Kazakhstan ranks 94th in Corruption Perceptions Index, improvement is due to political modernisation

Kazakhstan has ranked 94th out of 180 countries in the Transparency International's 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).

According to an official statement, Kazakhstan has for the first time received 38 points out of 100 in the Transparency International's 2020 CPI, ranking 94th out of 180 countries.

The statement further said that for the first seven years of the rating under the current methodology (2012 to 2018), the country improved its position only by three points (from 28 to 31), reaching 124th place.

Kazakhstan had begun improving its ranking in corruption in the last two years. In 2019, the country had received 34 points.

"The country has firmly established itself in the group of states with a moderate level of perception of corruption. Countries such as Brazil, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Peru, and Suriname have similar indicators in the CPI," the statement said.

According to the Transparency International, the improvement of Kazakhstan in the CPI rating amid the COVID-19 pandemic and threats to the sustainable development of democratic institutions in several countries indicate the country's ongoing work in combating corruption.

In the group of 19 states of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Kazakhstan now ranks 6th in the Transparency International's 2020 CPI.

According to the official statement, there are several reasons for it. One of the factors is the "consistent course of political modernisation, increasing the role of civil society, strengthening public scrutiny, ensuring greater openness, transparency, accountability and public focus of the state apparatus, including large-scale work to digitize public services".

The political will to eradicate corruption plays a significant role in the context of the three packages of presidential anti-corruption reforms adopted over the past year and a half, the statement added.

( With inputs from ANI )