The TAP-Plus Approach to Anti-Corruption in the Natural Resource Value Chain
Publisher: Brookings Institution
Author(s): Norman Eisen, Daniel Kaufmann, Nathaniel Heller, J. Preston Whitt, Mario Picon, Victoria Bassetti, and John Hudak
Date: 2020
Topics: Conflict Causes, Extractive Resources, Governance
Countries: Mongolia, Nigeria
In this introductory paper, we wrestle with these questions and try to find a better way forward. We introduce the Leveraging Transparency to Reduce Corruption project (LTRC), a global initiative launched in 2017 by Brookings with support from Results for Development and the Natural Resource Governance Institute.
LTRC aims to develop best practices for reducing corruption along the natural resource value chain. LTRC’s approach is grounded in rigorous evidence and field work. This paper provides the initial basis for the LTRC project’s upcoming field studies.
Based in large part on our review of the existing evidence, an extensive bibliography review, and lessons from experience, we argue that narrowly focusing on the adoption of transparency, accountability, and participation (TAP) measures, while more likely to have some impact than transparency solutions alone, is unlikely to suffice. For step-change improvements that drive broader anti-corruption and development outcomes, more is needed.
Accordingly, we advance a framework called “TAP-Plus” in this paper. This framework highlights specific factors that need to be considered in addition to the traditional focus on the adoption of TAP measures.
Specifically, the TAP-Plus approach hypothesizes that three elements require particular attention for scaled-up impact: one, interventions that address the implementation gap within TAP interventions; two, consideration of contextual factors in design of realistic TAP programs; and, three, inclusion of complementary measures—beyond the traditional TAP field—which interact with TAP interventions and may have a significant impact in preventing or reducing corruption and improve sustainable development outcomes. In this paper, we elaborate on these key elements.