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

Evaluation report available

[1 October 2009, Strasbourg] Following the closure of the AZPAC Project on 30 September 2009, the Project Evaluation Report is now available. The evaluation was carried out and the report was prepared by the independent evaluator Mr Tilman Hoppe.

Report

Study visit for members of the Financial Monitoring Service (Prague 14-15 and Podgorica 17-18 September 2009)

[8 September 2009, Strasbourg] Within the framework of the AZPAC project a study visit took place between 14 and 18 September 2009 with the participation of the members of the newly established Financial Monitoring Service of Azerbaijan and the Secretariat of the Council of Europe. The study visit, which aimed at exchanging views and experience in establishing the effective anti-money laundering mechanisms, was organised in cooperation with Czech Republic and Montenegrin Financial Intelligence Units. During the visit the emphasis was put on the procedures of monitoring and reporting the suspicious transaction, international cooperation and IT system set-up.

Agenda

Micro-systems studies completed

[25 May 2009, Strasbourg] The micro-systems studies conducted with the Ministry of Tax, Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education have been completed. The reports prepared by the Council of Europe experts have been sent to the Commission on Combating Corruption and the above-mentioned ministries for comments. Once the comments are submitted the Council of Europe experts will review them and complete the reports' final versions.

Conference on Improving the Transparency and Efficiency in the Legislative Process (11 February 2009, Baku)

[2 February 2009, Strasbourg] The conference was held in the Milli Majlis (Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan). The aim of the event was to discuss the legislative process in Azerbaijan and how it might be improved in order to facilitate the efficient passage of high-quality legislation and maximise its resistance to corruption. Mr Ziyafat Asgarov, firt Deputy Speaker of the Milli Majlis, Ms Margaret Killerby, Director of Cooperation of the Council of Europe, and Ms Anne Derse, United States Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan addressed at the opening of the conference.

Agenda
Media Advisory

Steering Committee Meeting (12 December 2008, Baku)

[12 December 2008, Strasbourg] The Steering Committee meeting bring together representatives from all counterpart institutions, the USAID and the Council of Europe. The purpose of the meeting was to assess the project's achievements during the last six months, to update the workplan in accordance with the project needs, define current priorities of the beneficiaries and to agree the timetable of activities to be held by the end of project implementation in September 2009

Agenda

Training on Performance Evaluation for the Civil Servants of Azerbaijan (15-16 September 2008, Baku)

[3 October 2008, Strasbourg] The Council of Europe organised a training on Performance Evaluation for the Civil Servants of Azerbaijan. 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.

Agenda

Awareness raising seminar against money laundering and financing of terrorism in Azerbaijan (22 July 2008, Baku)

[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  in the Hyatt Meeting and Conference Center. 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).

Agenda
Media Advisory

Regional Workshops on Anti-corruption Strategy and Action Plan (March-April 2008, Azerbaijan)

[13 March 2008, Strasbourg] 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)

[21 February 2008, Strasbourg] 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.

Agenda
Media Advisory

Workshop on Drafting and Assessment of Training Needs (31 January 2008, Baku)

[31 January 2008, Strasbourg] The workshop was held 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.

Agenda

Start-up conference (10 December 2007, Baku)

[10 December 2007, Strasbourg] The Start-up conference 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.

Agenda
Media Advisory English | Azerbaijani