But concrete results of a London anti-corruption summit were mixed, with many countries failing to commit to the toughest actions sought by Cameron.
Heads of state, ministers and diplomats from some 40 countries said they would "uncover corruption wherever it exists, and to pursue and punish those who perpetrate, facilitate or are complicit in it."
The governments made a plethora of promises: to fight bribery in public contracting and the oil and gas sector, to return stolen assets to their owners and to clean up international sports.
The United States did not make that commitment, although Secretary of State John Kerry told the conference that a "pandemic" of corruption "is as much of an enemy, because it destroys nation states, as some of the extremists we're fighting."
More From This Section
Today's meeting at London's elegant Lancaster House drew politicians from around the world, including the presidents of Afghanistan, Nigeria and Colombia, as well as representatives of financial institutions and civil-society organizations.
But critics say London's financial district, the City, is awash with ill-gotten gains, and many of the world's leading tax havens are British dependencies or overseas territories.
In a move to greater transparency, Britain has passed a law requiring British companies including foreign firms that own British property or seek government contracts to disclose who really benefits from their ownership.
Britain said the register meant that "corrupt individuals and countries will no longer be able to move, launder and hide illicit funds through London's property market.