The OSCE facilitated a study visit for an Uzbek delegation to Georgia on open governance

Signing of a Memorandum of Co-operation between the Anti-Corruption Agency of Uzbekistan and the Anti-Corruption Bureau of Georgia. (Anti-Corruption Agency of Uzbekistan) Photo details

From 17 to 18 June 2024, a delegation, headed by the Director of the Anti-Corruption Agency of Uzbekistan, carried out a study visit to Georgia to learn from its experience in accession to and membership in the Open Government Partnership (OGP).

The visit was part of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan's (PCUz) support to the host country's Government in the implementation of the 2023-2024 National Anti-Corruption Programme.

Launched in 2011, the OGP is committed to promoting greater transparency, fighting corruption, increasing government accountability and responsiveness, as well as citizen engagement in policymaking.

As one of the first countries to join the OGP, Georgia has implemented a number of important government reforms under this framework. Therefore, the delegation from Uzbekistan met with its counterparts in Tbilisi to familiarize themselves with the OGP accession process and the lessons learned.

On 17 June, the delegation held meetings with the Anti-Corruption Bureau of Georgia, the Anti-Corruption Agency of the State Security Service, and the Digital Governance Agency. They discussed issues such as the development and implementation of anti-corruption policy, the coordination of state bodies' activities and the process of working in partnership with the OGP, the use of digital tools, and the role and involvement of civil society.

As a result of the visit, a Memorandum of Co-operation was signed between the Anti-Corruption Agency of Uzbekistan and the Anti-Corruption Bureau of Georgia.

On 18 June, the delegation was hosted by representatives of the Public Procurement Agency and the Bureau of Public Service. They exchanged views on measures to ensure transparency in public procurement procedures and ways to reduce the risk of corruption in this area, as well as on the regulation of conflicts of interest in the public service and measures to declare assets and income of civil servants, among other topics.

The PCUz remains engaged with the Government of Uzbekistan in its administrative and governance reforms, which focus on promoting transparency of state institutions and enhancing their accountability to the public.