BISHKEK (TCA) — A three-day anti-corruption needs assessment mission by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities concluded in Bishkek on June 29.
The OSCE experts met with representatives of Kyrgyzstan’s government institutions responsible for developing, implementing, enforcing and monitoring the implementation of anti-corruption policies and action plans as well as with business community and civil society representatives. They discussed the country’s legal, regulatory and institutional anti-corruption framework, with the aim to identify recommendations for improvement and potential follow-up activities, the OSCE said.
The experts also visited the Kyrgyzstan Government’s Regulatory Reform Unit, an OSCE-supported initiative, which produces recommendations for simplifying and streamlining the legal and regulatory framework governing private sector activity.
“Given the strong inter-linkages with security and economic development, the OSCE pays special attention to supporting countries in their fight against corruption,” said Ermelinda Meksi, Deputy Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities. “We are committed to providing assistance with the strengthening of co-operation among Central Asian government institutions, the private sector and civil society organizations to fostering a participatory approach towards implementing national corruption prevention policies.”
Roel Janssens, OSCE Economic Adviser and project manager, said that the aim of the project is to help build confidence and co-operation among all actors involved in addressing corruption challenges, thereby promoting a ‘whole-of-society’ approach. “The findings of this kick-off mission and the agreed-upon priorities for joint action will serve as the basis for a tailor-made capacity-building programme to be delivered in the course of the next 18 months,” he said.
The mission concluded with a multi-stakeholder OSCE-led roundtable discussion focusing on remaining gaps and weaknesses and ways to create a common understanding among the public and private sectors and civil society on the way ahead in collectively tackling them.
The needs assessment mission, hosted at the premises of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, is part of the regional extra-budgetary project entitled “Fostering a Participatory Approach towards Corruption Prevention in Central Asia”, funded by Belgium, Luxemburg, Norway, Serbia and Liechtenstein.
