Astana, Kazakhstan, 25 November 2024 – Imagine you couldn’t enroll your child in a quality school because spots were reserved for families willing to pay a bribe. Perhaps you missed out on a well-deserved promotion because a relative of your supervisor, with fewer qualifications, received the opportunity instead.
Or maybe air quality in your hometown suffers because factories release harmful chemicals, bypassing regulations by paying off an official.
Corruption takes many forms. It’s multifaceted and context driven. Addressing it requires more than isolated efforts – it requires regional and international cooperation.
Recognizing these challenges, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has deepened its engagement on the ground. UNODC regional anti-corruption platforms bring countries from the same region together to identify shared corruption-related challenges and adopt a roadmap of commitments and actionable steps. The platforms are unique – they allow authorities to directly engage at a regional level and get support, when needed.
Learn more about what the Central Asia platform – uniting Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – has achieved and where it’s headed, since its establishment in 2023.
“Central Asian countries are closely linked by a common history and culture, as well as by similar economic systems and challenges that need to be addressed. Our successes, therefore, depend largely on our cooperation and exchange of experience,” said Mr. Azamat Duyssembekov, Deputy Head of the Law Enforcement System Division, Executive Office of the President of Kazakhstan.
When the platform was first established, the participating countries agreed on the following key priorities: preventive measures against corruption; tackling corruption in the private sector; asset recovery and international cooperation; and criminalization of corruption and investigation of corruption offences.
Fast forward to 2024, multiple reforms and policies have already been implemented: “We have adopted a new anti-corruption strategy for 2025-2030 and consider that our membership in the platform will help in the implementation of these reforms, applying the international standards and norms of the UN Convention against Corruption,” Mr. Nurbek Kaimov, Deputy Prosecutor General of Kyrgyzstan.
The cornerstone of effective anti-corruption response is strengthened capacities to address this threat. In 2024, UNODC provided targeted training to support the countries of the platform in developing national anti-corruption strategies and legislation, investigating corruption cases, addressing new and emerging technologies – such as virtual assets –, managing conflicts of interest, and more.
Both formal and informal cooperation among anti-corruption authorities is key to this endeavour, especially when it comes to transnational corruption cases. UNODC provides opportunities for the exchange of best practices and experiences between Central Asian countries – crucial when crimes transcend borders.
In October 2024, over 150 anti-corruption practitioners gathered in Astana, Kazakhstan to reflect on progress made and identify priorities for the future. Staying informed about the latest advancements in anti-corruption remains essential to maintaining the relevance and effectiveness of national and regional initiatives. Regular reassessment of regional priorities is equally important to evaluate whether existing goals have been achieved, remain relevant or need adjustment. Additionally, emerging areas, such as strengthening engagement with civil society and promoting the exchange of good practices, including model legislation, must be integrated into ongoing strategies.
Key efforts outlined for 2025 include the development of methodological resources for practitioners, enhanced research capabilities and the adoption of IT solutions to modernize anti-corruption initiatives.
Building the capacity of national experts involved in the Implementation Review Mechanism under the UN Convention against Corruption is another critical component. This effort is supported by the establishment of a regional pool of experts under the framework of the regional platform. These experts will facilitate training programmes and webinars aimed at broadening engagement opportunities for anti-corruption practitioners.
These ongoing efforts underscore a steadfast commitment in Central Asia to ensuring that anti-corruption measures remain impactful, dynamic and responsive to evolving challenges.
