EU, UNDP to support anti-corruption efforts in Uzbekistan

Funded by the European Union, the initiative will be implemented through two projects in close cooperation:

“Inclusive corruption prevention” will be implemented by an EU consortium led by GIZ in partnership with the Regional Dialogue and the Central Finance and Treaty Agency (CFLA) with a budget of €4.55 million, co-financed by the German government.

“Strengthening the national anti-corruption ecosystem in Uzbekistan” will be implemented by UNDP with a budget of €2.5 million.

The projects, designed for the period from 2024 to 2026, will cover all 14 regions of Uzbekistan.

Working with the main national partner, the Anti-Corruption Agency, as well as other key government agencies charged with preventing and combating corruption, representatives of civil society and the media, the projects aim to address “critical issues such as the weak institutionalization of anti-corruption efforts and the gap between national and regional levels of their implementation”.

The key areas of project activity are legal and institutional reforms, strengthening the fight against corruption by law enforcement agencies and promoting social responsibility through civic engagement.

These efforts are expected to produce tangible results, including strengthening national anti-corruption mechanisms, enhancing integrity, including at the regional and local levels, and increasing civic engagement and awareness.

In her speech, EU Ambassador to Uzbekistan Charlotte Adrian said: “This initiative is a confirmation of the EU's continued support for the implementation of an ambitious reform program in Uzbekistan. Supporting anti-corruption efforts will be critical to achieving sustainable and equitable development”.

Director of the Anti-Corruption Agency Akmal Burkhonov noted that the agency plans to carry out large-scale work, including introducing the “Integrity assessment” initiative, ensuring coverage of anti-corruption reforms in all regions, introducing digital technologies and artificial intelligence into the anti-corruption system, strengthening interaction with civil society institutions and increase their potential, as well as introduce a system for coordinating interaction with donors in the anti-corruption field.

UNDP Acting Resident Representative Anas Karman and GIZ Director Joachim Fritz confirmed that these organizations are ready to continue to support the government of Uzbekistan in its important journey to promote inclusive and people-centred governance transformations.