Sweden has been ranked by Transparency International as the world’s least corrupt country in the Berlin-based organization’s annual report for 2008.

Transparency International compiles an index based on perceptions of public sector corruption in 180 countries and territories among business people and country analysts.

Sweden jumped four places up the table to join Denmark and New Zealand at the top, while Finland – last year’s winner – slipped back to fifth.

The most corrupt countries, according to the rankings, were Somalia, Iraq, Burma and Haiti.

Transparency International said corruption in the poorest countries could mean the difference between life and death, when money for hospitals or clean water is in play.

Hugette Labelle, the organization’s chairwoman, said: “Even in more privileged countries, with enforcement disturbingly uneven, a tougher approach to tackling corruption is needed.”

Christer van der Kwast, director of the Anti-Corruption Unit of the Swedish Prosecution Authority, said he believed Sweden’s strong showing partly reflected the robust nature of his unit’s approach to corruption.

“Apart from striving to ensure that criminal offences committed in this area are prosecuted to a reasonable extent, we are heavily engaged in making organizations, government agencies and all stakeholders aware of [corruption],” he said.

Source: Invest in Sweden

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