From 8 to 12 July, 2025, Riga and Liepāja hosted the Summer School on Compliance and Anti-Corruption Policy, bringing together compliance practitioners of key government institutions from Uzbekistan and Latvia, along with international experts in transparency, ethics, and internal control.
Following peer exchange at the State Audit Office of Latvia, over 20 senior officials and specialists from key ministries and agencies of Uzbekistan deepened their knowledge of ethics management, conflict of interest prevention, leadership integrity, public real estate governance, and compliance training methods. During a field visit to Liepāja, they explored integrity aspects of the operation of the Liepāja Special Economic Zone, customs services, and the Dienvidkurzeme municipality. The program concluded with high-level discussions at Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) on internal control and anti-corruption enforcement, followed by an official visit to the Jūrmala Municipality.
“This program has created a valuable platform for learning, dialogue, and cooperation,” said Akmal Burkhanov, Director of the Anti-Corruption Agency of Uzbekistan and head of the delegation. “We are impressed by Latvia’s commitment to integrity, transparency, and public sector accountability. This exchange of best practices helps us strengthen our own systems and build more robust compliance mechanisms in Uzbekistan.”
Krista Asmusa, Executive Director of Transparency International Latvia, also highlighted the importance of the event:
“Uzbekistan is emerging as a strong partner in Asia and a leading country in anti-corruption efforts. We look forward to future cooperation through training exchanges and mutual learning.”
The summer school laid the foundation for future EU-Uzbekistan collaboration in the fight against corruption and the promotion of good governance. A Memorandum of Understanding between the Anti-Corruption Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Special Investigation Service of the Republic of Lithuania was signed in Vilnius on July 11, 2025. The agreement envisions cooperation in the prevention and combating of corruption, including experience-sharing, policy coordination, joint training programs, and the application of advanced European practices in Uzbekistan.
The summer school was organized by Transparency International Latvia/DELNA in the framework of the “Improving Governance in Uzbekistan – Inclusive Corruption Prevention” project, co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by an EU Consortium including the Central Finance and Contracting Agency of Latvia and Regional Dialogue, under the leadership of GIZ.
