The Department for International Development (DfID) lacks a sufficient anti-corruption strategy, the body responsible for scrutinising aid spending has said.

The Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI), published its first four reports last week, one of which assessed the department’s approach to tackling corruption. Speaking to CSW, ICAI chief commissioner Graham Ward said: “There’s not a sufficient anti-corruption strategy and the approach they’re taking is not sufficiently co-ordinated.”

“They have people in different parts of the organisation that look at different aspects of corruption, but they don’t bring it all together under one person. There’s a risk of corruption falling down the cracks,” he added. Development secretary Andrew Mitchell welcomed the report, and pledged to make changes.

Two other reports, on health in Zimbabwe and climate change work in Bangladesh, praised DfID’s work.

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Written by CSW