2015•12•09     Maastricht

Corruption occurs in rich and poor countries alike — and is therefore a global concern. Yet evidence shows that it affects poor people disproportionately and helps turn fragile states into failed states. Ahead of International Anti-Corruption Day, marked every 9 December, I want to highlight the link between corruption and migration, which is all too often overlooked.

On this day of anti-corruption, migration may not be the first topic that comes to mind. Yet with a humanitarian refugee crisis unfolding and the topical nature of migration more generally, it is important to understand how these two things are related. On the one hand, there is higher emigration from countries with a higher level of corruption. On the other, we know from plenty of research that corruption and development are negatively correlated, so from a development perspective this linkage matters.

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