Corruption is also directly related to transnational organized crime and illegal economic activities, she said. “It serves as a severe impediment to sustainable development as it diverts resources away from poverty eradication, the fight against hunger and the delivery of public services. In conflict and post-conflict societies, government institutions are even more prone to corruption, as a weak rule of law, poor socio-economic conditions, political destabilization and the proliferation of small arms and light weaponry, all provide criminal groups with opportunities to operate more freely and effectively.”