Empowering Youth as Future Decision Makers: Uzbek and Kyrgyz Students Unite in Model Conference on Anti-Corruption

Empowering Youth as Future Decision Makers: Uzbek and Kyrgyz Students Unite in Model Conference on Anti-Corruption

Tashkent, 2 December 2025 - The Law Enforcement Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan
(LEA) hosted the Model Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), bringing together students, experts, practitioners, and representatives of
international organisations for a full-day simulation focused on strengthening cross-border anti-
corruption cooperation. The event was organised in partnership with the Anti-Corruption Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the European Union (EU), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH with additional support from Regional Dialogue, which provided trainers, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which contributed conference materials and supplies.

The conference centered on the implementation mechanism of the UN Convention against
Corruption, with a particular focus on Article 55 - International cooperation for purposes of
confiscation. Participating students examined comparative legal frameworks, presented country-
specific analyses, and advanced proposals aimed at improving national legislation and operational practices in line with UNCAC standards. This year's conference also marked a significant milestone: the Kyrgyz Republic participated for the first time. Their involvement reflects the increasing regional commitment to joint learning, dialogue, and promotion of integrity-based governance across Central Asia. Since five years from its launch, the Model Conference hosted by LEA continues to serve as a unique platform for cultivating regional expertise, fostering youth leadership, and advancing collaborative efforts to prevent and combat corruption. Opening remarks were delivered by senior representatives of the Law Enforcement Academy, the Anti- Corruption Agency of Uzbekistan, the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and GIZ's Good Governance Program.

Izzat Ochilov, Senior Prosecutor at the Department of the Prosecutor General's Office, stressed the need for strong legal frameworks, interagency coordination, and the professional development of young specialists to ensure the effective enforcement of anti-corruption measures at the national level. We are here to address key challenges, find appropriate solutions for the Convention, and discuss how these solutions can be implemented in Uzbekistan.

Our goal is to solve problems collaboratively and determine how all parties and all countries can apply the best approaches. We are having very engaging debates, and we are also pleased to welcome the delegation of the Kyrgyz Republic to this MUN conference. At the moment, we are establishing friendly relations with the Kyrgyz team as well -Nilufar Abduqaxxorova, student of the Law Enforcement Academy of Uzbekistan. Our team is here representing the delegation of the Kyrgyz Republic as North Macedonia. The discussions on corruption have been very productive and insightful. I hope that in the coming years more countries from Central Asia will join us, and I want to express my gratitude for this wonderful and inspiring day. Erkaiym Ashubayeva, participant representing Kyrgyzstan.

Expert evaluators from the General Prosecutor's Office, GIZ and UNODC provided professional feedback and commended participants for their analytical depth and innovative solutions. The event highlighted the growing capacity and enthusiasm of young specialists to contribute to transparent and accountable governance.The Model Conference was organised within the framework of the project "Improving Governance in Uzbekistan - Inclusive Corruption Prevention," co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The project is implemented by an EU Consortium led by GIZ in cooperation with the Central Finance and Contracting Agency of Latvia and Regional Dialogue. In addition, the event was supported by UNODC and the EU-funded project ''Improving Governance in Uzbekistan: Strengthening the National Anti-Corruption Ecosystem'', which is implemented by UNDP.

For additional information and materials about the Improving Governance in Uzbekistan - Inclusive CorruptionPrevention project, please contact the Project Manager of Good Governance Programme Dr. Viktor Kessler: E-mail:[email protected]