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A new UK aid package will help governments in developing countries stamp out corruption and improve accountability, Minister of State for International Development Harriett Baldwin announced yesterday (Thursday 19 July).

It is estimated that up to 拢2 trillion is lost globally to corruption every year, which reduces the amount that governments can invest in vital services such as healthcare and education.

The support, announced at the Open Government Partnership鈥檚 (OGP) Fifth Global Summit in Tbilisi, Georgia, will drive transparency reforms through locally-led National Action Plans produced by governments and civil society, with the support of expertise from OGP.

The support is a part of the UK鈥檚 Transparency Agenda 鈥極pen Aid, Open Societies鈥�, launched by Minister Baldwin in February 2018.

Minister of State Harriett Baldwin said:

鈥淐orruption hurts the world鈥檚 poorest and most vulnerable the most. We must clamp down on the spaces where rogue money can operate if we are to end poverty and create a fairer world.

鈥淭ransparency transforms people鈥檚 lives for the better by helping developing countries to collect taxes, improve public services and ensure a level playing field in which businesses can flourish.

鈥淭oo many governments publish incomprehensible spreadsheets that do little to increase transparency. Today鈥檚 UK aid package will help some of the world鈥檚 poorest people access easily understandable information so that they can really see how their taxes are spent, and properly hold their leaders to account.鈥�

The UK helped to found the Open Government Partnership in 2011. It has since grown from eight to 76 participating countries.

Notes to editors:

鈥� The UK announced a 拢12 million programme of support over three years for the Open Government Partnership (OGP) at the OGP Fifth Global Summit in Tbilisi, Georgia 鈥� 鈥楽upport for Open Government and Transparency鈥� yesterday. Today鈥檚 funding is an allocation from the Governance, Open Societies and Anti-Corruption programme budget for 2018/19.

鈥� Of the 拢12 million, 拢6.8 million will help the OGP to scale up support to member countries in implementing open government reform commitments, including a focus on DFID priority countries Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria and Pakistan.

鈥� The programme also includes up to 拢4.7m for a new World Bank managed Multi-Donor Trust Fund which will provide technical and financial assistance to design and implement open government reform commitments.