Kerry says governmental corruption fuels extremism
By MATTHEW LEE
4 hours ago
DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) —
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry took aim Friday at government
corruption, saying it fuels crime, violent extremism and disillusionment
with society that contributes to the global refugee crisis. He also
said the Obama administration will seek a major boost in funding for
refugee support this year and press for at least 10 new countries to
offer resettlement programs.
Speaking Friday
at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Kerry said the U.S. would
redouble its commitment to fighting corruption as a national security
priority that costs the global economy some $2.6 trillion a year and
"complicates every single security, diplomatic, and social initiative we
undertake."
"We have to
acknowledge in all quarters of leadership that the plagues of violent
extremism, greed, lust for power, and sectarian exploitation often find
their nourishment where governments are fragile and leaders are
incompetent or dishonest," Kerry said in a keynote address to the forum.
He
noted that graft and ineffective governance had either caused or
contributed greatly to crises in Iraq, Nigeria, Syria, Ukraine, Libya
and Yemen and thus had become an international, rather than purely
domestic, problem.
"The fact
is there is nothing, absolutely nothing, more demoralizing and
disempowering to any citizen of any nation than the belief the system is
rigged against them and that people in positions of power are — to use a
diplomatic term of art — crooks who are stealing the future of their
own people; and by the way, depositing their ill-gotten gains in
ostensibly legitimate financial institutions around the world," Kerry
said.
He said corruption is a
social danger, a radicalizer used as a recruitment tool by extremist
groups, and a destroyer of opportunity.
"The bottom line is that
it's everybody's responsibility to condemn and expose corruption, to
hold perpetrators accountable, and to replace a culture of corruption,"
Kerry said.
"Never forget:
the impact of corruption touches everyone," he said. "We all pay for it.
So we have to wage this fight collectively — not reluctantly, but
wholeheartedly by embracing standards that make corruption the
exception, not the norm."
On
refugees, Kerry said the U.S. will encourage donors to increase
financing for worldwide humanitarian appeals by 30 percent, from $10
billion to $13 billion a year.
He
said the U.S. will also push countries that currently accept refugees
to double the number they resettle, increase the number of refugees in
school by 1 million and the number of refugees legally allowed to work
by 1 million. And, he said at least 10 more countries should begin
accepting refugees or make major improvements to their policies.
These
calls will be a centerpiece of a refugee summit that President Barack
Obama will host at the U.N. General Assembly this fall, Kerry said.
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