Research Paper Number

19/2016

Corruption and Development: The Need of International Investigations with a Multijurisdictional Approach and the Involvement of Multilateral Development Banks with National Authorities

Authors

Juan RonderosFollow
Michelle RatpanFollow
Andrea Osorio RinconFollow

Subsequently published in the Osgoode Hall Law Journal .

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2016

Keywords

Corruption; Development Banks; United States. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; Canada. Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act

Abstract

The authors argue that while both Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and national governments have mechanisms to fight corruption, the outcomes of these enforcement mechanisms diverge. MDBs are interested in the causes and effects of corruption from a development perspective and, as such, tend to sanction Small and Medium Enterprises and individuals, while national governments are focused on a more punitive outcome, targeting larger multinational corporations. The article examines the enforcement objectives articulated in national legislation, namely the American Foreign and Corrupt Practices Act and its Canadian counterpart (the CFPOA) as well as several Canadian cases, on the one hand, and the tools and outcomes of the MDBs’ Sanctions Systems on the other. The authors conclude that national enforcement efforts and MDBs’ sanctions outcomes intersect in their fight against international corruption in that their results are complimentary; the former punishing large-scale offenders, while the latter ensuring the integrity of development projects.

Recommended Citation

Ronderos, Juan; Ratpan, Michelle; and Osorio Rincon, Andrea, "Corruption and Development: The Need of International Investigations with a Multijurisdictional Approach and the Involvement of Multilateral Development Banks with National Authorities" (2016). Osgoode Legal Studies Research Paper Series. 142.
https://digitalcommons.osgoode.yorku.ca/olsrps/142