Corruption and the extractive industries in Africa: Can combating corruption cure the resource curse?

It is now well accepted that the extractive industries in many African countries fail to promote human development. An increasingly influential explanation is that poor governance and corruption in Africa are both cause and effect of this so-called ‘resource curse’. Combating corruption in the extractive industries in Africa has therefore been elevated as a priority by a range of stakeholders, including Western governments, corporations and civil society coalitions. This paper critically considers this development. It not only suggests that existing anti-corruption measures and transparency initiatives may well have limited impact, but also argues that corruption is a contested concept, one that can be used to advance different political and economic agendas.

About the author

Andre Standing has been working at the Institute for Security Studies since November 2006, where he is currently leading the project on the governance of Africa’s natural resources. Prior to this time he was conducting fieldwork research for his PhD on organised crime in South Africa. He has authored a recent book published by the ISS on gangs and organised crime in Cape Town.