News Item
How to strengthen co-ordination to bolster fight against corruption in focus at OSCE Ministerial Council side event
- Issued on:
- Issued by:
- Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, Summits / Ministerial Councils, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
- Fields of work:
- Economic activities
From reinforcing integrity to building institutional resilience, how to strengthen anti-corruption co-ordination efforts was in sharp focus at a side event held on the margins of the OSCE 32nd Ministerial Council on 5 December. The session brought together representatives from Moldova, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA).
Valeriu Mija, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova, opened the event by outlining the country’s recent anti-corruption reforms and highlighted lessons relevant across the OSCE area. Moldova’s experience in strengthening institutions, enhancing transparency and advancing co-operation at both national and international levels provided an important foundation for the discussions.
A panel discussion featuring experts from ODIHR, OCEEA and the OSCE PA explored the role of democratic governance, cross-dimensional co-operation and parliamentary oversight in preventing and countering corruption. Session discussions also examined tangible challenges and good practices, including ODIHR’s tools for strengthening democratic governance, examples of successful inter-institutional co-operation and the importance of incorporating gender considerations into anti-corruption measures.
Emphasizing the need for a shared institutional culture rooted in integrity, Tea Jaliashvili, First Deputy Director of ODIHR, said that “Integrity is not a single policy; it is a culture. And cultures change when institutions stand together. Today marks a significant step toward an OSCE that confronts corruption holistically, advances equality, and safeguards those on the front line. Our impact multiplies when our mandates interlock, and when we act with one voice. This is all the more necessary because corruption is a threat to democracy, undermining public trust, weakening democratic institutions, and eroding the fundamental rights and freedoms that underpin peaceful and resilient societies.”
Ambassador Bakyt Dzhusupov, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, highlighted the value of a whole-of-OSCE approach to anti-corruption programming. “Our new Whole-of-OSCE Anti-Corruption Programming Strategy gives the entire organization a shared framework and harmonized objectives, ensuring we speak with one voice and deliver practical, measurable results across the region.”
Underscoring the importance of legislative and oversight mechanisms in building transparent systems, Irene Charalambides, OSCE PA Special Representative on Fighting Corruption, said that “fighting corruption is not a single-track effort: we must combine legislation, oversight, transparency, investigative journalism and civic engagement. The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is committed to forging that comprehensive, cross-dimensional path to integrity.”
Insights gathered during the discussion will help to inform ongoing and future OSCE initiatives aimed at supporting participating States in fighting corruption and building accountable, transparent and resilient institutions.