The Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan, together with the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Anti-Corruption Agency, and GIZ, convened a two-day workshop on 23–24 June 2026 in Tashkent to address corruption risks and conflicts of interest in healthcare procurement. The event brought together government officials, anti-corruption practitioners, healthcare professionals, international experts, and development partners to discuss practical solutions for strengthening integrity, transparency, and accountability in the health sector.
In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Health Mr Jaloliddin Asamutdinov reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s commitment to strengthening integrity within the healthcare system and highlighted ongoing reforms aimed at improving transparency and efficiency. These include the introduction of a new Law on Public Procurement, the expansion of digital procurement systems, enhanced monitoring tools, and measures to improve oversight of high-value contracts. In 2024, Uzbekistan also adopted a dedicated Law on Conflict of Interest, establishing procedures for identifying, disclosing, and managing conflicts of interest across the public sector.
The workshop provided an opportunity to assess the implementation of these reforms in the healthcare sector and identify additional measures that could further strengthen safeguards against corruption. Participants examined corruption and conflicts of interest risks across the procurement cycle and explored global best practices to address them, including how internationally proven methods can be adapted to Uzbekistan’s institutional and regulatory context. International experts from the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and leading academic institutions contributed to the event.
The workshop concluded with a shared commitment among participants to continue strengthening integrity and accountability in healthcare procurement. Key recommendations highlighted the importance of effective enforcement of procurement and conflict-of-interest legislation, enhanced institutional oversight, continued digitalization, further capacity-building for public officials, and sustained cooperation among government institutions, international partners, and civil society.
The event was organized with the support of U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre and the project “Improving Governance in Uzbekistan – Inclusive Corruption Prevention”, implemented by GIZ and co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.