On 26-27 June 2023, the joint EU/Council of Europe Central Asia Rule of Law Programme organised its Second Regional Steering Committee Meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan. The aim of the meeting was to take stock of what has been achieved , what can still be accomplished within the remaining implementation period of the Programme, extended until June 2024, and to explore what can be done jointly beyond this Programme.

Around 75 participants representing national partner institutions from Central Asia, the Council of Europe and the European Union Delegations of the region participated in the event. Among the participants were representatives of relevant ministries, Constitutional and Supreme courts, Ombudspersons, law enforcement agencies, anti-corruption authorities and national training institutions of legal professionals.

Opening remarks were given by Kestutis Jankauskas, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Kazakhstan, Claus Neukirch, Director of Programme Co-ordination of the Council of Europe, Tastemir Abishev, Secretary of the Human Rights Commission under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Ruslan Bekbolotov, Deputy Head of the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in France, Saifiddin Sorojzoda, Adviser to the Office of the Legal Assistant, Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Nozimbek Rustambekov, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

In 2022 alone, the Programme successfully organised over 56 bilateral and 7 regional activities, benefitting from the unique expertise and tools of the Council of Europe in the fields of human rights, the rule of law and democracy. It encompassed various endeavours such as legal and policy reviews, the development of customised training materials, capacity building activities targeting legal professionals and law enforcement officers in particular, thematic conferences, awareness raising seminars, and regional exchanges. The level of participation and the accomplished outcomes of these activities unequivocally validate the relevance the Programme for Central Asian Partners, as recalled by Claus Neukirch during the opening session.

Claus Neukirch also highlighted that “joint efforts with the European Union will be continued to ensuring synergies and co-ordination with other related interventions in the region”.

Kestutis Jankauskas announced the extension of the Programme until June 2024, stating that it “will allow us to build on the achievements to date and to respond to your expressed needs. In the long term, the Council of Europe and the European Union will continue working together for the benefit of the region to advance human rights, the rule of law and democratic governance in the region”.

Participants welcomed the many achievements since the launch of the Central Asia Rule of Law Programme in 2020 and shared very concrete proposals to:

• expand the work related to the progressive creation of a common legal space and actively promote the most relevant Council of Europe conventions for Central Asian countries;
• continue to support the effective implementation of human rights standards with a focus on legal professionals (judges, prosecutors, lawyers) through the unique training tool developed by the European Programme for Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP);
• pursue efforts to prevent and fight against corruption and money laundering/terrorist financing;
• advance on constitutional reforms and issues such as judicial independence in line with rule of law principles, through the support of the Venice Commission;
• promote peer-to-peer regional networking on questions of common interest.

The European Union and the Council of Europe re-affirmed their commitment to the principles of the rule of law, democracy, and human rights, and will bring this fruitful co-operation forward.

Note to editors

The Central Asia Rule of Law Programme (2020-2023) is a joint regional programme co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe. The Programme aims to reinforce human rights, the rule of law and democracy in Central Asian countries in accordance with European and other international standards by assisting the reform processes, based on a demand-driven approach.

The Programme covers the following areas: (1) Facilitating the creation of a common legal space between Europe and Central Asia and enhancing human rights protection; (2) Promoting transparency and action against economic crime; and (3) Promoting efficient functioning of state institutions and public administration.

The Council of Europe is the continent’s leading human rights organisation bringing together 46 member states. All Council of Europe member states have signed up to the European Convention on Human Rights, a treaty designed to protect human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.

Contacts

Amélie Lépinard, Co-ordination, Central Asia Rule of Law Programme

Adela Doltu, Communication, Central Asia Rule of Law Programme 

Nicola Franceschetti, Program Manager, Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Kazakhstan

For more information:

• Conclusions of the Second Regional Steering Committee Meeting 
• Second Regional Steering Committee Meeting webpage