The head of the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption (Agency) under the President of Tajikistan, Rustam Emomali, has introduced a number of staff changes upon approval by President Emomali Rahmon.

Major-General Jamshed Gulmuhammadzoda, formerly chief of the Agency’s office in Dushanbe, was appointed to head the Agency’s internal security department, replacing Colonel Sharaf Avazzoda.

Colonel Sharaf Avazzoda was appointed the chief the Agency’s office in Dushanbe.

Colonel Jamoliddin Muhammadzoda, formerly chief of the Agency’s office in Khatlon province, was appointed to head the Agency organization-and-inspection department.

Colonel Soleh Nosirzoda, who had previously served as the head of the Agency corruption prevention department, was appointed the chief of the Agency’s office in Khatlon province.

Colonel Muzaffar Ahmadzoda was appointed to head the Agency corruption prevention department.

Colonel Karim Ibrohimzoda, formerly first deputy chief of Agency’s office in Sughd province, was appointed to head that office.

According to data posted on the Agency’s website, corruption has cost Tajikistan at nearly 180 million somoni over the first eleven months of this year.

The anticorruption agency was created by president’s decree of January 10, 2007.  It performs functions previously carried out by the State Financial Control Committee, Main Tax Police Directorate, Directorate for Combating Corruption and other agencies.

The agency is placed under president’s direct supervision, and it has staff of 450.

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon on March 16, 2015 appointed his eldest son, Rustam Emomali, to head the Agency for Sate Financial Control and Combating Corruption.

Tajikistan ranked joint 136th out 165 countries in Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index — the same as Nigeria and 17 position below Russia.

Tajikistan signed up to the United Nations Convention against Corruption in 2006 and an anticorruption strategy for 2013-2020 was adopted in 2012.

Meanwhile, a new report by Transparency International, The Global Corruption Barometer 2016, says that nearly a third of public service users in the CIS nations reportedly paid a bribe (30 per cent) in the past year and bribery is highest in Tajikistan where this rises to 50 per cent of service users.