poverty paralyzes public services and undermines governments were talking corruption and today is the un's world anti corruption day gary elfreda's is coming right up with a look at how it effects the countries on the african continent. that a lot more coming up on the business africa update and i'll see again at the top of the hour with the world headlines from thank you for spending part of your day with me. they created today's rule. 7. historical turning region politics business religion. run people of the islamic revolution. making its initial flirtation with those strengths in states of emergency. things into chaos to join closer countries and. hence the people threatens the old

order. fort carson. the story of an era that defines overmanaged. 1917 in the big city today small steps december 23rd. it's the un's international m c corruption day we'll have a look at how and why corruption is consistency named by international investors as the number one obstacle preventing them to invest in african economies. taking an axe to illegal logging the fight against the unlawful destruction of romania. this is business africa on the w. . corruption on the minds. trust in governments and paralyzes economic growth

the u.n. has marked today as international anticorruption day so let's have a look at the worst culprits in this sector this map here is from the at the corruption organization transparency international it shows that the problem of corruption is still greatest in africa there it is. particularly in those countries colored in dark red for years somalia has called worst for how corrupt its citizens believe it to be but there are positive developments as well in botswana for example here is the government has energetically prosecutor bribery and kick that darts with a corruption index of $44.00 which one does better than some european countries such as hungary or romania an obvious feature of all this is that the country is perceived to be least corrupt and o.e.c.d. members they have a power from a high standard of living

a functioning administration hard hitting justice systems and political stability so botswana is good news for africa but the broad picture is different one in 4 african citizens are forced to pay paying bribes to officials for basic services like passports or driving licenses or for getting health care transparency international found out let's bring in our correspondent joy there in vera from nairobi joy why is botswana more successful in the fight against corruption than other countries. you know how that what's one a said to have one of the highest anticorruption or one of the best and corruption profiles on the african continent and also what's going to happen as to how one of the highest conviction rates. on the african continent too and that means that when it comes to dealing with issues to do with corruption or economic crime but so on i said have most of the conviction convictions successful convictions and

prosecutions on the african continent that could explain why it is one of the least corrupt countries in africa. the it seems to work there but bob measures are in place for one i think they have the economic crime but that is implemented to the letter through the directorate of economic crime and it was established in 1904 since it was established over 1000 pieces have been prosecuted successfully and this is sent a message i guess to the citizens of the country about public trust and they don't want the trust of most of the citizens so there is just a do it protection of whistleblower is that the act does have and protect all those who report these corruption cases that have prosecuted investigation rates are also

quite very successful in botswana if we look at the somalia which features on the very top of the list of the corruption index is it unique. one would say yes' so why is a unique case because of the dictates of conflicts that have resulted in broken systems and these broken systems have also resulted in many of the officials jewellery being illegal activity in return for bribes and that has increased the corruption rates in somalia as well but the fact that there is nearly normal legal framework to govern the last of the country while can actually say that yes the lazy unique case and until they can have an anti corruption strategy in place there and it really not much is going to change over the next few years but the president of somalia has signed be anti corruption bill that is also managed to come up with

an anti corruption strategy and soon we could see an up to corruption commission is an area toward remember i thank you very much. the government of kenya capital nairobi has pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering receiving bribes and conflict of interest mike and sancho was arrested last friday he's accused of benefiting from irregular payments totaling over $3000000.00 europe's the 44 year old is seen as a flamboyant figure who is known for his flashy clothes and chunky gold jewellery. south africa's transport minister says he has placed the state owned railways under administration with immediate effect the site of mismanagement and irregular and wasteful expenditure it follows a decision last week to place south african airways on a rescue matter measure as well the government says it has resolved to turn around all state on their part besides as a above

a power utility eskom is also on the going reconstruction of companies needed massive government bailouts after alleged mismanagement and corruption nearly bankrupted them. in the democratic republic of the congo charcoal is the go to fuel for up to 90 percent of households mainly due to a lack of electricity but deforestation for charcoal production is eating into the forest of the congo basin which is vital in the fight against global warming too many profits from the destruction from the poor the need charcoal for fuel to the senior officials who profit from illegal logging that's also oil it's exploration and industrial agriculture in the area now on the hillsides around the capital scarcely any trains left congress trying to increase hydroelectric energy production to tackle the problem. illegal logging is a problem all over the world even here in the european union romania is home to

more than half of europe's remaining untouched forests thus protecting them has become a dangerous business this year as seen a number of rangers killed trying to rid the country of illegal logging romania's primeval forest are legendary for their beauty and their under threat illegal logging here is bound up with corruption political intrigue and murder. that just look at what's been felt here the mafia took it all away. georg lives new york should know he worked for the criminal lumber syndicates for 10 years and he knows how it works. this truck was cut down the illegally whether they got that one over there legally did you get a license to fell 10 trees and you take 100 corrupt forest rangers marked the trees or you documents are forged he says the police look the other way and everyone

profits each tree is worth hundreds of euros but it is though i'm far astray workers live in fear they get threatened if you speak out you'll be fired and the order comes from the top from the mafia. because there are 2 cougar chio was a forest ranger for 25 years earlier this year he was killed with an axe. someone called him and told him to go in the woods because they were making stumps they were cutting his trees we want their son is one of 7 romanian rangers slain in recent years so far those behind the attacks have not been determined. i want justice my son was not able to defend himself. but justice is difficult to obtain here in many of romania's woodland regions such as most of its everyone lives from and with the timber mafia. but one man here is trying to resist by documenting and checking every lumber truck that passes through to bury

a bushel tar reports each illegal transport he discovers and how did the police react. so brutal well whenever i stop an illegal transport or when i call the police they slap a fine on me. well most of it is romania in miniature. and it's like this in the entire forest sector. she gave you is one of many who say the woods are disappearing because officials work hand in hand with the timber mafia. last month thousands marched on the streets of bucharest to protest against illegal logging in romania so far it's and against the attacks on forest workers. and as some of the other global business stories making headlines today siemens l'oreal and beeping are among businesses backing in the e.u. plan to make the bloc climate neutral by 2050 e.u. leaders are set to sign the pledge later this week business support for it is

crucial as it's likely to lead to legislation that will impact every major industry . online retailer in germany is headed for record turnover this year german e-commerce and mail order association says it expects the sector to pass the 70000000000 euro mark for the 1st time in germany online shopping has a market share of 13 percent. in exports rose unexpectedly in october despite ongoing trade conflicts and a slowdown in the global economy goods sold abroad went up 1.2 percent to almost $120000000000.00 euros carson machines made in germany were among the top sellers worldwide. these cars produced in germany will soon be sold at dealerships in the united states. despite falling out of favor with u.s. president donald trump. b.m.w. mercedes and fox bargain automobiles are selling well across the atlantic. since

2017 germany's trade surplus with the u.s. has actually widened. exports to china have also risen all of which means germany exported goods worth almost $120000000000.00 euros in october that's an increase of 1.2 percent month on month imports on the other hand decreased slightly to 98000000000 euros that means that goods sold abroad weighed imports by more than 20000000000 euros but all is not rosy exports to the united kingdom for example fell in october companies on both sides of the channel are concerned about the potential effects of bragg's it on business nonetheless analysts say these latest figures are the 1st positive results for the final quarter of the year with disappointing domestic consumption but encouraging trade data europe's largest economy looks set to continue meandering between contraction stagnation and meager growth. he advise us leaders from richard

nixon to barack obama. former federal chad. the federal former chairman of the federal reserve has died aged 92 folke attack of american inflation in the 170 s. and eighty's and leisure lends his name to landmark wall street reforms headed the u.s. central bank. 9 to 987 of all german immigrants was born in 1907 in cape may new jersey. says he died from complications related to prostate cancer .

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culture of looking at him. stereotyped classics for india think the future of the country that i now know the time. needed to be put to this drama. you know it's all about. i might go join me to meet the gentleman from the. post. this news africa coming up on the program. pirate nigeria's navy house trouble fighting read this as the coast of west africa becomes piracy hotspots. on the devastation in uganda also villages. not by floss flops landslides killing thousands.