Upon invitation from the Regional Office for Afghanistan, Central Asia, Iran and Pakistan of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Mr Danny Y M Woo, President of IAACA and Commissioner of the ICAC, Hong Kong, China, led a delegation to participate in the First Annual Conference of the Regional Platform for Fast-Tracking the Implementation of the UNCAC in Central Asia, which was held in Astana, Kazakhstan from 30 October to 1 November 2024.

The UNODC's Regional Platform for Central Asia was established in 2023 to unite the Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) in their efforts to implement the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) in priority areas. An essential aspect of the project is fostering relationships and synergies with other programmes and development partners.

In his opening remarks at the Conference, President Woo emphasized the importance of global anti-corruption collaboration, and introduced the latest development of IAACA and the Hong Kong ICAC. He also met with senior delegates from the UNODC and Central Asian anti-corruption authorities to exchange initiatives and explore future collaborations.

In addition, around 100 Central Asian graft-fighters joined a one-day training session, which was a collaborative effort among IAACA, the UNODC, the Hong Kong ICAC, the Hong Kong International Academy Against Corruption and the Anti-Corruption Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Apart from the UNODC's briefing on the implementation mechanism of the UNCAC, ICAC speakers shared Hong Kong's 50-year journey to combat corruption, focusing on the three-pronged strategy of law enforcement, systemic prevention and community education.

This event marks the beginning of IAACA's extensive collaboration with the UNODC and the national authorities in fighting and preventing corruption in the Central Asian region. We will continue to expand its connection and promote experience sharing among anti-corruption practitioners in the region.