By many measures, Armenia has made significant strides in the fight against corruption since the Velvet Revolution of 2018. Eric Hacopian, a political analyst and the host of the online show Insights with Eric Hacopian, joins CIPE’s Anti-Corruption & Governance Center podcast to discuss the noticeable reduction of petty corruption in Armenia and how that transition came to be. Listen now to hear Hacopian elaborate on how certain Armenian industries, most notably the information technology sector, led the business community’s push for increased anti-corruption efforts, and describe the impact on the private sector as a whole. This episode is co-hosted by ACGC Director Frank Brown and CIPE’s Head of Office in Armenia, Luiza Ayvazyan.

What really happens when a country is “grey listed” by the global Financial Action Task Force (FATF)? CIPE examines this with Muazu Umaru, Director of Policy and Research at the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering (GIABA) in West Africa. The discussion follows announcements that Nigeria is among the new adds to the FATF’s “grey list” of countries with deficiencies in their structural abilities to counter money laundering and terrorism financing.

CIPE’s Nigeria Country Director and anti-corruption expert Lola Adekanye hosts a discussion with Umaru to analyze the ruling’s impact on financial sectors and the economy, one of Africa’s largest. The two also talk about recommended measures the country must take to address key issues flagged by the FATF.

A CIPE partner is among those leading crisis efforts on the ground in southern Turkey, where massive February earthquakes leveled entire communities and displaced millions. TÜRKONFED (Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation) was one of the first organizations to respond after the quakes, mobilizing its vast network of associations and federations to assist with immediate relief efforts. The groups are now supporting longer-term business rebuilding efforts amid the grief and despair.

It is considered one of the worst natural disasters in recent history for a region already under great strain, due to war and a growing refugee population. TÜRKONFED’s work is one example of how business organizations around the globe are stepping in to assist governments and fill critical gaps in times of urgent need.

CIPE is spotlighting this growing trend in a new Democracy that Delivers podcast series on “Association Frontiers” hosted by Stephen Rosenlund, who leads CIPE’s internal Associations Working Group and serves as Deputy Director of Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Programs. In the inaugural podcast, he talks with TÜRKONFED Secretary General Ardu Batu and MENA Senior Program Officer Babak Yektafar about current efforts by the business community to assist earthquake victims and help restore lives and livelihoods.