This November 29, Tashkent hosted the 2nd Business Forum ‘Integrity in Business Community of Uzbekistan’, timed to the International Anti-Corruption Day - December 9. The event was organized by the Anti-Corruption Agency, the Business Ombudsman and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as the UN Regional Representative Office on Drugs and Crime, the UN Development Program, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Representatives of the business community, ministries and departments, the media, the general public and international organizations, as well as foreign experts discussed the opportunities and conditions created for entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan, and exchanged views on solving existing problems in the field.

During the first Forum last year, the Anti-Corruption Agency, the Business Ombudsman and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry adopted the Business Anti-Corruption Charter of Uzbekistan.

This document covers a set of measures aimed at preventing corruption risks in managing the financial activities of economic entities, contractual relations, recruiting and training personnel, strengthening internal discipline, and public procurement.

In the past short period, 267 entrepreneurs have joined the Charter and assumed the responsibility of doing business without corruption.

This November 10, the Anti-Corruption Agency organized another dialogue between the Agency’s leadership and representatives of the business community on the topic ‘Business Against Corruption’. During the event, a survey was conducted on the problems faced by business entities and business representatives, including illegal interference and corruption risks. 

59.4 percent of entrepreneurs who participated in the survey expressed the opinion that the level of corruption has decreased over the past year.

43.5 percent of entrepreneurs reported that such negative situations were not observed at all in their activities. 22.5 percent of business entities answered that they had encountered corruption situations, and 34 percent of entrepreneurs noted that such problems sometimes arise.

Given these important aspects, this year the Business Forum worked on the basis of two sessions on the topics ‘Regulation of the legal framework for the sphere free from corruption risks’, ‘From debate about corruption risks to practical actions in the field of combating corruption’.

The two sessions discussed a range issues, including a free development of entrepreneurship, the elimination of corruption factors in improving legislation in the field, the possibility of effectively attracting the expert potential of the business community in the process of conducting anti-corruption expertise of legal documents, and increasing the investment attractiveness of the country.

In addition, the experts made presentations on the observance of integrity standards in the business sector, uncompromising fight against corruption, the creation of a joint Transparent Silk Road Initiative, the connection of corruption risks in business activities with gaps in legislation, international practice and foreign achievements.

Practical proposals were developed to further improve the system of combating corruption in the private sector based on the opinions and recommendations expressed on the above issues.

As part of the Business Forum, a ceremony was held of awarding membership certificates for the business entities who joined the Business Anti-Corruption Charter of Uzbekistan.

Press Office

The Anti-Corruption Agency