VI Tashkent Anti-Corruption Forum: Uzbekistan, with its Key Partners, Advances Dialogue on Transparent and Accountable Governance

VI Tashkent Anti-Corruption Forum: Uzbekistan, with its Key Partners, Advances Dialogue on Transparent and Accountable Governance

12-13 May 2026 - The VI Tashkent Anti-Corruption Forum convened today, bringing together 220 national and international stakeholders to advance joint discussions and actions supporting corruption-free governance. The Forum is organized by the Anti-Corruption Agency and the National Anti-Corruption Council of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the European Union (EU), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

As the only regular anti-corruption forum of its kind in Central Asia, the Tashkent Anti-Corruption Forum has become a leading platform connecting representatives from Central Asia, the Gulf region, Asia, and Europe to exchange experience and advance anti-corruption reforms. The Forum's agenda featured a high-level plenary session, followed by three thematic discussions on institutional transparency and accountability, regional and local corruption-prevention mechanisms, and anti-corruption education and public engagement. The event brought together leading international and national experts, representatives of ADB, OECD, OSCE, and UNODC, and prominent anti-corruption institutions from and participating countries to exchange practical experience, innovative tools, and approaches to strengthening anti-corruption reforms and international cooperation.

The morning discussions focused on rebuilding public trust through radical transparency. Keynote speakers, including Hannes Astok (e-Governance Academy, Estonia) and Egidijus Radzevičius (Special Investigation Service, Lithuania), shared insights on how digital integration serves as the ultimate tool for accountability. Experts from Azerbaijan and Japan further explored how institutional openness can effectively eliminate the "human factor" in corruption-prone processes.

The forum emphasized that prevention begins with culture. Representatives from world- leading agencies, including Hong Kong's ICAC and Singapore's CPIB, and the anti-corruption authorities of Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, presented models for community engagement and anti-corruption education. The session underscored the vital role of social partnership and public awareness in creating a society that is inherently resilient to illicit practices.

The final sessions addressed the practical application of these high-level strategies at the regional level. Led by the OECD and UNODC, participants discussed the development of effective prevention mechanisms tailored for local governance.

In addition to the main Forum programme, a series of side events and regional seminars are held on 13-14 May, bringing together practitioners, law enforcement representatives, compliance experts, NGOs, and development partners. These include the 8th Meeting of the Asia and the Pacific Law Enforcement Network (APLEN), a practical training on integrating gender approaches into anti-corruption activities, and regional seminars on integrity, whistleblower protection systems, business ethics, and integrity risk management.

The Forum discussions resulted in concrete proposals to strengthen anti-corruption policy, improve the effectiveness of ongoing reforms, and expand international cooperation. By fostering dialogue and aligning global expertise with national reform priorities, the Forum reinforces Uzbekistan's commitment to building a transparent, accountable, and resilient governance system.

Anti-corruption reforms in Uzbekistan are strongly supported through the projects "Improving Governance in Uzbekistan - Inclusive Corruption Prevention" (implemented by GIZ in cooperation with the Latvian Central Finance and Contracting Agency (CFCA) and the Slovenian NGO Regional Dialogue, co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)) and "Improving Governance in Uzbekistan: Strengthening the National Anti-Corruption Ecosystem" (implemented by UNDP and funded by the European Union).

For additional information and media inquiries:

• Saida Turabekova, GIZ Uzbekistan, at [email protected]
• Fotima Turgunboeva, UNDP Uzbekistan, at [email protected]
• Anti-Corruption Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan, at [email protected]