Financial Crime World

Financial Crime Investigation Tools in Tajikistan Get Boost from EU-Council of Europe Partnership

Tajikistan has taken a significant step forward in its fight against economic crime and corruption with the launch of a new project aimed at strengthening the country’s financial crime investigation tools.

Background

The project, titled “Promoting Transparency and Action against Economic Crime,” is part of the Central Asia Rule of Law Programme, a joint initiative between the European Union (EU) and the Council of Europe. The programme aims to reinforce human rights, rule of law, and democracy in Central Asia, with Tajikistan being one of the five countries benefiting from the partnership.

Project Focus Areas

The project focuses on two main areas:

Business Integrity and Compliance

Tajikistan has made progress in reducing administrative barriers for businesses, but there is still a need to develop a policy framework that ensures the protection of entrepreneurs’ rights. The creation of a specialized ombudsman position has been identified as a priority, and capacity-building for this institution will be necessary.

Anti-Corruption, AML/CFT, and Asset Recovery

Tajikistan has developed institutional mechanisms to prevent and combat corruption, but there are still gaps that need to be addressed. The country lacks whistleblower legislation covering the business sector, and ethics commissions in state bodies require significant capacity-building to facilitate effectiveness.

Key Challenges

  • Lack of whistleblower legislation covering the business sector
  • Inadequate training for key law enforcement agencies on pursuing economic crime and recovering assets
  • Insufficient policy and operational framework for parallel financial investigations

Project Objectives

The project aims to achieve several intermediate outcomes, including:

  • Enhancing business integrity and compliance in the private sector
  • Enhancing the effectiveness of anti-corruption, AML/CFT, and asset recovery systems

Immediate outcomes include:

  • Strengthening business integrity and transparency
  • Reducing administrative barriers and abuses of entrepreneurs’ rights
  • Improving mechanisms and capacities of authorities to prevent corruption
  • Enhancing capacities of law enforcement authorities to tackle corruption, money laundering, and economic crime
  • Strengthening national systems to combat money laundering and terrorism financing

Implementation Arrangements

The project will be implemented by the Council of Europe’s Economic Crime and Cooperation Division (ECCD) through a delegation agreement with the European Union Office in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. International and national consultants will be engaged to provide expert advice, conduct assessments, and deliver training courses.

Contact Information

For more information on the project, please contact: