The AZPAC project started on 30 September 2007 and will last 24 months. The project is supported by the USAID and implemented by the Council of Europe. In recent years, the government of Azerbaijan undertook a number of important steps in the fight against corruption. The country ratified the Council of Europe’s Criminal and Civil Law Conventions against Corruption in 2004, and joined the Council’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) in June 2004.

Despite these steps, corruption remains a serious concern for the people of Azerbaijan The authorities of the Republic of Azerbaijan acknowledged that corruption is a priority issue requiring comprehensive and serious countermeasures this project will assist Azerbaijan’s anti-corruption efforts based on the following components:

• Support the improvement of the strategic anti-corruption framework in line with GRECO recommendations; 
• Support the improvement of the draft laws/amendments to domestic legislation elaborated in cooperation with relevant partner institutions and benchmarking against international standards in the fight against corruption and efficient implementation of the relevant legislative framework; 
• Support the establishment of a network and system to prevent the use of the financial system for money laundering and terrorism financing purposes and enable the authorities of Azerbaijan to cooperate nationally and internationally in fighting money laundering and terrorism financing in accordance with European and international standards; 
• Enhance the capacities for the prevention of corruption through micro-system studies and through institutionalizing efficient management of ethics’ provisions and conflict of interest in the public service; 

AZPAC Project is supported by the United States Agency for International Development