How do investors choose whether to set up shop in, say, Somalia rather than Spain, Colombia rather than Canada? Siemens, the German engineering company, and the Swiss technologies company ABB both recently stopped doing business in Sudan, claiming moral and political reasons, while many multinationals are still operating in the high-risk countries of Afghanistan, Congo and Iraq.

The OECD Anti-Bribery Convention is ten years old in November, yet rarely has it been in the public spotlight quite as much as in recent months, thanks to headline-grabbing investigations of possible bribery of foreign officials by companies from member countries. We asked Mark Pieth, chair of the Working Group on Bribery, to explain.

“Good governance is the basis of all OECD activities, which is hardly surprising given that it is essential for all economic and social progress.” These remarks by Secretary-General Donald J. Johnston set the tone for a ministerial meeting on Strengthening Trust in Government, hosted by the Netherlands in Rotterdam on 28 November.