Supporting the anti-corruption compliance in the private sector in Kazakhstan

Promoting transparency and action against economic crime

Over the recent years the countries of Central Asia have pursued reforms designed to prevent and punish corrupt practices in order to improve business climate in the region and promote sustainable economic development for the benefit of all. The present Action aims to contribute to improving the conditions for businesses and to enhancing the quality of anti-corruption systems across the region. The Action comprises two components: 1) Business integrity and compliance; 2) Anti-corruption, anti-money laundering and asset recovery systems.

Business integrity and compliance

Enhancing transparency, business integrity and the protection of rights of entrepreneurs is one of the priorities of the countries of the Central Asian region. The current Action focuses on establishing mechanisms and enhancing capacities to address extortion and solicitation from businesses, reducing administrative barriers and enhancing compliance across the business sector. On the regional level, the aim of the intervention is to establish effective mechanisms for sharing good practices and to contribute to developing a clearer understanding of the common regional and cross-border corruption risks facing the business sector. On the national level, the Action focuses on the specific priorities of the respective countries in the abovementioned thematic areas and seeks to provide tailor-made assistance to reforms.

Anti-corruption, anti-money laundering and asset recovery systems

Work in this area concentrates on improving mechanisms and capacities of authorities, including law enforcement, to prevent and tackle corruption, money laundering and economic crime as well as on strengthening national systems to combat money laundering and terrorism financing. The regional dimension of the component includes conducting studies on corruption and economic crime focusing on specific regional risks and threats, and regional cascade training programmes for law enforcement personnel and civil service staff. The national dimension focuses on the specific needs and demand, depending on the national contexts and reform processes.

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Back Supporting the anti-corruption compliance in the private sector in Kazakhstan

The Action on “Promoting Transparency and Action against Economic Crime” in Central Asia (CA TAEC), organised a four-day training of trainers in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Kazakhstan (ATAMEKEN) in Astana, on 5-8 December 2023. The training aimed at improving the understanding of the trainers of corporate anti-corruption compliance as a function, a process, and a multi-stakeholder endeavour.

A total of 25 representatives of the private sector, including business associations, joint-stock companies, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) participated in the training. The activity was also attended by the General Prosecutors Office, the Anticorruption Agency, the Astana International Finance Centre, and the Financial Monitoring Agency (Kazakh FIU).

Available tools for the prevention of corporate corruption and fostering good corporate governance were presented. The discussions focussed on key integrity concepts such as ethics and codes of conduct, policies and measures for whistle-blower protection, the management of conflicts of interest, or the disclosure of beneficial owners. Good procurement practices and stakeholder cooperation with civil society and the public sector were also part of the exchanges between the Council of Europe’s experts and the participants. Additionally, the attendees received coaching on how to educate others in anti-corruption compliance and used these techniques and tools for the transfer of knowledge.

Following the training, participants will be able to introduce and/or disseminate the anticorruption compliance knowledge in their own companies and among their colleagues, hence ensuring the sustainability of the project’s activities. This training builds on the key findings of the regional workshop on Enhancing business integrity and compliance of the private sector in Central Asia in July 2023 in Strasbourg.

The activity was organised by the Action on “Promoting Transparency and Action against Economic Crime” in the framework of the Central Asia Rule of Law Programme 2020-2024, a joint initiative co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe. The Action is aimed at strengthening capacities to fight and prevent economic crime in five Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan).

Astana (Kazakhstan) 5-8 December 2023