Civil society organisations from across Uzbekistan participated in two dedicated workshops focused on strengthening their role in anti-corruption efforts, held on 10 June in Tashkent and 13 June in Samarkand. The workshops were organised in the framework of the project “Improving Governance in Uzbekistan – Inclusive Corruption Prevention”, co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented by GIZ, in cooperation with the Anti-Corruption Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Transparency International Latvia/DELNA, and other regional partners.

The events brought together more than 80 representatives of non-governmental and non-profit organisations, focusing on practical tools, collaboration models, and international experience in preventing and monitoring corruption at the local and national levels.

Key topics included:

• The role of civil society in anti-corruption initiatives

• Latvia’s experience in NGO – government cooperation (Agnija Bīrule, TI Latvia)

• Monitoring tools and methods for NGOs (Liga Stafecka, TI Latvia)

• Coordination with state bodies to enhance effectiveness (Bahrom Burkhanitdinov, Anti-Corruption Agency)

• Membership, accreditation, and standards within the Transparency International movement (Altinai Mirzabekova, TI Regional Advisor)

The workshops provided a platform for open dialogue, exchange of local experiences, and the development of collaborative strategies to monitor public processes, improve transparency, and hold institutions accountable.

“An inclusive and informed civil society is essential to sustainable anti-corruption reforms. These workshops are helping local actors become more effective drivers of change,” said Altinai Mirzabekova, Transparency International’s Regional Advisor for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

The events also encouraged stronger networking between NGOs and public institutions, and highlighted the growing commitment within Uzbekistan to create space for civic engagement in public governance. Continuing NGO support, the project is planning similar sessions in September 2025, followed by individual consultations for NGOs and a summer school in Latvia in 2026.