On 14 March 2016, another discussion on the draft Action Plans on Open Government Promotion and Anti-Corruption was held by the Commission on Combatting Corruption in co-operation with the Council of Europe under the project on ‘Strengthening capacities to fight and prevent corruption in Azerbaijan’ and Council of State Support to NGOs under the President of Azerbaijan.

MP Ali Huseynli, Member of Commission on Combating Corruption, Chairman of Legal Policy and State Building Committee of Milli Mejlis, made an opening speech and informed the participants about the legislative reforms that took place in the country over the last decade. MP Azay Guliyev, Head of the Council for State Support to NGOs, Ms Dragana Filipovic, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Baku, and representatives of other organisations made opening speeches.

MP Vusal Huseynov, National Focal Point for Open Government Partnership, informed the participants about the process of the development of the OGP Action Plan (AP), and the direction and forms of the measures envisioned in the AP.

Mr Alimammad Nuriyev, Coordinator of the NGO Coalition against Corruption, informed the participants that the measures in the APs were prepared based on the proposals from the civil society organisations and the activities taken in this regard.

The public discussion was attended by state officials, representatives of civil society institutions and international partners. Ms Ayanda Dlodlo, the Deputy Minister for the Public Service and Administration of the Republic of South Africa, also attended the event and informed the participants about the Open Government Partnership and Azerbaijan relations, as well as expressed her pleasure at the active participation of the civil society institutions in public discussion.

At the event, the measures envisioned in the APs were discussed and comments and feedback of the participants were noted. The Commission on Combatting Corruption requested the participants to send all proposals to the Commission. The proposals are requested to be sent to office@commission-anticorruption.gov.az as well.