OSCE seminar in Turkmenistan addresses best practices in combating and preventing corruption
An OSCE-organized online seminar on best practices in preventing and countering bribery and corruption took place in Ashgabat from 23 to 24 June 2022. The purpose of the event was to present best practices of the OSCE participating States in developing measures to prevent and combat corruption through respect for transparency, good governance principles and high ethical and professional requirements.
The event brought together representatives from the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of National Security, the Central Bank, the Prosecutor-General’s Office, the State Customs Service and the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and other state agencies, banks and non-governmental structures.
International experts from Latvia and Ukraine briefed participants on the areas, objectives and documents of the OSCE anti-corruption activities. The experts presented best practices in developing organizations' internal anti-corruption systems, and implementing innovative digital tools to prevent and combat corruption. The seminar also addressed the specifics of asset and conflict of interest declaration systems, protection of whistleblowers reporting about corruption, and implemention of tools to prevent and combat bribery and corruption in local governments.
“We are all aware that corruption is one of the biggest threats to security and stability and a big barrier t the implementation of good governance principles,” said Ivana Markovic-Boskovic, Economic and Environmental Officer of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. “On the opposite, good public and corporate governance and strong institutions are essential foundations for a sound economy, which can attract investments, and thereby enable States to allocate scarce resources in an efficient manner, reduce poverty and inequality, increase social integration and opportunities for all as well as protect the environment.”
“Therefore, measures that help prevent and counter corruption in both the public and private sectors should be vigorously encouraged by all of us,” added Markovic-Boskovic.
The OSCE and its field operations support concrete anti-corruption programmes and activities through capacity-building and awareness-raising events, scoping and advisory missions, as well as activities aimed at strengthening institutional and legislative frameworks.