Best practices in effective anti-corruption legislation focus of international conference co-organized by OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan

Implementing effective anti-corruption legislation was the focus of an international conference organized by the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Uzbekistan with the support of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on 21 November 2018 in Tashkent.

The conference brought together around 50 participants, including officials from the Government and both chambers of the Oliy Majlis (parliament) as well as representatives from the business sector and the international community.

The conference familiarized participants with international standards on anti-corruption and business integrity while also highlighting ways to strengthen private sector integrity and improve the investment environment in Uzbekistan. In this regard, special attention was paid to compliance mechanisms and the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

“With the increased interest of foreign investors and growing domestic potential, it is clear that the business sector will be one of the main drivers of Uzbekistan’s future development, but it needs support to fulfil its function,” said Hans-Ullrich Ihm, Senior Project Officer with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator. “Corruption could still hamper the positive developments we are seeing right now and it is therefore essential to reflect on the risks that currently exist and the methods that could be used to mitigate them.”

The conference was the culmination of a two-week anti-corruption programme organized by the General Prosecutor’s Office with the support of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator and other international bodies active in the country. Events held over the two weeks included a seminar on business ethics and compliance mechanisms in the healthcare sector and a range of workshops on business ethics for representatives of various state bodies.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator has been working on anti-corruption since 2012 and is currently conducting a project on Supporting Uzbekistan in Implementing and Promoting Business Integrity Standards.