OSCE Centre organizes workshop on anti-corruption instruments and practices in Turkmenistan
ASHGABAT, 9 November 2010 - An OSCE-supported national workshop that aims to raise awareness about international instruments and best practices in combating corruptionĀ began today in Ashgabat.
Representatives from the General Prosecutor's Office, the Parliament, several government ministries, the Tax Service and law-enforcement agencies are taking part in the two-day workshop, which focuses on the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.
The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized the workshop in co-operation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities andĀ Turkmenistan's Foreign Ministry.
The Turkmen language version of the Technical Guide to the UN Convention against Corruption, which was prepared by the UNODC in co-operation with the OSCE and translated into Turkmen with the Centre's support, will be presented during the workshop. Turkmenistan has been party to the Convention, the first legally binding international anti-corruption instrument, since 2005.
"This workshop is part of the OSCE Centre's work to support Turkmenistan's efforts to develop its legal framework on combating corruption. The Technical Guide is an effective tool for authorities as they strive to implement the Convention," said Ambassador Arsim Zekolli, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.
The Conference will provide in-depth information on the main provisions of the Convention and experiences of implementing anti-corruption programmes from Kazakhstan, Latvia, Russia and Uzbekistan. Representatives from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the OSCE will present their organizations' activities in the area of combating corruption.
"Corruption is a complex social, political and economic phenomenon that affects all countries. It undermines governments' ability to serve their people. It attacks the foundation of democratic institutions by distorting electoral processes, perverting the rule of law and creating bureaucratic quagmires," said Masood Karimipour, Regional Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for Central Asia.
"The Convention is the world's strongest legal instrument to build integrity and fight corruption. It creates the opportunity to develop a global language about corruption and a coherent implementation strategy."