This information is derived from the State Department's Office of Investment Affairs Investment Climate Statement. Any questions on the ICS can be directed to EB-ICS-DL@state.gov
Last Published: 11/7/2016

Among the 168 countries surveyed by Transparency International in 2015, Madagascar ranked 123rd with a score of 28/100.

Giving or accepting a bribe is a criminal act and is subject to trial by court. Nevertheless, a lack of enforcement of existing legislation opens the door to widespread corruption. High levels of corruption exist in all sectors, but are most pervasive in the following areas: judiciary, police, tax, customs, land, trade, mining, industry, environment, education, and health.

The current government has continually emphasized the importance of combatting corruption, and began work in 2015 on a 10-year National Anti-Corruption Strategy. Despite the strengthened rhetoric, however, significant, concrete results have yet to materialize. High profile traffickers of rosewood and other natural resources, rumored to have high-level government connections, continued to escape prosecution in 2015. There continues to be a widespread perception of impunity for the well-connected.

The Independent Anti-Corruption Bureau (BIANCO) is the agency formally responsible for combating corruption. Madagascar also created a Financial Intelligence Unit (SAMIFIN) in mid-2008 to carry out research and financial analysis related to money laundering. Both of these institutions are hindered by inadequate resources. Transparency International has an office in the country and has operated here since 2002.

There is no requirement for companies to establish internal codes of conduct that, inter alia, prohibit bribery of public officials. However, most foreign companies have oriented their internal controls and ethics and compliance programs to prevent bribery, while U.S. firms are prohibited from engaging in such behavior by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Although U.S. firms have reported low level corruption as an almost daily nuisance, they have not, to date, identified corruption as a specific obstacle to FDI.

UN Anticorruption Convention, OECD Convention on Combatting Bribery

Madagascar signed and ratified the UN Anticorruption Convention and the African Union Convention against Corruption. It has not yet signed the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions.

Resources to Report Corruption

The BIANCO (Independent Bureau Anti-Corruption) is responsible for combatting corruption.
Mr. Jean Louis ANDRIAMIFIDY
General Manager
BIANCO
Villa "La Piscine", Ambohibao, BP 399 - 101 Antananarivo, Madagascar
+261 20 22 489 79; +261 20 22 489 93
contact@bianco-mg.org
www.boanco-mg.org

A watchdog organization:

Mr. Frederic Lesne
Executive Director
Transparency International Initiative, Madagascar
Lot IVD 20 Rue Dr. Zamenhoff (1er etage), Behoririka, 101 Antananarivo, Madagascar
+261 34 96 418 79
contact@transparency.mg

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