Conference on the policy to combat corruption and prevention strategies held on 1-2 March 2022 in Tashkent

UzbekistanThe Uzbek government has been pursuing a strategy to combat corruption for a while, and has launched state programmes and respective regulations including laws and compliance control provisions for state institutions to combat corruption. As the criminal prosecution authority, the General Prosecutor´s Office is exposed to the offences, and is also responsible for enforcing the relevant regulations. The IRZ and the General Prosecutor’s Office organised a conference in Tashkent on the policy to combat corruption and prevention strategies due to the major importance of this topic in terms of legal policy. The General Director, Dr. Frauke Bachler and the responsible Head of Section, Angela Schmeink, attended in person.

The Ministry of Justice of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia represented by State Secretary for Justice, Dirk Wedel, also took an active participation in the event with relevant expertise. In addition, Horst Bien from the General Prosecutor´s Office in Düsseldorf and Günter Neifer, Head of Department at the General Prosecutor's Office also gave presentations on the German policies to combat corruption. Judicial Council Richard Bock and Veronika Kormann form the Federal Chamber of Notaries, outlined the system to combat money laundering in Germany. A lively professional exchange took place among the 120 participants, in which relevant registers recording (anonymous) whistleblowers and evidence of corruption in the public sector were discussed in addition to questions on the investigation and prosecution of corruption offences.

The German delegation also made a point of meeting the agency to combat corruption that was founded two years ago to prevent corruption. It has developed a wide range of instruments (such as procedures to promote transparency or the use of public funds) to nip corruption in the bud. It is also dedicated to raising awareness in civil society. Various other meetings with the General Prosecutor's Office, the Supreme Council of Judges, the Ministry of Justice and the Academy of the General Prosecutor's Office took place outside the meeting to explore the potential of current legal reforms for additional cooperation with the IRZ, which has been active in Uzbekistan for 12 years. The delegation was pleased about the great response and openness to impulses for international legal cooperation on the part of the Uzbek partner organisations.

Press release of the NRW Ministry of Justice:
https://www.justiz.nrw/Mitteilungen/2022_03_09_Besuch_Usbekistan_STS/index.php