Using the momentum against corruption

THOSE who elected the current administration demanding action against corruption, at least for a moment, can take heart.

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The country has climbed 14 places in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) published by Transparency International, rising to 107th out of 180 countries. Perceptions do matter and they influence foreign investment, development assistance, and, most importantly, domestic confidence in State institutions. Sri Lanka’s upward movement suggests that, at least externally, the country is seen as taking some steps in the right direction.

It would be disingenuous to deny that there has been movement on the anti-corruption front. Several high-profile cases have been investigated and prosecuted. For a political culture often criticised for impunity and selective justice, this signals that the current administration has made some effort to demonstrate accountability. However, the celebration must be measured. A rank of 107th still places Sri Lanka in the lower half of countries assessed. Improvement does not equal transformation.