The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) plays an important role in providing guidance and assisting with the implementation of ambitious anti-corruption reforms in Uzbekistan. The PCUz is supporting the host country in its reform agenda to strengthen the integrity of the public sector and combat corruption, including in co-operation with other international organizations and partners.
To this end, the PCUz supported the visit of a delegation of the Anti-Corruption Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ACA), headed by its Deputy Director Ms. Umida Tukhtasheva, to Paris from 23 to 25 May 2023. On 24 and 25 May, the delegation participated in the 2023 OECD Global Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum to discuss policy solutions and business innovations that strengthen integrity and fight corruption. Emphasis was placed on the importance of leadership, partnership, political integrity, open data and zero-tolerance against corruption.
As Uzbekistan's National Anti-Corruption Coordinator, the ACA is carrying out the work and ensuring progress within the framework of the Istanbul Anti-Corruption Action Plan under the aegis of the OECD Anti-corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ACN). The Forum was therefore an opportunity for the ACA to study the OECD standards and best international practices ahead of the next ACN round of monitoring.
During the visit, the delegation also met with representatives of the French Anti-Corruption Agency (AFA) and the French National Judiciary School (Ecole Nationale de la Magistrature, ENM). The ACA and the AFA exchanged anti-corruption expertise, including advanced French preventive measures and Uzbek anti-corruption reforms, and explored areas and mechanisms of cooperation on the basis of the interagency Memorandum signed in 2022. The meeting at the French National Law School then allowed for discussions on the training and professional development of legal personnel, as well as possible areas for future co-operation.
The PCUz continues to support the capacity building of the Anti-Corruption Agency as part of its project to improve good governance reforms in Uzbekistan.
