Anti-corruption measures the focus of OSCE seminar in Turkmenistan

The OSCE Center in Ashgabat, jointly with the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA), organized a seminar on institutional and legislative measures to combat corruption on 21 and 22 October in Ashgabat. The event brought together representatives of different ministries and state bodies, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Finance and Economics, the Ministry of National Security, the Ministry of Justice, the Central Bank, and the Prosecutor-General’s Office.

The seminar was part of the OSCE’s Strengthening Adherence to Good Governance Principles project. It was led by two experts from Latvia and Lithuania, who described international standards and best practices in developing anti-corruption legislation and international and inter-agency co-operation in the fight against corruption. The lecturers also discussed tools and mechanisms for the retrieval of embezzled funds and their compensation, and best practices for good governance in state procurements.

The lectures provided attendees with a number of examples of effective anti-corruption measures, as well as guidelines on methods for tackling both national and international forms of corruption.

Natalya Drozd, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, emphasized the importance of anti-corruption measures for economic and social development in her opening address, as she noted: “The fight against corruption is a key area for law-enforcement and other government bodies, which will aid the development of the local business climate and improve security”. She underlined the role of international co-operation for effective anti-corruption action, and the willingness of the OSCE to participate in and facilitate national, regional and international initiatives.

“The OSCE attaches great importance to the fight against corruption and promotion of the principles of good governance,” said Kurban Babayev, Associate Anti-Corruption Officer of the OCEEA. “Among the OSCE’s recent flagship projects in this area is the launch of its online training modules on good governance and anti-corruption aimed at providing government officials, representatives of law enforcement, private sector and civil society with all the necessary information on available legal tools, the latest legislative and policy trends, and pertinent measures and practices to prevent and suppress corruption.”