South Sudan has been ranked the most corrupt country in the world in the December 2024 corruption perception index, according to new data from Trading Economics. The war-torn nation placed 180th out of 180 countries, underscoring the scale of governance failures, political instability, and systemic graft in the country.

Somalia followed closely at 179th, while Venezuela took the 178th position. Syria ranked 177th, with Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, and Libya tied at 173rd. Yemen came in at 171st, rounding out the list of the ten worst performers in the global corruption rankings.

171. Yemen

173. Equatorial Guinea / Eritrea / Libya

177. Syria

178. Venezuela

179. Somalia

180. South Sudan

Analysts say the countries at the bottom share common challenges: ongoing armed conflicts, entrenched political patronage systems, weak or absent institutional checks, and severely restricted civic freedoms. In these environments, corruption thrives as public funds are diverted, procurement processes are opaque, and the judiciary is often compromised.

War-torn Yemen and Syria remain emblematic of how prolonged instability erodes governance, while resource-rich nations such as Venezuela and Equatorial Guinea show that economic wealth alone does not shield against entrenched corruption.

Global anti-corruption advocates argue that reversing such rankings will require decades of sustained reform. They recommend that these nations focus on rebuilding institutional capacity, enforcing the rule of law, and creating space for an independent press and civil society.

“Without strong institutions and citizen engagement, corruption becomes not just a symptom of instability but a driver of it,” one governance expert said.

The latest figures serve as a stark reminder that while some countries improve gradually, others remain trapped in cycles where corruption undermines both peace and development. (BusinessDay)