On 23–24 June 2026, the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan, together with the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan, the Anti-Corruption Agency, and GIZ, held a two-day workshop in Tashkent addressing 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.
The workshop focused on vulnerabilities in public procurement processes, which can lead to financial losses, inefficient use of public resources, reduced service quality, and threats to patient safety. Deputy Minister of Health Jaloliddin Asamutdinov reaffirmed Uzbekistan's commitment to strengthening integrity within the healthcare system and highlighted ongoing reforms, including a new Law on Public Procurement, expanded 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.
Participants examined corruption and conflicts of interest risks across the procurement cycle and explored global best practices, with contributions from international experts from U4, UNODC, OHCHR, and leading academic institutions. The workshop concluded with a shared commitment to continue strengthening integrity and accountability, with key recommendations emphasizing effective enforcement of procurement and conflict-of-interest legislation, enhanced institutional oversight, continued digitalization, capacity-building for public officials, and sustained cooperation among government institutions, international partners, and civil society.
The event was organized with support from U4 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.