On May 26-27 of this year, an event dedicated to the presentation of the 5th Round Baseline Report of the Anti-Corruption Network of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) within the framework of the Istanbul Action Plan and the "Roadmap" project for further improving anti-corruption reforms in Uzbekistan was held at the Hilton Tashkent City Hotel.

The event was organized in cooperation with the Anti-Corruption Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the OECD, and international partner organizations.

It was attended by Akmal Burkhanov, Director of the Anti-Corruption Agency, Jonathan Henick, US Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Uzbekistan, and Julia Fromgols, Head of the OECD Anti-Corruption Department (online), as well as representatives of responsible ministries and departments, civil society institutions, international organizations, and the diplomatic corps.

For information: The Istanbul Action Plan is a regional program of the OECD Anti-Corruption Network for Central Asia and Eastern Europe, covering Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

It will analyze the implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption and international standards on combating corruption by member states in national practice.

The event was attended by Bekhzod Mamatov, First Deputy Chairman of the Board for Economy, Finance and Transformation of Almalyk MMC JSC, and Shukhrat Jorayev, Acting Head of the Compliance Service.

At the opening ceremony of the event, Akmal Burkhanov, Director of the Anti-Corruption Agency, expressed the following thoughts:

The Istanbul Action Plan, presented by the OECD, currently serves as an important guideline for implementing anti-corruption reforms in Uzbekistan. It not only assesses the achievements made, but also identifies priority areas that require attention.

In particular, the Round 5 Baseline Report recognizes the relatively advanced results in the areas of policy development, institution building, and legal regulation in Uzbekistan.

This is considered to be the result of the political will of our esteemed President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the efforts of the country's parliament and executive authorities, and the practical result of the close support and strong cooperation of our international partners.

Our important goal

is not about discussing the 5^th round Baseline Report or formally approving the Roadmap, but about getting action-oriented, clear and effective feedback.

These documents should not only be the result of an assessment, but also become a clear guiding document in our daily activities.

After all, reforms are not limited to the adoption of legal documents or the introduction of new mechanisms.

Main task

The effective implementation of new norms adopted and being introduced.

The 5th phase of monitoring of the Istanbul Action Plan of the Anti-Corruption Network of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for Eastern Europe and Central Asia was carried out in Uzbekistan in 2024.

The monitoring and evaluation system covered nine performance areas, namely anti-corruption policy, conflict of interest and asset declaration, whistleblower protection, business integrity, integrity in public procurement, independence of the judiciary, independence of the prosecutor's office, specialized institutions for combating corruption, and prosecution for corruption crimes.

In the end, Uzbekistan's anti-corruption policy was rated the highest among Central Asian countries, and the OECD representatives recognized the positive trend of recent reforms in our country.

In particular, it was noted that the role of civil society institutions in the development and implementation of anti-corruption policies has increased. Uzbekistan's performance in public procurement and business integrity has also improved.

The event focused on the recommendations developed by the OECD based on each of the above-mentioned areas based on the monitoring results, and discussed practical, specific and effective proposals and measures for their implementation.

The recommendations developed based on the 5th round of monitoring under the Istanbul Action Plan of the OECD focused on a number of issues for further improving the fight against corruption in Uzbekistan.

In addition

- increasing the independence and effectiveness of anti-corruption agencies;

- making the appointment and accountability processes of judges and prosecutors transparent;

- strengthening whistleblower protection mechanisms;

- improving the system of declaring assets and conflicts of interest;

- increasing integrity in public procurement and the private sector;

- ensuring the inevitability of punishment for corruption crimes.

The event featured discussions between local and foreign experts in each area.

A "Roadmap" developed based on the recommendations of the OECD was also presented, and specific tasks were set for its effective implementation.