Cameron, Afghanistan and Nigeria 'possibly most corrupt countries

David Cameron has been overheard boasting to the Queen that the leaders of “fantastically corrupt” countries square measure coming back to a summit he is hosting on.

In comments that were caught by a microphone throughout a reception at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the Queen’s ninetieth birthday, the prime minister said Nigeria and Islamic State of Afghanistan were 2 of the most corrupt countries within the world.

Speaking in front of the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, the House of Commons speaker, John Bercow, and the cabinet minister Chris Grayling, Cameron said: “We had a very made cupboard meeting this morning. We talked concerning our anti-corruption summit. We’ve got ... some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming back to United Kingdom.



“Nigeria and Afghanistan square measure presumably 2 of the most corrupt countries within the world.”

The Queen did not answer Cameron’s comment, turning her head away while he was speaking. However, Welby, who has worked in Nigeria, then said of that country’s leader: “But this specific president is really not corrupt.”

Asked whether David Cameron regretted his comment, a Downing Street interpreter said: “Both leaders have been invited to the summit as a result of they're driving the fight against corruption in their countries. The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with them as they are doing therefore.”

The spokesman declined to say whether or not the Nigerian or Afghan governments had contacted Andrew Jackson Downing Street following the prime minister’s remarks.

He made clear that the PM was aware that he was being recorded at the time he spoke, telling reporters: “The cameras were very shut to him. There were multiple cameras within the room.”

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The royal menage doesn't touch upon non-public conversations between the prime minister and also the Queen.”

A spokesperson for Welby said: “The bishop has no specific read however supports the international anti-corruption summit to combat corruption in all walks of life.”

The leaders of both countries mentioned have acknowledged that they have issues with corruption. Ashraf Ghani, the Afghan president, and his Nigerian counterpart, Muhammadu Buhari, have contributed to a book, Against Corruption, being published by Cameron to mark the summit.

In his essay, Ghani acknowledges that Afghanistan is “one of the most corrupt countries on Earth”.

Transparency International, a global anti-corruption organisation, publishes an annual corruption perceptions index, which ranks countries in order of however corrupt they're seemed to be.

In the most up-to-date index, published in 2015, Afghanistan was graded in 166th place, above solely North Korea and African nation. Nigeria was in 136th place.

Cobus de Swardt, the managing director of Transparency International, said: “There is no doubt that, historically, Nigeria and Islamic State of Afghanistan have had terribly high levels of corruption, and that continues to the present day.

“But the leaders of those countries have sent strong signals that they require things to alter, and the London anti-corruption summit creates a chance for all the countries present to register to a replacement era.”