This high-level meeting convened ministers, heads of anti-corruption and law-enforcement agencies and other top anti-corruption decision-makers from the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region. Members of the OECD Working Group on Bribery, representatives of international organisations, civil society and business organisations also participated. The meeting provided a unique opportunity to discuss achievements and challenges in the fight against corruption in the region, identified strategic directions for future work and confirmed countries’ commitment to cleansing Eastern Europe and Central Asia of corruption. Anti-corruption decision-makers from the region were able to reaffirm a shared commitment against corruption by endorsing the 2023-2026 work programme of the OECD's Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia and pledged to ensure its implementation. |
High-level meeting of anti-corruption decision-makers in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
- Date
- 16 November 2022
About
Agenda
In response to the existing corruption challenges, countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia have continued their efforts to prevent and fight corruption. They have developed anti-corruption policies, reformed legislation and institutions, taken measures to prevent corruption in the public and private sectors, and prosecuted perpetrators of corruption. However, stronger enforcement of anti-corruption policies and laws is needed to achieve sustainability of these reforms and greater impact in the region.
The pandemic brought a new wave of challenges to the world and the ACN region, followed by Russia’s large-scale aggression and the war in Ukraine. The international community reacted with concrete actions that affected the anti-corruption landscape; this included the decision of the EU Commission to grant candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova and new conditions for Georgia to obtain such status.
Moderator:
Mr Carmine Di Noia, Director, Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs, OECD
- Ms Kerri-Ann Jones, Deputy Secretary-General, OECD
- Mr David Cullen, Deputy Director, Neighbourhood East and Institution Building, EU Commission
Moderator:
Ms Mathilde Mesnard, Deputy Director, Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs, OECD
Governments invest significant resources in anti-corruption reforms in the region and across the globe. International community and stakeholders are mobilised to provide support, guidance and needed pressure. Yet, corruption remains a persisting challenge. What are key indicators of success, what gets in the way, and how can we overcome these challenges to ensure better anti-corruption policies for better lives? The panel will share experience in implementing evidence-based anticorruption policies and measuring the success of anti-corruption reforms.
- Mr Silviu Ioan Popa, Secretary General, National Integrity Agency, Romania
- Ms Haykuhi Harutyunyan, Chairperson, Corruption Prevention Commission, Armenia
- Mr Oleksandr Novikov, Head, National Agency for Corruption Prevention, Ukraine
- Ms Eka Gigauri, Executive Director, Transparency International Georgia
- Mr Akmal Burkhanov, Director, Anti-Corruption Agency, Uzbekistan
Moderator:
Mr Nicola Bonucci, Partner, Global Trade and Investigations & White Collar Defense, Paul Hastings
Building and supporting integrity of business environment in the region emerged as a new challenge and remains an area in which various solutions are just being tested. The session will reflect on what works in practice for countering corruption risks and promoting integrity, including in such corruption-prone risk areas as operations of the state-owned enterprises and procurement. The panel will discuss new and emerging international standards, effectiveness of measures in this area, the roles of various stakeholders and ways to reinforce each other moving forward. The speakers will also share experiences of engaging with businesses to identify and address the most pressing challenges and needs for improving the business climate in the region.
- Ms Annemarie Straathof, Vice President Risk and Compliance, EBRD (online)
- Mr Egidijus Radzevicius, Deputy Director, Special Investigation Service, Lithuania
- Mr Roman Waschuk, Business Ombudsman, Ukraine (online)
- Ms Laura Stefan, Chairperson, Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative
- Ms Antonina Prudko, Head of Secretariat, the Ukrainian Network of Integrity and Compliance (UNIC), Ukraine
Moderator:
Mr Drago Kos, Chair of the Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions, OECD
High-level corruption remains a key challenge in the region, requiring concerted and firm law enforcement response. Law-enforcement officials and heads of anticorruption institutions from the ACN and OECD countries will exchange views about the ways to strengthen law-enforcement and boost enforcement of high-level and complex corruption. The session will also look into overcoming obstacles to international cooperation in investigating and prosecuting corruption offences and asset recovery.
- Ms Veronica Dragalin, Head, Anti-Corruption Prosecution Office, Moldova
- Mr Bakhriddin Valiev, First Deputy Prosecutor General, Uzbekistan
- Mr Adyl uulu Kuban, Deputy Prosecutor General, Kyrgyzstan
- Mr Nazim Rajabov, Deputy Prosecutor General – Director of the Anti-Corruption Directorate, Azerbaijan
- Ms Mary Butler, Chief, International Unit, Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Criminal Division, Department of Justice, United States
- Ms Olena Shcherban, Deputy Executive Director, Anti-Corruption Action Center, Ukraine
Moderator:
Mr Nicolas Pinaud, Deputy Director, Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs, OECD
Participants of the high-level meeting will be invited to endorse the strategic directions of the ACN Work Programme 2023-2026 and to reaffirm their commitment to supporting its implementation.
- Mr Iulian Rusu, Director, National Anticorruption Centre, Moldova
- Mr Mihai Pașca, State Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Romania Mr Arman Khassenov, Chief of Staff, Anti-Corruption Agency, Kazakhstan
- Mr Sulaimon Sultonzoda, Head of the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption, Tajikistan
- Ms Anna Aļošina, Acting Deputy Director, Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau, Latvia
- Ms Bojana Scepanovic, Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice, Serbia