Delegates to the Global Integrity and Anti-Corruption Forum (GACIF) met in Paris last week against a backdrop of escalating conflict, economic instability, and what many see as the erosion of the international rules-based order. Progress on anti-corruption is already reversing, and these pressures – combined with cuts to official development assistance (ODA) – are likely to accelerate that trend. GACIF offered decision-makers a timely opportunity to reflect on these challenges and consider potential responses. These are my key takeaways.

Business is still at the table

Members of the Anti-Corruption Leaders Hub (ACLH) convened on the margins of GACIF to exchange good practices and discuss emerging trends. Participants included major multinational corporations such as Microsoft, Tesla, McDonald’s, and Amazon, alongside some of the world’s largest oil, gas, and mining companies.

Given that regulation and enforcement are being relaxed in some markets, it was reassuring to see such strong participation by the private sector, and to hear that none of these companies intend to scale back their anti-corruption efforts. For these firms, it seemed self-evident that any short-term gains from relaxing compliance would ultimately be outweighed by declining trust and damage to brand integrity.

That calculation may differ for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are grappling with rising tariffs and tightening margins. Notably, however, their perspectives were largely absent from the discussion.

A growing gap between demand and supply

Several speakers highlighted the increasing demand for anti-corruption support. One explained, for example, how tariffs can fuel corrupt practices: sudden regulatory changes, selective exemptions, and complex classifications create grey areas that officials may exploit. Some companies are attempting to circumvent tariffs by rerouting goods through third countries and falsifying certificates of origin.

Less evident in these discussions was the shrinking supply of support. Cuts to ODA are significantly reducing resources for anti-corruption agencies and judicial systems. Civil society organisations are finding it harder to hold governments to account, and low-income countries are losing the critical support needed to adopt international standards.

Although governance and anti-corruption account for a relatively small share of ODA budgets, cuts in this area risk disproportionately undermining sustainable growth and democratic accountability. It was a missed opportunity that GACIF did not engage more directly with this troubling trend.

Civil society in the room, but not on the platform

Civil society organisations (CSOs) remain at the forefront of anti-corruption efforts, often driving the most innovative approaches, from digital, data-driven tools to participatory and accountability mechanisms. Many leading CSOs were present at GACIF, yet, with a few notable exceptions, they were underrepresented on the platform.

The forum’s theme – “The Integrity Advantage: Powering Competitiveness and Prosperity” – was clearly geared towards the private sector. As a result, private sector, government, and OECD representatives dominated the speaker lineup. Future GACIF’s would benefit from elevating civil society voices and recognising their critical contributions more prominently.

Enabling accountability

The OECD used GACIF to launch the Anti-Corruption and Integrity Outlook 2026, a comprehensive assessment of integrity systems across 37 OECD member states and 25 partner countries. The report enables citizens and stakeholders to scrutinise government performance in areas such as political financing, judicial integrity, and access to public information.

Mexico’s Vice Minister for Good Governance, Alejandro Nájera, highlighted the report’s value in bridging the gap between regulation and implementation. He noted concerns around lobbying and the undue influence of private interests on public policy and explained that new regulations are being introduced to address these risks. Future editions of the Outlook will allow Mexican citizens to track progress against reliable indicators.

The report underscores the importance of high-quality data in strengthening accountability. More broadly, it reflects the OECD’s strength: building robust evidence bases that stakeholders across the institutional spectrum can use to hold governments to account.

Who remembers the SDGs?

I have attended international conferences for more years than I care to put on record. I recall a time when the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were a constant reference point, particularly in discussions on corruption. SDG 16.5 calls for a substantial reduction in corruption and bribery, recognising their impact across a wide range of development outcomes.

Today, with just four years remaining until the 2030 deadline, only 18% of the goals are on track, while around 20% are regressing. Future GACIF events should help refocus attention on the SDGs and rebuild momentum towards achieving them.

No going back to the future

As is often the case, some of the most candid conversations took place informally, often over coffee or lunch. Among participants, there was a sense that the current decline in leadership and commitment on anti-corruption might be temporary, a phase that will pass as political cycles move and the previous situation is restored. I think we have to be bolder than that.

In a recent speech at the World Economic Forum, Mark Carney described the international rules-based order as a “pleasant fiction.” He argued that powerful countries have often exempted themselves from rules when convenient, invoking Thucydides’ observation that “the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.”

Recent events have reinforced the importance of international rules, but restoring a “polite fiction” is not the answer. What is needed instead is a system in which rules are applied universally, consistently, and without exception.

And finally…

The OECD deserves recognition for continuing to convene GACIF, particularly in a challenging global context where sustained focus on governance and anti-corruption is more important than ever. It was carefully curated and thorough, but in terms of relevance and impact, it was less than the sum of its parts.   

GACIF 2026 was equivocal on some of the most pressing issues facing reformers today. That represents a missed opportunity. Looking ahead, GACIF 2027 can – and should – be more inclusive, more relevant, and as a result, more impactful.

Petter Matthews has been the Executive Director of Engineers Against Poverty (EAP) since 2000. He has overall responsibility for policy, strategy and programme delivery. As part of the EAP team, Petter has established the charity as one of the leading international voices on infrastructure policy and practice.