Ukraine made substantial progress in its anti-corruption efforts despite the ongoing war, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Secretary General Mathias Corman said during a presentation in Kyiv on 5 May.

“We are impressed by how publicly and openly the government approaches these tasks, despite the aggressive war. You have made significant progress in fighting corruption,” Corman said during the presentation of OECD reviews of Ukraine on 6 May, according to Interfax-Ukraine.

Corruption has been one of Ukraine’s main problems, consistently ranked as the second biggest issue after Russian aggression, with nearly 80% of citizens identifying it as a major concern. Ukraine tackled corruption by creating the High Anti-Corruption Court, implementing transparent procurement, and seizing assets from corrupt officials, leading to billions recovered and numerous convictions.

Corman said that Ukraine has already reached approximately 73% of the OECD average in terms of integrity achievements and other indicators. He expressed hope that anti-corruption efforts would continue.

“Overall, Ukraine has reduced its corruption risks. It is conducting further training and retraining of its specialists,” the Secretary General added.

The OECD chief pointed to several areas requiring additional attention. Ukraine needs to strengthen its state audit system and corruption risk management, according to Corman. He also stressed that a lobbying registry should be launched as quickly as possible with quality access provided.

Corman highlighted the importance of including small and medium-sized businesses in anti-corruption efforts, stating they “must also play their role in fighting corruption.”

During the visit, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced Ukraine’s plans to apply for OECD membership in early 2026. Shmyhal also requested the organization’s assistance in finding ways to move Ukraine from risk group 7 to group 6, which would be significant for investments and cooperation with international financial organizations.

The OECD consists of 38 of the world’s largest and most developed economies, which produce approximately two-thirds of global GDP. Ukraine signed an agreement with the OECD in June 2018 to deepen cooperation, particularly in fighting corruption, and began membership negotiations in 2019.

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