OSCE Centres to hold workshops in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan on combating corruption, money laundering and economic crime

ALMATY/ISSYK-KUL, 8 October 2004 - Combating corruption, money laundering and economic crime will be on the agenda of workshops taking place in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 11 and 12 October and Issyk-kul, Kyrgyzstan on 14 and 15 October.

The two-day events for Government officials are organized by the OSCE Centre in Almaty and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek respectively, in co-operation with the national authorities and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA).

The Council of Europe, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will also actively participate in the workshops.

Participants will review the United Nations Convention against Corruption and other international instruments, discuss the legal and institutional framework, as well as anti-corruption policies. International and national officials and experts will draw upon and compare international experiences and best practices.

The workshop will help the authorities of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to draft summaries for both the OSCE Centre in Almaty and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek on their respective needs for further technical assistance.