Azernews.Az

By Amina Nazarli

The third meeting of heads of anti-corruption organizations and ombudsmen of ECO Member States kicked off in Baku on June 6.

The event brought together representatives of prosecutor offices from Turkey, Iran, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, as well as members of the international organizations.

Azerbaijan`s Prosecutor General, Zakir Garalov, addressing the event, said fight against corruption is a priority for the country, and stressed the importance of holding this ECO event in Baku.

“Azerbaijan has an effective mechanism to combat corruption,” said prosecutor general.

Calling the ECO a “bridge” connecting various cultures, Garalov emphasized Azerbaijan's active participation in organization’s events.

“As a result of the Armenian occupation, over a million of Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced,” he said.

Garalov said the strengthening of anti-corruption measures is in the limelight.

He added that Azerbaijan has joined all conventions of international and regional levels, improved legislation in this area, and established a working mechanism.

“Three national action plans have been realized in this area. The Commission on Combating Corruption and the Anti-Corruption Department under Prosecutor General are working in this area successfully. The role of ASAN Service in combating corruption, is highly important, which completely rules out corruption. ASAN Service is also offered to other countries on an international level. We have an effective mechanism to combat corruption,” the prosecutor general said.

There are all the necessary conditions to achieve such higher goals as strengthening the economic ties and supporting the integration process of member countries of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), said Garalov.

He noted that there is huge need for political stability, moral solidarity and partnership of Muslim states.

“All this makes it necessary to develop the economies of these countries,” he added.

Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Commissioner Elmira Suleymanova also noted that Azerbaijan demonstrates strong political will in the fight against corruption.

She stressed that due to the reforms carried out in Azerbaijan in accordance with the law "On Fighting Corruption" a commission was created, and then the Department on the fight against corruption under the Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan was established.

Deputy Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organization Alavi Sabzevari thanked the Government of Azerbaijan for high-level hosting of the event and brought to the attention that Azerbaijan is one of the most active members of the ECO.

Speaking about the history and the way of development of the ECO, Sabzivari noted that the territory of the member countries of the organization covers over 8 million square kilometers. ECO, whose activities serve as an impetus for the development of a global society, has set itself a number of important goals for the next 25 years.

The Organization makes every effort to expand mutual cooperation with the aim of strengthening economic ties between the member countries of the organization. Anti-corruption measures play an important role in this process. Therefore, anti-corruption activity is one of the important directions in the activity of the ECO. Among the member states there is a rapid development in this area. Azerbaijan is particularly different in this respect. The country demonstrates a united and determined intention to fight corruption.

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