Azerbaijan Signs ECO Anti-Corruption Agency Statute

(Tehran, Iran) The Republic of Azerbaijan has signed the "Statute of the ECO Regional Center for Cooperation of Anti-Corruption Agencies and Ombudsmen (RCCACO)", which seeks to coordinate regional efforts against corruption, money laundering, and other financial crimes.

The ceremony which took place on the sidelines of the Council of Permanent Representatives (CPR) on September 11, saw Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran, Bunyad Huseynov, formally sign the document. “This document is a crucial step in promoting law enforcement, judicial and intelligence cooperation on detecting and deterring financial and economic crimes within the region,” he said.

A decision for the Center was made by the first meeting of Heads of Anti-corruption agencies and Ombudsmen of ECO Member States in Tehran on May 21-22, 2011 and its statute was that was adopted in 2012 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Among the objectives of the center are to strengthen measures within the region to prevent and combat corruption and enhance cooperation among ECO Member States in order to adopt common standards for the fight against corruption.

Currently the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Republic of Tajikistan are signatories to the Statute. The Statute will enter into force after the deposition of 4 Instruments of ratification with the depository. So far the Instruments of ratification by Iran and Pakistan have been deposited.

Source: http://www.eco.int/news/87221-Azerbaijan-Signs-ECO-Anti-Corruption-Agency-Statute.html?t=News