2024 Corruption Perception Index: Middle Eastern Governments' Push For Transparency

On 11 February 2025, Transparency International, the global watchdog on anti-corruption, released its annual Corruption Perception Index (CPI). The CPI measures perceived levels of public sector corruption according to experts and businesspeople and is widely regarded as an important indicator for foreign direct investment decisions. While the CPI provides a broad market risk assessment and a comparative framework for governance integrity, its methodology has faced criticism, including in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Whilst Transparency International has also published on the same day its CPI Calculation Criteria, highlighting that each country's score is based on at least three of 13 independent data sources, the use of proxy indicators may not fully capture local realities, and the reliance on amalgamated data leads to gaps or misalignment with our regional dynamics.