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Corruption in Azerbaijan

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Corruption in Azerbaijan is considered high[1] and occurs at all levels of government.[2][3] Corruption during the Soviet era was rife and persists into the present.[4][5][6][7][8][9] As of 2024, Azerbaijan has regularly ranked near the bottom of Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index.[10]

Azerbaijan's economy is characterized by corruption and inequality.[11] The country's oil wealth has significantly strengthened the stability of Ilham Aliyev's regime and enriched ruling elites in Azerbaijan.[12][13][14][15] The country's oil wealth has enabled the state to host lavish international events, as well as engage in extensive lobbying efforts abroad.[16][17]

In the Azerbaijani laundromat money-laundering scheme, $2.9 billion was paid to foreign politicians and Azerbaijani elites by companies linked to Azerbaijani ruler Ilham Aliyev, government ministries, and the International Bank of Azerbaijan between 2012 and 2014.[18]

Corruption is prevalent in education, health care and business more generally.[4] Bribery, nepotism and cronyism are commonplace.[4] The Aliyev government in Azerbaijan restricts public access to information about the owners and shareholders of Azerbaijani companies.[19]

International anti-corruption indices and reports

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Development of CPI scores of South Caucasus countries 2012-2020

In Transparency International's 2017 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), Azerbaijan achieved its best position since its inclusion in the report in 2000,[20] with a score of 31[21] on a scale from 0 ("highly corrupt") to 100 ("very clean").[22] In the years 2018-2023 its scores were lower, with a 2023 score of 23.[23]

According to a 2015 Transparency International report, Azerbaijan demonstrated improvement in international anti-corruption reports from previous years; however, its position in these indices was weak compared to that of neighbouring countries, such as Georgia, Armenia, and Turkey.[24][20]

This weakness continues into the present; in the 2023 CPI results, Azerbaijan's score of 23 showed that it is perceived to be more corrupt than its neighbors, Georgia (53), Armenia (47), Russia (26) and Iran (24).[23] Regionally, the average score for Eastern European and Central Asian countries [Note 1] was 35, the highest score was 53 and the lowest score was 18.[25] Globally, the average score was 43, the best score was 90 and the worst score was 11.[23]

The World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators reported that Azerbaijan's ability to control corruption increased to 20 (2015) from 7 (2000).[26]

The 2013 Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) report of Transparency International indicated that 9% of respondents in Azerbaijan thought that corruption had increased a lot.[27] While 69% considered that the government's efforts were effective in the fight against corruption. Furthermore, 71% of respondents agreed that an ordinary person can make a difference in the fight against corruption in Azerbaijan.[27] Citizens' participation and the values of integrity, accountability, and transparency were crucial components of fighting corruption. It was important to develop programs and actions to change the cultural understanding of corruption and helped citizens to act against abuses.[28]

In the 2013 GCB report, health, the judiciary, and police were perceived as the most corrupt sectors by respondents. In comparison to the 2010 GCB report, improvement was noted in the more recent report with increased levels of trust in the civil service, education, and police.[24] Contrary to international perceptions, Azerbaijani respondents perceived political parties as one of the least corrupt sectors alongside the media and religious bodies[24]

According to the Global Integrity Index (GIX) (2011), the anti-corruption legislative framework of Azerbaijan is strong (89 out of 100); however, its implementation is very weak (38 out of 100) considering the powers that have been granted by law.[29]

A 2014 report by Transparency International concluded that Azerbaijan was demonstrating steady improvement in anti-corruption rankings, but its progress was relatively slower than that of neighbouring countries. Furthermore, Azerbaijan had advanced with its anti-corruption legislation and strong executive branch; however, the legislature and the judiciary were perceived as weak and potentially more exposed to corruption.[24]

Political context and background timeline of corruption issues

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After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in late 1991, the transition period in Azerbaijan was complicated and further prolonged by the inability of the national political elite to ensure the existence of key public institutions during 1991–1993.[30] In addition, during those years, Azerbaijan was forced to engage in military clashes with Armenia over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh.[31] In 1993, as a result of the invasion by Armenia, Azerbaijan lost 20% of its territory. In the same year, the United Nations Security Council adopted four resolutions (822, 853, 874 and 884) which condemned the use of force against Azerbaijan and the occupation of its territories.[32] The UN Security Council demanded from Armenia the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of the occupying forces.[32]

As a result of the war with Armenia, the influx of more than one million refugees and internally displaced people had a devastating impact on both the social and economic situation in Azerbaijan (Badalov and Mehdi, 2004). This tragic event shifted the priority of the country from building public institutions to accommodating internally displaced people (IDPs) and providing them with the necessary living standards.[30] In addition, the collapse of the Soviet Union caused economic paralysis in Azerbaijan. Therefore, the main priorities of the Azerbaijani government were to divert all of its financial and political resources to safeguarding IDPs and to fighting against the invasion by Armenia in the international legal arena.[30]

Institutional arrangements and coordination mechanisms

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Commission on Combating Corruption

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Commission on Combating Corruption is set up according to the article 4.2 of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on "Fight Against Corruption" and functions as a specialized agency on combating corruption since 2005. The Executive secretaries of CCC were Inam Karimov, Vusal Huseynov and Kamal Jafarov.

Anti-Corruption General Directorate

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The Anti-Corruption (bribery) General Directorate with the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan was established by the Order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan No.114 dated March 3, 2004. Directorate General is a body specialized in the field of preliminary investigation conducted on the corruption crimes, and is subordinated to the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

ASAN Service

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To eliminate corruption in public service delivery, a new preventive institution, namely the Azerbaijan service assessment network (ASAN) (asan means “easy” in the Azerbaijani) was established by Presidential Decree in 2012.[33] Currently, this institution provides 34 services for 10 state bodies. It was the first one-stop-shop service delivery model in the world to provide the services of various state bodies rather than only the services of one state body.[33]

No conflict of interest exists between ASAN service employees and Azerbaijani citizens as ASAN service employees do not provide any kind of service themselves. All services are provided by the employees of the 10 state bodies under one roof, based on the standards of the ASAN service. Employees of the ASAN service monitor the work of the state bodies, check for compliance with ethics rules and manage the queue system.[33]

Monitoring report by OECD has praised Azerbaijan "for advancing Azerbaijani Service and Assessment Network (ASAN) centers, which has contributed to eliminating the conditions that are conducive to corruption when delivering various administrative services to the public".[34] Azerbaijan 2016 report by EEAS acknowledged ASAN services have been a great help in the elimination of corruption and bribery, as well as removing bureaucracy in public service delivery.[35]

A similar institution is planned to be established in Afghanistan as well. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Afghanistan on July 12, 2016. The aim of the Memorandum is to establish a public service delivery mechanism in Afghanistan based on Azerbaijani model “ASAN service”.[36]

Anti-Corruption Academy

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Azerbaijan Anti-Corruption Academy (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan Anti-Korrupsiya Akademiyası) is a non-governmental organization established in 2016 for the purpose of raising public awareness on the fight against corruption and promoting the role of education to prevent corruption in Azerbaijan.[37][38][39][40][41][42] The Academy (AZACA) offers public lectures, forums, short and long-term training programs, tailor-made programs designed for specific target groups such as civil servants, students and private sector.[43][44]

AZACA works in cooperation with national chapter of Transparency International, Open Government Partnership Dialogue Platform, Network of NGOs specialized in fighting against corruption, Commission on Combating Corruption, ASAN Service, etc.[45][46]

AZACA involves Council of Europe certified trainers who have completed the Training-of-Trainers courses within the CoE/EU Joint Project on “Strengthening capacities to fight and prevent corruption in Azerbaijan” to deliver trainings for civil servants on "Ethics and Anti-Corruption Technique".[38][47]

It is acting also as a center of excellence for research on the fight against corruption and for the preparation of anti-corruption proposals.[42] AZACA developed “National Corruption Barometer” report for the first time in Azerbaijan, based on the methodology of the Transparency International's “Global Corruption Barometer”.[48][4]

Activity

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Presentation and first lecture of the Azerbaijan Anti-Corruption Academy were organized on May 14, 2016. Conditions that were favorable to the establishment of Azerbaijan Anti-Corruption Academy, objectives and structure of Academy, as well as advantages of participating in AZAKA events, future plans of AZAKA and other information were presented at the beginning of the event. The presentation continued with an interactive discussion about corruption, main root causes of corruption, types of corruption, favourable methods of fighting against corruption and measure corruption.[49] The next training of the Azerbaijan Anti-Corruption Academy (AZAKA) was held on May 28, 2016.[50]

Presentation event of AZACA was held at the National Administration School of France on 24 July 2016. 25 participants - public officials and civil society delegates from France, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Ukraine, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Chad, Benin, Niger, and Madagascar were attended at presentation.[51]

The first edition of AZACA quarterly bulletin was published in September 2016.[52]

Series trainings on "Ethics and Anti-Corruption Technique" for members of the civil service with the support of Commission on Combating Corruption and “ASAN Training and Education Center” were held by AZACA in Masalli, Barda, Gabala, Guba and Sabirabad regions in January 2018. More than 120 civil servants attended these trainings.[53]

One of trainings for civil servants on "Ethics and Anti-Corruption Technique" was held on February 16, 2018, with the participation of Vice-Rector for Student Affairs at ADA University, and Head of the ASAN Legal Acts Expertise Sector.[54]

Another training by AZACA on "Anti-Corruption and Ethical Behavior" was held at Academy of Public Administration for master students on February 23, 2017.[55]

Notes

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  1. ^ Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Heradstveit, Daniel (September 2001). "Democratic development in Azerbaijan and the role of the Western oil industry". Central Asian Survey. 20 (3): 261–288. doi:10.1080/02634930120095312. S2CID 143694591.
  2. ^ Öge, Kerem (2014-10-21). "The Limits of Transparency Promotion in Azerbaijan: External Remedies to 'Reverse the Curse'". Europe-Asia Studies. 66 (9): 1482–1500. doi:10.1080/09668136.2014.956448. S2CID 155078060.
  3. ^ ""Ilham Aliyev, 2012 Person of the Year in organised crime and corruption". Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d Cornell, Svante E. (2015). Azerbaijan Since Independence. Routledge. p. 264. ISBN 978-1-317-47620-7.
  5. ^ de Waal, Thomas (2002). "Reinventing the Caucasus". World Policy Journal. 19 (1): 51–59. doi:10.1215/07402775-2002-2001. ISSN 0740-2775. JSTOR 40209790. Azerbaijan's corruption is perhaps the worst in the entire former Soviet Union.
  6. ^ "How Family that Runs Azerbaijan Built an Empire of Hidden Wealth - ICIJ". 4 April 2016. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  7. ^ Altstadt, Audrey L. (1997), Parrott, Bruce; Dawisha, Karen (eds.), "Azerbaijan's struggle toward democracy", Conflict, Cleavage, and Change in Central Asia and the Caucasus, Democratization and Authoritarianism in Post-Communist Societies, Cambridge University Press, pp. 110–155, ISBN 978-0-521-59731-9
  8. ^ Aliyev, Huseyn (2017). When Informal Institutions Change: Institutional Reforms and Informal Practices in the Former Soviet Union. University of Michigan Press. pp. 82–83. doi:10.3998/mpub.8772004. ISBN 978-0-472-13047-4. JSTOR 10.3998/mpub.8772004.
  9. ^ Altstadt, Audrey L. (2017). Frustrated Democracy in Post-Soviet Azerbaijan. Columbia University Press. pp. 24–25, 109–138. doi:10.7312/alts70456. ISBN 978-0-231-70456-4. JSTOR 10.7312/alts70456.
  10. ^ "How A Politically Connected Azerbaijani Tycoon Poured Secretive Millions Into British KFC Franchise". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 2024-07-11.
  11. ^ Levine, Joshua (2012-08-15). "Big in Baku". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  12. ^ Altstadt, Audrey L. (2017). Frustrated Democracy in Post-Soviet Azerbaijan. Columbia University Press. pp. 114–120. ISBN 978-0-231-80141-6.
  13. ^ Waal, Thomas de (2018-11-02). The Caucasus: An Introduction. Oxford University Press. pp. 185–186, 226–229. ISBN 978-0-19-068311-5.
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  16. ^ Project, Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting. "The Azerbaijani Laundromat". OCCRP.
  17. ^ Harding, Luke; Barr, Caelainn; Nagapetyants, Dina (September 4, 2017). "Everything you need to know about the Azerbaijani Laundromat". The Guardian – via www.theguardian.com.
  18. ^ "Everything you need to know about the Azerbaijani Laundromat". the Guardian. 2017-09-04. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  19. ^ "'Official Partners' of Azerbaijan's COP29 Climate Summit Linked To Ruling Aliyev Family and Their Inner Circle". OCCRP. 2024.
  20. ^ a b "Corruption" (PDF). World Bank World Development Indicators. Azerbaijan is among the most corrupt countries in the world. The Council of Europe Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO) report on Azerbaijan, released in April 2015, stated, "Despite some serious efforts were undertaken since 2011 to tackle low-level public sector corruption there is little evidence of it being pursued with determination among the political elite and the upper echelons of the public service." In Transparency International's 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index, Azerbaijan ranked 119 out of 168 countries.
  21. ^ "Corruption Perceptions Index 2017 for Azerbaijan". Transparency.org. 21 February 2018. Retrieved 2023-03-19.
  22. ^ "The ABCs of the CPI: How the Corruption Perceptions Index is calculated". Transparency.org. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  23. ^ a b c "Corruption Perceptions Index 2022 for Azerbaijan". Transparency.org. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 2023-03-19.
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  25. ^ "CPI 2023 for Eastern Europe & Central Asia: Autocracy & weak justice systems enabling widespread corruption". Transparency.org. 30 January 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  26. ^ "World Bank, Worldwide Governance Indicators".
  27. ^ a b "Transparency International - Global Corruption Barometer results 2013".
  28. ^ "Increase in the number of civil complaints against acts of corruption. [Social Impact]. ALACs. Promotion of Participation and Citizenship in Europe through the "Advocacy and Legal Advice Centres (ALACs)" of Transparency International (2009-2012). Framework Programme 7 (FP7)". SIOR, Social Impact Open Repository. Archived from the original on 2018-06-14. Retrieved 2017-09-05.
  29. ^ "Global Integrity Report 2011". www.globalintegrity.org. Archived from the original on 2017-03-23. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
  30. ^ a b c Badalov, Mehti. THE POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS OF AZERBAIJAN: A DICHOTOMY BETWEEN TEXT AND REALITY.
  31. ^ M., Baranick (2005). www.ismor.com/cornwallis/cornwallis_2005/CX_2005_12-Baranick2-CX-July17.pdf.
  32. ^ a b Elmar Mammadyarov. Statement by Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov at the First Meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group on the aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan.
  33. ^ a b c Jafarov, Kamal (2013-07-31). "Azerbaijan's one-stop public service shop is driving up efficiency". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
  34. ^ "Anti-Corruption Reforms in AZERBAIJAN" (PDF). Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  35. ^ "EU Business Climate Survey Azerbaijan 2016" (PDF). Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  36. ^ "Afghanistan applies "ASAN service" model".[permanent dead link‍]
  37. ^ "Anti-Corruption Summer School opens in Azerbaijan". Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  38. ^ a b "Anti-corruption digest Azerbaijan". Action against economic crime
    and corruption    . Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  39. ^ "Anti korrupsiya". commission-anticorruption.gov.az. Archived from the original on 2018-03-08. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  40. ^ Azvision. "Antikorrupsiya Yay Məktəbinin açılışı olub - FOTOLAR". azvision.az (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  41. ^ "Azərbaycan Antikorrupsiya Akademiyası" (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 2018-03-17. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  42. ^ a b "Azərbaycan Antikorrupsiya Akademiyası" (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 2018-03-31. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  43. ^ "Antikorrupsiya və etik davranış qaydaları ilə bağlı təlimlərdə 120-dən çox dövlət qulluqçusu iştirak edib" (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  44. ^ Azvision. "'Antikorrupsiya Qış Məktəbi' təşkil olunub - Fotolar". azvision.az (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  45. ^ "A staff member of Transparency Azerbaijan delivered training On corruption in the private sector".
  46. ^ "Azərbaycan Antikorrupsiya Akademiyası" (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 2018-04-14. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  47. ^ "Azerbaijan Anti-corruption Academy". Azərbaycan Antikorrupsiya Akademiyası. Archived from the original on 2018-03-17. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  48. ^ Azvision. "Transparency International: Azerbaijan's position in Corruption Perceptions Index". azvision.az. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  49. ^ Azerbaijan Anti-corruption Academy. "Lecture devoted to the presentation of AZACA held". Azərbaycan Antikorrupsiya Akademiyası. Archived from the original on 2018-03-30. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
  50. ^ Azerbaijan Anti-corruption Academy. "AZACA organized its first training". Azərbaycan Antikorrupsiya Akademiyası. Archived from the original on 2018-03-30. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
  51. ^ "AZACA was presented in France". Archived from the original on 2018-03-30. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
  52. ^ "NEWSLETTER of AZERBAIJAN ANTI-CORRUPTION ACADEMY" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-03-30. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
  53. ^ Azerbaijan Anti-corruption Academy. "Series Anti-Corruption trainings were held". Azərbaycan Antikorrupsiya Akademiyası. Archived from the original on 2018-03-30. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
  54. ^ Azerbaijan Anti-corruption Academy. "The next training for civil servants was held". Azərbaycan Antikorrupsiya Akademiyası. Archived from the original on 2018-03-17. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
  55. ^ Azerbaijan Anti-corruption Academy. "AZACA in the academy of Public Administration". Azərbaycan Antikorrupsiya Akademiyası. Archived from the original on 2018-03-30. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
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