Anti-Corruption Reform in Uzbekistan: What Can Be Learned from Singapore?

Abstract

Corruption remains a major impediment to sustainable development and effective governance in Uzbekistan. This article offers a critical examination of Singapore’s widely regarded anti-corruption model and investigates how its core principles might be adapted to the Uzbek context. It identifies four key lessons: the imperative of sustained political will, the establishment of an independent and empowered anti-corruption agency, the necessity of impartial legal enforcement, and the significance of public education in fostering a culture of integrity. The article argues that Uzbekistan stands to benefit from institutional reforms that strengthen meritocratic governance, reinforce the autonomy of oversight institutions, and enhance legal transparency. While recognizing the structural and political differences between the two countries, the study concludes that Singapore’s experience offers a compelling framework for Uzbekistan to develop a more effective, context-sensitive strategy to combat corruption through legal reform, capacity building, and long-term political commitment.