Today, the United States Agency for International Development joins the international community in supporting citizens, governments and organizations from across the globe in their struggle to root out corruption.  We know that corruption destroys the lives of millions of people around the world and can be a cause of great national strife and tragedy.  We have seen corruption undermine democracy and the rule of law, lead to human rights violations, distort markets, erode quality of life, and allow organized crime, terrorism and other threats to flourish.

I have seen the harmful effects of corruption first hand in my travels. As Vice President Biden remarked: "Corruption is a cancer. It wastes the talent of entire generations. It denies people their dignity."  I have seen that ordinary citizens and civil society activists coming from Kyiv, Marrakesh, and Delhi shared the common belief that government should serve its people and not the other way around. By supporting people organizing against corruption, a force more powerful than bribery will be unleashed-a force that will unlock the aspirations of young generations and the potential of nations around the globe

Together, we are embedding the principles of accountability and transparency in our partnerships across societies.  In health, we are not only reaching at-risk communities with essential medicines, but also ensuring those drugs do not go missing along the way. In education, we are not only bringing cutting-edge technologies into classrooms, but also ensuring those classrooms are open to all eager learners.

In 2011, President Obama launched the Open Government Partnership-a global initiative that works with these reformers to make their governments more accountable and responsive to their citizens. In three years, it has grown to include 65 countries and 1,000 commitments. Two years ago, USAID co-launched Making All Voices Count: A Grand Challenge for Development to seed game-changing technologies that help communities prevent and expose corruption. The Departments of State and U.S. Agency for International Development devote approximately $1 billion per year to anticorruption and related good governance programs.

This is an issue that matters to all of us and USAID will continue to work closely with our partners to promote good governance and work to prevent and address corruption throughout the world.