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AZPAC: Support to the anti-corruption strategy of Azerbaijan


The AZPAC project started on 30 September 2007 and will last 24 months. The project is supported by the USAID and implemented by the Council of Europe. In recent years, the government of Azerbaijan undertook a number of important steps in the fight against corruption. The country ratified the Council of Europe’s Criminal and Civil Law Conventions against Corruption in 2004, and joined the Council’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) in June 2004.

Despite these steps, corruption remains a serious concern for the people of Azerbaijan The authorities of the Republic of Azerbaijan acknowledged that corruption is a priority issue requiring comprehensive and serious countermeasures this project will assist Azerbaijan’s anti-corruption efforts based on the following components:


  1. Support the improvement of the strategic anti-corruption framework in line with GRECO recommendations;

  2. Support the improvement of the draft laws/amendments to domestic legislation elaborated in cooperation with relevant partner institutions and benchmarking against international standards in the fight against corruption and efficient implementation of the relevant legislative framework;

  3. Support the establishment of a network and system to prevent the use of the financial system for money laundering and terrorism financing purposes and enable the authorities of Azerbaijan to cooperate nationally and internationally in fighting money laundering and terrorism financing in accordance with European and international standards;

  4. Enhance the capacities for the prevention of corruption through micro-system studies and through institutionalizing efficient management of ethics’ provisions and conflict of interest in the public service;


AZPAC Project is supported by the United States Agency for International Development


 


Activities


Training on Performance Evaluation for the Civil Servants of Azerbaijan

[3 October 2008, Strasbourg] The Council of Europe organised a training, within the framework of the AZPAC Project, on Performance Evaluation for the Civil Servants of Azerbaijan on  15-16 September 2008 in Baku. It aimed at assessing and reviewing the draft Civil Service Commission Regulations for Evaluating the Performance of Civil Servants (PES). Following this even an expert opinion on the above-mentioned draft Regulations was provided.

Link to Agenda (in English)


Awareness raising seminar against money laundering and financing of terrorism in Azerbaijan

[18 July, Strasbourg] With the support of the Government of Azerbaijan (the Commission on Combating Corruption) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. Department of Justice and the Council of Europe held a public awareness seminar against money laundering and financing of terrorism in Azerbaijan on Tuesday,  22 July 2008 in the Hyatt Meeting and Conference Center in Baku. The seminar was designed to increase citizens’ and government awareness of these issues and to promote the adoption of appropriate legislation by Milli Majlis (Parliament of Azerbaijan).

Link to Agenda in English
Link to Media Advisory in English


Regional Workshops on Anti-corruption Strategy and Action Plan

[13 March 2008, Strasbourg] Within the framework of the AZPAC Project, the Council of Europe organised four events on introducing the Anti-corruption Strategy and Action Plan, approved by Presidential decree in 2007, in four different regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan - Sheki 17 March 2008, Ganja 18 March 2008, Yevlah 10 April 2008, and Lakeron 14 May 2008. The activities’ aim is to increase public awareness in different regions of the country on reforms and commitments undertaken by the Government of Azerbaijan and its various Government agencies in combating corruption

Agenda in Sheki on 17 March 2008
Agenda in Ganja on 18 March 2008
 


Workshop on the new Anti-corruption Strategy and Action Plan

[21 February 2008, Baku, Azerbaijan] The first public awareness activity introducing the new Anti-corruption Strategy and Action Plan of the Government of Azerbaijan took place on 21 February 2008 at the Hotel Ambassador in Baku within the framework of the AZPAC Project (“Support to the Anticorruption Strategy of Azerbaijan”)

Link to Agenda (in English)
Link to Media Advisory


The Workshop on Drafting and Assessment of Training Needs

[31 January 2008, Baku, Azerbaijan] The workshop was held on 31 January 2008 in presence of 80 representatives of all relevant Government agencies dealing with human resources. It was opened by the Civil Service Commission chairman, Mr Bahram Khalilov, and was followed by the fruitful discussion and presentation of the Council of Europe expert on international standards and practice, public awareness and   mechanisms for monitoring enforcement of ethical conduct rules in government agencies. The comprehensive Action Plan on three trainings for the civil servants will be developed by the Council of Europe expert  covering period February – May 2008.

Link to Agenda


The AZPAC Project Start-up conference

[10 December 2007, Baku, Azerbaijan] The AZPAC Project Start-up conference took place on 10 December 2007 in hotel “Hyatt Regency” in Baku. It brought together high level representatives of the executive, judicial and legislative authorities of the Republic of Azerbaijan, representatives of the civil society and media, international organizations and Embassies in order to present the Project’s objectives, outputs and its workplan.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Head of Administration of Republic of Azerbaijan and Head of the Commission on Combating Corruption, Mr Ramiz Mehdiyev and Director of the Technical Cooperation Department of the CoE, Mr Giovanni Palmieri in presence of USAID Country Coordinator Mr Scott Taylor on the commitment for the implementation of the AZPAC Project


Link to Agenda
Link to Media Advisory English | Azerbaijani


 

PROJECT DOCUMENTATION
Project Summaries:
  English | Azerbaijani
Project Document
Work plan of Activities
Calendar of Activities
Memorandum of Understanding
 
PROJECT DELIVERIES
& OTHER DOCUMENTS
Inception report
Progress reports
Final report
CoE Experts' Presentations and Technical Papers
Press Releases
 
USEFUL LINKS
Commission on Combating Corruption
Cabinet of Ministers
GRECO Evaluation Report on Azerbaijan
OECD ACN Reports
 
CONTACT

AZPAC Project
Corruption & Fraud Unit