Scaling Anti-Corruption Enforcement: Why a Joint MDB Sanctions Body Might Just Be the Smartest Step Forward
A global anti-corruption court is a decade away at best. But a joint MDB appellate sanctions body could be built now. Here's the case for it.
In recent years, the idea of a global anti-corruption court has captured conference topics, academic proposals, and even sometimes headlines.
And why not?
The vision is powerful: a standing international body with the teeth to hold kleptocrats and corrupt companies accountable — regardless of national borders or political cover.
For integrity professionals, it speaks to a long-held frustration: fragmented enforcement, political impunity, and the absence of any real global deterrent.
As things stand, we’re unlikely to see this court materialize in the next decade. Not because it’s not needed, but because the political and institutional barriers are immense.
Coordinating enforcement across borders remains an uphill battle.
High-risk jurisdictions often resist supranational oversight outright.
Even the ICC, decades in, faces criticism, defiance, and selective buy-in.
Anti-corruption enforcement trends are plateauing: the FCPA, once a beacon, is now facing headwinds.
And that's without talking about negotiating a treaty requiring 190+ states to agree on enforcement with teeth? A diplomatic Everest.
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Topics: MDB System & Sanctions · Fraud & Corruption
