The fund’s economists note that the government of Uzbekistan must maintain momentum in the fight against corruption, building on sustained and significant progress in improving public administration and ensuring the rule of law.

“The mission recommends that laws on declaration of assets and conflicts of interest be introduced in the near future and that an effective system of income declaration be introduced,” the mission statement emphasizes.

To aid efforts to expose corruption, the government should enact whistleblower protection legislation and strengthen accountability, it said. “Increasing the independence of the Court of Accounts and the judiciary will have a positive impact on financial supervision, contract enforcement and business conditions,” the statement said.

The IMF also pointed to the need to accelerate the reform of state-owned enterprises, giving priority to the separation of regulatory and operational functions. These measures should facilitate the privatization of state-owned enterprises and allow for a significant increase in their efficiency, the fund added.