User:Theiac/Незалежна антикорупційна комісія

The Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO, previously - the Independent Defence Anti-Corruption Committee) - is a Ukrainian civil society organisation founded in 2016 to reduce corruption risks and promote good governance in areas critical to Ukraine’s national security.

NAKO was established as a joint program of Transparency International Defence and Security Programme with Transparency Ukraine and later transformed into an independent civil society organisation, the stategic partner of Transparency International global movement. International donors finance the organisation.

Description
NAKO's mission is to reduce opportunities for corruption through strong research, effective advocacy for reform, and increased public awareness to strengthen the Ukrainian defence and security sector. NAKO monitors activities and, within its mandate, supports measures to promote good governance in the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada, the military-industrial complex , and key anti-corruption bodies.

Work areas:


 * Defence procurement;
 * Development of defence industry;
 * Promoting good governance in the defence and security sector;
 * Secrecy reducing;
 * Democratic civil oversight over the defence and security sector;
 * Gender equality in the defence and security sector;
 * Monitoring and advocacy of Western sanctions against defence and security sector of Russian Federation (since 2022);
 * Monitoring the corruption risks during Russia’s war against Ukraine (since 2022).

History
From 2016 to 2019 NAKO worked as a joint initiative of Transparency International Ukraine and the Transparency International Defence and Security programme, focusing exclusively on fighting corruption in the defence sector. The Independent Defence Anti-Corruption Committee was composed of former military, officials, media and civil society leaders. In included three Ukrainian and three international members:


 * Lt Gen Tim Evans, former commander of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps;
 * Drago Kos (co-chairman), former Chairman of the Council of GRECO;
 * James Wasserstrom, Senior Advisor on Anti-Corruption at the US Embassy in Kabul, Former Strategy Advisor and Team Lead at the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction;
 * Volodymyr Ohryzko, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Former First Deputy Secretary of the Defence and Security Council of Ukraine
 * Oleh Rybachuk (co-chairman), Chairman of the Board of Centre UA, co-initiator of the movement "Chesno", former Vice Prime Minister On European Integration and Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine;
 * Sevgil Musayeva, editor-in-chief of Ukrainska Pravda.

In 2017, Olena Tregub, former director of the International Programs Coordination Department at the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine, became the Secretary General of NAKO.

Later, Lieutenant General Michel Yakovleff and Yuliia Marushevska joined NAKO as members of the Committee.

In 2019, NAKO became a separate organisation, maintaining a strategic partnership with Transparency International. In connection with the expansion of its mandate, NAKO adopted a new name: the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission. Relations between NAKO, TI Ukraine and the Security and Defence Program of Transparency International UK are governed by a tripartite memorandum.

NAKO has Conference of Members, which consists of Ukrainian and International activists and journalists, the Board and the Executive Director.

Active members of the Board :


 * Sevgil Musayeva, editor-in-chief of Ukrainska Pravda;
 * Giovanni Kessler, Italian lawyer and prosecutor, former Director General of the European Anti-Fraud Office (ОLAF);
 * Andrii Borovyk, Executive Director of TI Ukraine.
 * Andrew Bain, retired US Marine Reserve Colonel, the president and the founder of the Atlantic Group.

Research
NAKO conducts research, provides recommendations in the field of public policy in Ukraine’s security and defence sector, and advocates their implementation.

Since 2016 NAKO has 11 research on international aid to Ukraine, corruption risks in the medical supply system of Ukraine’s Defence Ministry, illegal trade in the temporarily occupied territories, excessive secrecy, the most frequent corruption risks in Ukraine’s Defence Procurement, the system of providing housing for service members, reforming of the state defence order, Ministry of Defence’s SOEs, implementation of corporate governance in the defence industry and medical procurement. NAKO also conducts analyses and provides recommendations on gender equality in the Armed Forces Ukraine decision-making.

Advocacy
As a non-governmental organisation, NAKO cannot implement reforms. Yet, NAKO advances reforms by providing expertise and advice to the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the Parliament, the General Staff, Ukroboronpom and other bodies of the security and defence sector promote good governance and implement anti-corruption reforms. NAKO also monitors and advocates the reform implementation process.

Advocacy work of NAKO includes :


 * meetings with officials to provide recommendations ;
 * partnership with other non-governmental organisations for collective public pressure ;
 * work with Ukrainian and foreign media;
 * leveraging donor country support;
 * meeting with representatives of foreign governments to introduce conditions to security assistance.

The case of evacuation cars “Bohdan”
As part of the preparation of the study "Just what the doctor ordered? Corruption Risks in the System of Medical Supply in the Ministry of Defenсe of Ukraine" NAKO revealed corruption risks in purchasing 100 ambulances manufactured by "Bohdan Motors" in 2017. As a result, further corrupt procurements were suspended. The Ministry of Defence also recognised a potential conflict of interest during the procurement.

Promotion of defence procurement reform
On July 17, 2020, after lengthy public debates and numerous amendments with the active participation of NAKO, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the Law on Defence Procurement. NAKO proposed eight critical recommendations for the second reading of the law, four of which were partially taken into account. The law on defence procurement was supposed to be implemented by January 1, 2021. But this did not happen, as the responsible ministries failed to promptly adopt about 30 regulations provided by the law.

Introduction of good governance practices in Ukroboronprom
Since 2017, NAKO has advocated implementing OECD corporate governance principles and anti-corruption standards in Ukroboronprom. With NAKO’s efforts, Ukroboronprom has a Supervisory Board and periodically undergoes an independent international financial audit. In 2020, Ukroboronprom had the first financial audit in its history for 2018-2019. Before that, NAKO helped Ukroboronprom develop technical terms of reference and tender documentation to purchase auditing services. The international company "Baker Tilly" received the right to conduct this audit. In early 2021 its results were published. In addition, a forensic audit of Antonov State Enterprise, one of the largest enterprises of Ukroboronprom, was conducted. NAKO participated in developing the technical terms of reference for this audit.

The main result of NAKO's work in 2021 was the adoption of the Ukroboronprom Reform Law. According to this Law, Ukroboronprom will transform its largest enterprises into transparent JSCs or PLCs, with corporate governance corresponding the international practices.

Funding
The organisation works mainly with the support of international donors.

Among current and previous donors: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, International Renaissance Foundation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Sweden), Embassy of France in Ukraine and The European Union Anti-Corruption Initiative(EUACI).