International Business Ombudsmen Forum and 4th Business Integrity Forum Held in Tashkent

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The capital of Uzbekistan has opened the International Business Ombudsmen Forum, held jointly with the 4th Business Integrity Forum.

The event is organized by the Office of the Business Ombudsman under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in collaboration with the Agency for Combating Corruption. It is held as part of Anti-Corruption Week (on 21–23√) with the support of international partners, including the OECD, OSCE, Konrad Adenauer Foundation, UNODC, and other global organizations.

The forum aims to showcase Uzbekistan’s reforms in protecting entrepreneurs’ rights and to strengthen the institutional mechanisms of the Business Ombudsman. Special attention is given to business ethics, transparency, and anti-corruption compliance. The forum serves as a platform for experience exchange among human rights institutions, government agencies, business communities, and international experts.

Around 250 representatives from 10 countries are participating both online and in person. Notable participants include human rights institutions from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Azerbaijan; anti-corruption experts from the OECD, UNODC (Austria), OSCE (Romania), France’s Anti-Corruption Agency; AmCham Kazakhstan and Bosnia and Herzegovina; Transparency International (Latvia); the World Bank; ADB; EBRD; Swiss Entrepreneurship Institute; and leading companies such as SOCAR Midstream Gas Operations (Azerbaijan), UzAuto Motors, and Uzbekistan Airways.

The forum features thematic sessions on:

Analysis of best international practices of the business ombudsman institution (based on OECD research);

Institutional barriers and improvements in business dispute resolution mechanisms;

Development of ethical business standards and fair competition principles;

Strengthening cooperation among business ombudsmen across countries;

Expanding entrepreneurs’ participation in the Anti-Corruption Charter.

In recent years, Uzbekistan has consistently promoted principles of honesty, transparency, and the rule of law in the economic sphere.

The creation of an effective system for protecting entrepreneurs’ rights and the development of the Business Ombudsman institution are key components of the national strategy to improve the business climate and attract investments.

Hosting the international forum in Tashkent highlights global recognition of Uzbekistan’s successful reforms and reinforces the country’s aspiration to become a hub for sharing expertise in business ethics and anti-corruption governance.