State Capture: From Insight to Influence

Senior Fellow Daniel Kaufmann has been sharing insights with a wide range of audiences, from university students to policymakers and journalists. In Madrid, a full-house public lecture on governance and capture sparked national interest. That momentum continued with a feature interview in Diario Hoy, drawing attention to the risks of institutional capture and what can be done to confront them. 

From there, the conversation moved to North Africa. At the Ibrahim Governance Week in Marrakech, Kaufmann joined regional and global voices to discuss how better data and collaboration can help tackle state capture. That message resonated again in South Africa, where the Hub co-hosted a public panel in Johannesburg and Kaufmann delivered a lecture at Stellenbosch University. 

The South African visit also included meetings with senior public officials, laying the groundwork for future collaboration with institutions such as GIBS and Stellenbosch. 

Meanwhile, in Chile, a wide-ranging interview in La Tercera generated a strong public reaction and even prompted a rival newspaper to publish an editorial calling for serious attention to the issue. It was a powerful example of how global ideas can help spark national conversations. 

And the work continues. In recent weeks, Kaufmann spoke at events in Germany and the UK, with an upcoming presentation in Austria focused on the future of corruption measurement. 

Around the world, more people are asking hard questions about how rules are made, who holds power, and how to ensure integrity in public life. Through this work, the Governance Action Hub is helping connect evidence to action across borders and sectors. 

Explore the State Capture Index. 

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