International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde on Sunday called for efforts to combat corruption in order to restore trust in institutions and push forward globalization.
"Coming on the heels of the financial crisis, this backlash (against globalization) has evolved into a deeper problem -- a growing gap in trust in institutions," said Lagarde at the International Bar Association Conference on Sunday.
She cited a 2016 survey result from the consulting firm Edelman as saying that trust among the broader public in government institutions and the financial services industry was the lowest since 2008, while trust among the elites in all institutions is at an all-time high.
"A key factor fueling this distrust is corrupt and unethical behavior, actual or perceived -- and in both the public and private sector," said Lagarde.
According to an IMF study, the annual cost of bribery alone is estimated at a massive 1.5 trillion to 2 trillion U.S. dollars, roughly 2 percent of global GDP.
Lagarde said that corruption in the public sector weakens fiscal capacity, discourages investment, perpetuates inefficiency, and entrenches poverty and inequality.
She called on countries to strengthen the rule of law, increase fiscal transparency, and combat money laundering in order to rein in corruption in the public sector.
Lagarde also called for efforts to improve regulation and supervision, and strengthen ethics education in order to combat corruption in the private sector.
"Enhancing integrity in public and private sector governance is critical in mending the trust divide we see in societies today. Only then can we have enough confidence in the very institutions that are essential for sustained and inclusive growth," said Lagarde.
