Mainstreaming anti-corruption initiatives: Development of a water sector strategy in Mozambique

Abstract

Sector approaches to combating corruption have gained momentum in recent years, yet the strategic prioritization of sector anti-corruption initiatives is still the exception. The National Water Directorate in Mozambique is one of the few public sector departments in the world known to have allocated its own resources to developing a sector-specific anti-corruption strategy. Its experience offers valuable lessons for others considering integrating anti-corruption in sectors. Leadership needs to come from ministries with intersectoral mandates or through formal collaboration between different ministries. Government-led processes must be complemented by locally driven social accountability processes. Sector strategies need strong political commitment, at sector and central government levels, since multi-stakeholder processes are complex and time-consuming, and the implementation of sector strategies must include sector-level human resources and management systems.