The Anti-Corruption Forum held in Astana

The Anti-Corruption Policy of Kazakhstan: experience and prospects international forum was held in Astana today. The event is timed to coincide with the International Anti-Corruption Day and the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention against Corruption.

Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Agency Askhat Zhumagali spoke about new approaches and results of work on anti-corruption issues. 

“The UN Convention against Corruption has become for many countries a kind of beacon, a single guideline in the common cause of preventing corruption. Kazakhstan ratified the Convention in 2008,” the head of Anti-Corruption Agency noted.

Over the years, Kazakhstan has done a lot of work to bring national legislation in line with international standards. 

Along with the legislative changes, such important anti-corruption institutions as the openness of government agencies, transparency of public procurement, digitalization of public services and meritocracy in the civil service were introduced.

Corruption prevention plays a key role in activities of the Anti-Corruption Service. The Corruption Risk Map is used as the main preventive tool.

It includes key tools – anti-corruption monitoring and analysis of corruption risks.

Nowadays the anti-corruption policy is being implemented in three key areas - a fundamental change in public consciousness, the systematic prevention of the prerequisites for corruption, and ensuring the inevitability of responsibility for corruption. According to this principle, the Concept of Anti-Corruption Policy until 2026 was developed and approved by the President.

“Corruption can be compared to dangerous diseases plaguing humanity, or with a mutating virus. But thanks to the constant improvement of medical knowledge, the creation of vaccines that form immunity, we have defeated diseases such as plague and smallpox. As a result of comprehensive measures, the incidence and mortality from tuberculosis have significantly decreased. Improving the quality of people’s lives, proper, healthy nutrition, giving up bad habits, that is, prevention affected the improvement of situation. So it is with corruption. An offensive and systematic approach is important,” Askhat Zhumagali highlighted.

He also outlined that early prevention, introduction of principles of integrity, development of cultural values and legal awareness are necessary. This will act as a vaccine against corruption, which will gradually, but guaranteed in future, lead to ridding society of this “disease”.

At the end of the event, the head of the Agency defined the vector of development of department’s activities and noted the key areas of work. The primary task of the Anti-Corruption Service is to improve the welfare and well-being of people of Kazakhstan. “If you give up the slack, corruption will start to grow again. Therefore, preventing it must be continuous, uncompromising and sometimes tough,” the head of the Anti-Corruption Agency summed up.

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