The study tour reflected Uzbekistan’s political will to fight against corruption by joining the UN Convention against Corruption in 2008 and the Istanbul Plan of Action against Corruption by the OECD in 2010. By demonstrating best judiciary and anti-corruption practices, the tour will support its participants’ in further improving Uzbekistan’s situation in the field of human rights.

The study tour participants included key representatives of the Uzbekistan’s Supreme Court, the General Attorney’s Office, the Ministry of Justice, the Research Center under the Supreme Court, and the Institute for Monitoring Current Legislation under the President of Uzbekistan.

During their stay in Singapore, the Uzbekistan delegation visited the Parliament of Singapore with assistance from the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Singapore, where they studied its legislative framework and oversight functions. The Supreme Court of Singapore, the Public Service Commission of Singapore, the Singapore e-Government Leadership Centre, and the Attorney General’s Office of Singapore also hosted visits by the delegation.

In Singapore the tour participants also visited the Corruption Practices Investigation Bureau, a special body established to fight corruption, and the Civil Service College, established to provide senior civil servants with special training programs for the prevention of corruption.

In Hong Kong, the delegation visited the Independent Commission Against Corruption, a special body to fight corruption which consists of three separate departments, and the High Court of Hong Kong.

Other important destinations included the Public Service Commission of Hong-Kong, the Bar Association of Hong Kong and the Department of Justice, the latter in charge of law-making and transparency within the field of corruption prevention.

The study tour to Hong Kong and Singapore gave its participants an opportunity to learn about the host cities’ key anti-corruption laws, and the processes through which they are reformed, while also learning about specialised government agencies that ensure the transparency and efficiency of public and civil services.

The participants also reviewed how cooperation has been built between law enforcement agencies and both citizens and relevant ministries and departments, and the ways that Information and Communications Technology has been used in e-governance. The tour was an opportunity to share knowledge and experience, and to build partnerships with foreign colleagues.

It is expected that the tour participants will share lessons learned with their colleagues in Uzbekistan.