plans to take over Venezuela’s oil business and sell “large amounts” of it to other countries, with the support of American energy companies who will be returning to Venezuela to control its oil infrastructure.   The developments came after months of escalation and threats by the Trump administration on the Venezuelan Government with a large scale military buildup in the Caribbean and a series of deadly missile attacks on "alleged" drug-running boats. The legality of the strikes, which has killed more than 100 people, has been criticised by the United Nations and international legal experts. Venezuelan oil exports have been blocked by US naval forces.   The governments of Spain, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay issued a joint statement:   "We express our profound concern and rejection of the military actions carried out unilaterally on Venezuelan territory, which contravene fundamental principles of international law, particularly the prohibition of the use and threat of force, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. These actions constitute an extremely dangerous precedent for peace and regional security and put the civilian population at risk.   We reiterate that the situation in Venezuela must be resolved exclusively through peaceful means, by means of dialogue, negotiation, and respect for the will of the Venezuelan people in all its expressions, without external interference and in accordance with international law. We reaffirm that only an inclusive political process, led by Venezuelans, can lead to a democratic and sustainable solution that respects human dignity.   We reaffirm the character of Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace, built on mutual respect, the peaceful settlement of disputes, and non-intervention, and we call for regional unity, beyond political differences, in the face of any action that jeopardises regional stability. We also urge the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Member States of the relevant multilateral mechanisms to use their good offices to contribute to de-escalating tensions and preserving regional peace.   We express our concern regarding any attempt at government control, administration, or external appropriation of natural or strategic resources, which is incompatible with international law and threatens the political, economic, and social stability of the region".   The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, said the “guiding framework” in the days ahead must be the UN Charter, which is not an “optional document”.   She said Article 2 clearly stipulates that all Member States, including the US, need to refrain from the “threat or use of force” against the territory or political independence of any other nation. “A peaceful, safe and just world for everyone is only possible if the rule of law prevails instead of might makes right,” she warned.   UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the importance of full respect - by all - of international law, including the UN Charter. He said he was deeply alarmed by the recent escalation in Venezuela, culminating with United States military action in the country. “These developments constitute a dangerous precedent” .   In a joint statement, the 26 EU member States said the will of the Venezuelan people must be respected:   "The European Union recalls that, under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be upheld. Members of the United Nations Security Council have a particular responsibility to uphold those principles, as a pillar of the international security architecture".   "The EU has consistently advocated for a Venezuelan-led peaceful transition to democracy in the country, respectful of its sovereignty. The right of the Venezuelan people to determine their future must be respected".   Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset has issued the following statement regarding the situation in Venezuela:   “Reports from Venezuela mark a moment of profound uncertainty for the Venezuelan people, and for international stability and security. This situation cannot be reduced to a binary choice between condemnation and support. It reveals a deeper shift in an emerging world order where force is normalised and law is weaponised.   “As a multilateral regional organisation dedicated to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, the Council of Europe considers that any use of force on the territory of another state raises serious questions under international law, including the core principles of the United Nations Charter of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-interference.   “The Council of Europe knows from its engagement on Ukraine how fragile international law becomes once the use of force is normalised. That is why consistency and credibility matter.   “A transition in Venezuela must be peaceful, democratic, and respectful of the will of the Venezuelan people. Democracy can prevail only if it is reclaimed by Venezuelans themselves, through an inclusive political process, credible elections, and the restoration of democratic institutions that command public trust.   “The risk today is a deepening of polarisation in Venezuela, across the region and globally between those who condemn a serious breach of international law and those who see it as justified. These fractures weaken the foundations of international security.   “Whether we call it regime change or foreign influence, too often different standards are applied, shaped by strategic interests or ideological proximity rather than by shared and consistent legal principles.   “International law is universal, or it is meaningless. Democracy is resilient when it is freely chosen, institutionally protected, and grounded in legality. A world governed by exceptions, double standards, or competing spheres of influence is a more dangerous world.”   The Danish prime minister has called on the US to stop “threatening” Greenland, after Donald Trump commented he “absolutely” needed the territory, one day after the US’s abduction of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro.   Trump has repeatedly said he wants Greenland to become an annexed part of the US. Greenland has large quantities of oil, critical minerals and other resources. The US government’s intervention in Venezuela has reignited fears the US will do the same to Greenland.   “I have to say this very clearly to the United States: it is absolutely absurd to say that the United States should take control of Greenland,” Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen said in a statement. Greenland's prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen called for Trump to give up "fantasies" of annexing Greenland.   The leaders of Denmark and Greenland have repeated that a US takeover of Greenland is "totally unacceptable" after a meeting with top White House officials in recent talks. Tens of thousands of Danish and Greenlandic residents have marched in 'Hands off Greenland' protests.   In a joint statement the leaders of France, Germany, UK, Spain, Italy, Poland and Denmark said that they would defend the "universal principles" of "sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders".   "Greenland belongs to its people. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland".   Members of the US Congress have demanded emergency legislative action to prevent the Trump administration from taking further military action in Venezuela after the president threatened a “second wave” of attacks and said the US will control the South American country’s government indefinitely.   Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said that “Congress should vote immediately on a War Powers Resolution to stop” President Donald Trump, whose administration has for months unlawfully bombed boats in international waters and threatened a direct military assault on Venezuela without lawmakers’ approval.   “Trump has no right to take us to war with Venezuela. This is reckless and illegal,” said Casar. “My entire life, politicians have been sending other people’s kids to die in reckless regime change wars. Enough. No new wars.”   Sen. Adam Schiff of California said “Congress must bring up a new War Powers Resolution and reassert its power to authorize force or to refuse to do so. We must speak for the American people who profoundly reject being dragged into new wars.”   US Democratic senator from Connecticut, Chris Murphy, also hit out at Trump, calling out his actions against Venezuela as being about oil and money rather than national security or drugs. In an interview with CNN's State of the Union, he criticised the US president's foreign policy and questioned the reasoning behind the attack on Venezuela.   "Venezuela is not a security threat to the United States, they're not threatening to invade us, there is no terrorist group like Al Qaeda operating there that has plans to attack the United States.. "This seems to be mostly about oil and natural resources.. Donald Trump's entire foreign policy is all about making money for his friends.. "Wall Street and the oil industry think they can make a lot of money off of Venezuela if they 'run' it.   You saw within hours of the invasion the announcement of a group of Wall Street investors and energy industry investors planning a trip to Venezuela to make money off of this invasion, off of this ouster.. "So unfortunately, once again you're seeing that this president's foreign policy … is about making his crowd rich and has nothing to do with American national security."   US secretary of state, Marco Rubio was asked by NBC News if the US will target the Cuban government next, Mr. Rubio said “the Cuban government is a huge problem” and when pressed on whether this remark meant yes, Rubio said: “I think they’re in a lot of trouble".   * 17/1/2026 (AFP)   US President Donald Trump said he was imposing rising tariffs on eight European countries until the US strikes a deal for the "complete and total purchase" of Greenland, currently an autonomous territory of Denmark.   Trump said 10 percent tariffs would come into effect on February ‍1 on Denmark, Norway, ​Sweden, France, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Finland. ‌Those tariffs would increase to 25 percent ‍on June 1 and would continue until a deal is reached for the United States ‍to undertake the "complete and total purchase" of Greenland, Trump said. European Union leaders have rejected the threats, with France's President ​Emmanuel Macron saying "Tariff threats are unacceptable. Europeans will respond to them in a united and coordinated manner ‍if they were to be ‌confirmed."   In subsequent developments Mr. Trump said he would no longer go ahead with threatened new tariffs and ruled out using military force to acquire Greenland. He claimed he has agreed to a "framework of a future deal" on Greenland after talks with the head of NATO Mark Rutte in Switzerland. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said any potential deal would not lead to US ownership of Denmark. Trump's backdown on tariffs came hours after the European parliament suspended indefinitely the ratification of the US-EU tariff deal signed last summer.   Back in the US, Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) said: “Once again, Trump creates an international crisis and then rides in on his hobbyhorse to ‘fix’ it,” Markey wrote. “Americans are tired of Trump’s circus of chaos.”   * Danish and Swedish pension funds are reported to be divesting US government bonds, citing the country's growing debt crisis. All pension and superannuation funds, that support respect for the rule of law, fundamental democratic principles, environmental sustainability and human rights should seriously consider divesting from US Bonds and Equities. As the gold price reaches a record high of $5,000 an ounce in response to the current US Administration's actions, it is inconceivable that fund members endorse such investments.   http://www.chathamhouse.org/2026/01/us-capture-president-nicolas-maduro-and-attacks-venezuela-have-no-justification http://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/statement-by-the-secretary-general-on-the-situation-in-venezuela http://humanrightsfirst.org/library/human-rights-first-condemns-the-illegality-of-military-action-in-venezuela/ http://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-statement-on-us-military-attack-on-venezuela-and-the-kidnapping-of-venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro http://verfassungsblog.de/europe-must-draw-the-line http://euobserver.com/198518/trump-threatens-retaliation-at-davos-if-eu-dumps-us-assets http://www.dw.com/en/germany-news-merz-says-europeans-not-subordinates-to-us/live-75706500 http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2026/01/high-commissioners-op-ed-us-military-action-venezuela-makes-every http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/01/un-experts-condemn-us-aggression-against-venezuela http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/01/greenland-un-experts-urge-united-states-respect-international-law-and-right
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