The conference on governance and corruption, organized by the Government of Belgium, the World Bank, and the OECD, will explore how a tripartite partnership involving donors, developing countries, and the private sector can aid in improving governance and combating corruption.
The discussion on quality governance and corruption in developing countries is largely focused on donor financing and the impact of this type of resource on the public sector. While the public sector and donations play a crucial role in shaping the governance environment, foreign and domestic investors are a decisive factor in determining how decisions are made, how transactions are managed, and how governance itself can be reformed. The exponential growth of foreign direct investment over the past decade shows that the influence of the private sector can only continue to grow. However, alliances between developing countries, international donors, and the private sector remain a relatively unexplored area, despite numerous common open issues.
This type of partnership requires greater attention not only to the strategies of international donor assistance and strong leadership in these countries but also to the third point of this triangle: strengthening a competitive and responsible private sector.
The aim of the conference is to explore this dimension in governance debates that are often overlooked and to define recommendations that will serve as guidelines for what the European Union, the World Bank, and the OECD will do in the field of governance in the future. The conference will also determine an action program and examine what measures can be taken immediately and in the near future.
