Governance Agencies

Governance agencies are key players in ensuring accountability and credible oversight over public functions in society. A governance agency like an audit body, anti-corruption agency or tax authority is supposed to be autonomous and work independently of the executive so that its functionaries can perform their duties without political interference and effectively promote the following of rules.

But this benchmark is often too ambitious for many developing countries and the agencies that should provide objective oversight often end up leading corrupt practices. This is because the transition taking place in developing countries is usually characterised by the existence of informal institutions, like political party factions or mafias, that have the power to influence governance agencies through informal means, making it difficult for the latter to enforce the rules.

SOAS-ACE explores the political processes and policies that can influence the workings of governance agencies and identifies the most feasible ways of insulating them against this external and informal influencing, so these policies have a better chance of success.

For example, in Nigeria we analysed the political processes that influence the workings of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Our research in Tanzania found that the governance of the Export Promotion Zones and Special Economic Zones is made difficult by regulatory inconsistencies, and current tax incentives create avenues for rent seeking.