On June 11, 2024, national partners, beneficiary institutions, and civil society representatives from Central Asia gathered in Astana, Kazakhstan, to reflect on the outcomes of the Action on Promoting Transparency and Action Against Economic Crime (CA TAEC). The meeting celebrated key achievements, shared lessons learned, and charted pathways to further strengthen the rule of law, transparency, and international cooperation in the region.

The CA TAEC initiative, implemented from January 2020 to June 2024, played a pivotal role in driving progress in anti-corruption measures, anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) frameworks, and transparency across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The project provided a combination of technical assistance, capacity-building, and expert guidance tailored to the unique needs of each country, facilitating systemic improvements and compliance with international standards.

In Kazakhstan, the project supported the establishment of a Beneficial Ownership (BO) Register in 2023, enabling greater transparency in ownership structures and aligning with global AML/CFT standards. It also facilitated the adoption of a risk-based approach and capacity-building initiatives for reporting entities, resulting in more effective reporting mechanisms. Additionally, the enactment of a new Asset Recovery Law in 2023, supported by the Action, created institutions and systems to return illegally obtained assets to the state.

Kyrgyzstan benefited from project-backed national and sectoral risk assessments, including for virtual assets and virtual assets service providers, which enhanced its compliance with international standards. The project contributed to Tajikistan's progress by supporting authorities with updating the legal framework, particularly in areas such as customer due diligence, suspicious activity reporting, as well as by strengthening institutional capabilities for strategic and operational analysis. 

In Turkmenistan, the Action guided the creation of an interdepartmental coordinating commission, enabling more effective AML/CFT/CPF coordination and international cooperation. Uzbekistan’s anti-corruption efforts were strengthened with the establishment of the Anti-Corruption in 2020, which received extensive support through technical papers and recommendations to refine the country’s anti-corruption framework.

The Action produced 43 technical papers tailored to the specific needs of each jurisdiction, including legal analyses, risk assessments, training curricula, and guidance materials. These resources provided actionable recommendations and tools for sustainable reforms. The project trained over 2 800 participants, including approximately 1 900 men (67.9%) and 900 women (32.1%), enhancing their skills and knowledge of international standards and good practices. Furthermore, 65 Council of Europe experts from 26 jurisdictions, were mobilised to offer specialised expertise, ensuring high-quality support across the board.

By addressing legislative gaps, building institutional capacities, and fostering collaboration between public and private stakeholders, the CA TAEC initiative served as a catalyst for meaningful reform. Its comprehensive support helped Central Asian countries achieve measurable progress in combating corruption, money laundering, and the financing of terrorism, creating a stronger foundation for transparency, accountability, and sustainable development in the region.

More details on the Third Regional Steering Committee Meeting and the Closing Regional Conference can be found at the following link: Closing Regional Conference - Central Asia Rule of Law Programme.