DFID launches 'anti-corruption and counter fraud strategy'

The British Department for International Development (DFID) has published specific strategies on how it will tackle the threat of endemic corruption, fraud or misuse of public funds in the 29 priority countries it works in, including Nepal.

The strategies outline the specific actions Britain will take in Nepal to help combat corruption and help the people of Nepal to develop their economy, hold the Government to account and grow their way out of poverty, a statement issued by the aid agency said.

Head of DFID Nepal, Dominic O’ Neill said; “This new Anti-Corruption and Counter Fraud strategy will protect our funds and support government efforts to tackle corruption further, as we scale up to £100m per year in Nepal. It will ensure that UKAid reaches the people it is intended for.’

DFID Nepal is funding the government’s major public financial management programmes through the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank and promoting the use of public audits and third party monitoring in projects and programmes around Nepal to help citizens hold donors, implementing partners and public bodies to account. T

According to DFID, the new strategy also means that fraud and corruption risk assessments in programmes will be extended, ‘due diligence’ checks will be made on all our partners and specialised training will be provided to identify fraud and corruption more effectively.

DFID, which is one of the major donors for Nepal, said it will also train local media to build a strong free press in Nepal to help identify corruption and root it out. Nepalnews.com