The UAE is the least corrupt country in the Mena region, an international corruption index has shown.
According to the global corruption potential league table complied by Transparency International, New Zealand is the world's least corrupt country and Somalia as the most corrupt.
With countries given scores based on data on bribery, the use of public office for public gain, nepotism in the civil service and the protection by law of journalists and whistleblowers, among other things, countries are given a score on a scale that runs from 0 (extremely corrupt) to 100 (completely clean).
The UAE was ranked joint-21 out of 180 countries with a score of 71, sharing the spot with Estonia.
The country scored higher than a number of European countries including France (70), Spain (57) and Portugal (63).
The relatively high ranking does not come as a surprise, said Dr Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a professor of political science at UAE University.
“Ranking globally at 21 should not come as a surprise because it is consistent with our record; for the past fifteen years the UAE has always been first or second in the region in this annual report,” he said.
The UAE has also maintained a steady score ranging between 66 and 71 since 2012.
Read more: Hungary slides deeper down corruption index, watchdog says
“I think the fact that we are in this category is a testimony that there is zero tolerance for corruption in this country just as there is zero tolerance for extremism.”
Scoring higher than some European countries does not come as a surprise either, “France, Spain, Poland … many of these countries have always been in a lower ranking, so that is really not a big deal.”
“Some European countries suffer corruption just like any third world country, especially Italy and Spain.”
Nonetheless, according to Dr Abdulla, “the UAE can do better than 21st place.”
The first challenge, he said, is to sustain this ranking. “It is not easy, even at 21st, because we can go back and forth and we don’t want to drop.”’
Tougher action against corruption and stronger media coverage would be the way moving forward.
“We need to be very tough on corruption: legally, politically, socially – these things have to be as tight as possible.”
“We need to move from being in the 30 best countries to the ten best countries, and I don’t see any reason why Singapore is better than us, which is ranked sixth, and Hong Kong, which ranked tenth.”
Dr Abdulla believes the main source of corruption in the UAE comes from the construction sector.
“We need to tackle corruption in the construction sector and it needs to be addressed publicly in the press,” he said.
“Any case of corruption should not be dealt with in a hidden way, but in a public way.”
The report cited press and civil society as main factors contributing to how corrupt a country is.
“The freer the media, the better we are in ranking. So whenever there is a corruption case, let the media in.”
News agencies should also be chasing and investigating cases of corruption.
“And it is about time we have civil society in the UAE, a transparency association and I don’t think we have one yet,” he said.
Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Switzerland were also at the top of the table, while the UK came joint-eighth and the US joint-16.
Joining Sudan at the bottom of the list were a number of war torn countries, including South Sudan, Syria and Afghanistan.
The biog
Name: Ayisha Abdulrahman Gareb
Age: 57
From: Kalba
Occupation: Mukrema, though she washes bodies without charge
Favourite things to do: Visiting patients at the hospital and give them the support they need.
Role model: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood.
THE BIO
BIO:
Born in RAK on December 9, 1983
Lives in Abu Dhabi with her family
She graduated from Emirates University in 2007 with a BA in architectural engineering
Her motto in life is her grandmother’s saying “That who created you will not have you get lost”
Her ambition is to spread UAE’s culture of love and acceptance through serving coffee, the country’s traditional coffee in particular.
A Long Way Home by Peter Carey
Faber & Faber
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The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
Fixtures:
Thursday:
Hatta v Al Jazira, 4.55pm
Al Wasl v Dibba, 7.45pm
Friday:
Al Dhafra v Al Nasr, 5.05pm
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai v Al Wahda, 7.45pm
Saturday:
Ajman v Emirates, 4.55pm
Al Ain v Sharjah, 7.45pm
Credits
Produced by: Colour Yellow Productions and Eros Now
Director: Mudassar Aziz
Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jassi Gill, Piyush Mishra, Diana Penty, Aparshakti Khurrana
Star rating: 2.5/5
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5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Tathoor, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
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Winner: Dahawi, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
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Winner: Somoud, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
8pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Al Jazi, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
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Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
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Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmomdov (TJK) bt Rey Nacionales (PHI) by decision.
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.
Catch 74kg
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Strawweight (Female)
Seo Ye-dam (KOR) bt Weronika Zygmunt (POL) by decision.
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.
Lightweight
Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) bt Leandro Martins (BRA) by TKO.
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) bt Sofiane Benchohra (ALG) by TKO.
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR) no contest.
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) bt Glen Ranillo (PHI) by TKO round 1.
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Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) bt Sasha Palatkinov (HKG) by TKO round 1.
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) by KO round 1.
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ABU DHABI T10: DAY TWO
Bangla Tigers v Deccan Gladiators (3.30pm)
Delhi Bulls v Karnataka Tuskers (5.45pm)
Northern Warriors v Qalandars (8.00pm)
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
