Delegation of the European Union to the United Republic of Tanzania and the East African Community

10/17/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/17/2024 05:02

The Tashkent Anti-Corruption Forum Promotes Innovation, Strengthens Compliance, and Fosters Global Cooperation.

On 17th October 2024, Uzbekistan hosted the "IV Tashkent Anti-Corruption Forum," which brought together more than 250 representatives from anti-corruption agencies, international experts, and civil society members. This event was organised by the Anti-Corruption Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in collaboration with the European Union, the consortium led by GIZ (German Enterprise for International Cooperation), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

This year, the forum served as a platform for participants to share best practices and experiences, strengthen inter-agency cooperation, and discuss the latest trends in international anti-corruption programmes.

Uzbekistan's efforts to improve its rankings in key measures like Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, the World Justice Project's Rule of Law Index, and the Open Data Inventory were highlighted, along with other successes in fighting corruption.

The event also recognised Uzbekistan's success in the 2023 5th round monitoring by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The country scored over 86 points in anti-corruption policies, making it one of the leading nations in Central Asia.

Key accomplishments included the effective implementation of the State Anti-Corruption Programme for 2023-2024, the development of a comprehensive anti-corruption strategy for 2030, and greater engagement of civil society in anti-corruption initiatives.

One of the forum's major outcomes was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Anti-Corruption Agency of Uzbekistan and the World Bank's Integrity Vice Presidency, aimed at fostering cooperation in personnel training, joint project implementation, and anti-corruption research. During the awards ceremony, the Government of Uzbekistan also recognised the significant contributions made by the media and non-governmental organisations in the fight against corruption.

The event was opened with speeches by key officials, including representatives from the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Dr. Akmal Burkhanov, Director of the Anti-Corruption Agency, His Excellency Mr. Toivo Klaar, Ambassador of the European Union to Uzbekistan, Ms. Akiko Fujii, UNDP Resident Representative in Uzbekistan, Dr. Oliver Stolpe, UNODC Regional Representative for Afghanistan, Central Asia, Iran, and Pakistan, and Dr. Viktor Kessler, Manager of Good Governance Program, implemented by GIZ.

The forum attracted an extensive range of prominent international organisations and global leaders in the fight against corruption. Among the attendees were representatives from UNODC, the European Union, the World Bank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), GIZ, the US Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), INGO ''Regional Dialogue'', Transparency International, and Finland's Rule of Law Centre. Additionally, high-ranking anti-corruption officials from various countries, including Azerbaijan, China, Georgia, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Korea, Lithuania, Malaysia, the United States, and Tajikistan, were present, reinforcing the forum's role as a crucial platform for international collaboration and knowledge exchange in anti-corruption efforts.

The forum featured sessions on topics such as "A New Era in Anti-Corruption: Innovative Technologies as an Effective Tool for Corruption Prevention," "Anti-Corruption Culture as a Means of Resolving Social Conflicts," and "Preventing Conflicts of Interest and Implementing Compliance Systems: Challenges and Prospects."

The IV Tashkent Anti-Corruption Forum successfully facilitated critical discussions on global trends in corruption prevention and showcased Uzbekistan's achievements in this field. The forum reaffirmed the country's commitment to strengthening international cooperation and promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance.

The event was organised by the Anti-Corruption Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan, with support from the projects 'Improving Public Administration in Uzbekistan - Inclusive Corruption Prevention', implemented by GIZ, in cooperation with the Central Finance and Contracting Agency of Latvia, and the international NGO 'Regional Dialogue' from Slovenia, co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and 'Strengthening the National Anti-Corruption Ecosystem in Uzbekistan', implemented by UNDP and funded by the European Union.