Credits: European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations
The BridgeGap Working Paper Series showcases cutting-edge research that bridges critical gaps in our understanding of corruption, its regulation, and the real-world impact of anti-corruption policies. Our latest publication, Working Paper 25-02, “Digital Solutions Against Corruption? Leveraging Technology in (EU) Humanitarian Aid Operations in the MENA-region” by BridgeGap member Ina Kubbe (Tel Aviv University) and Anwesha Chakraborty (University of Urbino), offers a timely and critical perspective on a pressing issue.
This article presents a critical analysis of digital anti-corruption tools in (EU) humanitarian aid for the MENA region. Its core argument challenges the common assumption that technologies like blockchain and AI are inherently positive forces.
Instead, the study positions these tools as non-neutral instruments that reflect and reinforce existing power dynamics within politics and institutions. The key finding, based on 35 expert interviews, is that digital interventions often act as “performative signals,” as they are implemented to appear effective and transparent to donors rather than genuinely addressing the root causes of corruption.
The research identifies several unintended consequences: these technologies can hide discretionary power, strengthen exclusionary practices, and complicate accountability. Ultimately, the article concludes that without a foundational focus on offline accessibility, inclusive design, and local legitimacy, digital reforms are likely to worsen the governance problems they aim to fix. The study is a call to move beyond “techno-solutionism” and toward strategies that prioritize genuine accountability over visibility.
The BridgeGap Working Paper Series provides a platform for the early dissemination of research findings, fostering discussion among colleagues both within and outside the project. Managed by Utrecht University, each paper undergoes a review process conducted by researchers from the BridgeGap consortium.
We welcome comments and suggestions on the series. Please direct all correspondence to the series editor, Joras Ferwerda, Associate Professor at the Utrecht University School of Economics.