Head of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency Olena Duma and Deputy Head of ARMA for European Integration Grigol Katamadze visited the OECD headquarters in Paris (France) during a working visit.
During the visit, the ARMA leadership met with the OECD Secretariat: Elena Konceviciute, Head of Country Projects, Anti-Corruption and Integrity in Government Division; Oksana Huss, Policy Analyst, Anti-Corruption and Integrity in Government Division; Aman Johal, Policy Analyst, Anti-Corruption and Integrity in Government Division; Tanya Khavanska, Head of ACN Business Integrity Programme, Anti-Corruption Division; Ivan Presniakov, Head of Technical Assistance Projects on Ukraine, Anti-Corruption Division; Kateryna Penkova, Policy Analyst, OECD Ukraine Liaison Office; Stephen Lowe, Senior Advisor of the Ukraine Unit, Global Relations and Co-operation Directorate.
Ukraine actively strives for OECD membership, viewing it as a strategic step towards strengthening economic stability. Since 2022, our country has participated in numerous OECD initiatives, which involve adapting legislation and economic standards.
In 2023, under the Istanbul Action Plan Fifth Round of monitoring the OECD Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ACN) reviewed anti-corruption reforms in Ukraine, which included review of ARMA's implementation of functions of identification, tracing, management and return of illicit assets. The agency received several recommendations, including increasing transparency of processes, improving asset management procedures and aligning electronic auctions with international standards. All these comments have been successfully addressed and implemented by ARMA's new team.
“A year ago, I was ashamed to listen to the criticism of the previous ARMA leadership. Today, I was proud to share what we have achieved over the past year, backing it up with concrete examples and figures, and explaining what these achievements mean for Ukraine,” said the Head of ARMA.
She briefed the OECD team on the key achievements of the National Agency:
➢ August 2023: Public access to the Unified State Register of Seized Assets was opened, marking a significant step towards transparency and building public trust. Information about recovered assets is now accessible to the public. Currently, the register contains over 345,000 records of seized assets (more than 72,000 of which have been transferred to ARMA)
➢ November 2023. Following ARMA's initiative, the Government of Ukraine has approved new clear and transparent procedures for the sale and management of seized assets through the state online auction system Prozorro.Prodazhi.
➢ December 2023. A competitive selection commission has been established to select legal entities engaged in the sale of assets, including representatives of ARMA, the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine and the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine.
➢ Among numerous achievements, a landmark development is the first-time economic return from ARMA’s activities exceeding its operational costs. From 2018 to 2023, more than $46.77 million was spent on the National Agency's maintenance, while in 2024, the Agency provided $53 million in revenues to the Ukrainian budget in 10 months. Today, the total portfolio from the management of seized assets is already $300 million.
ARMA is implementing a number of initiatives:
➢ cooperation with EUAM and reform of ARMA to enhance its institutional capacity
➢ establishing a Reform Office, and engaging expert support
➢ development of a 5-year strategy for the Agency
➢ development of priority legislative initiatives for reforming the Agency
➢ modernisation of the Unified State Register of Seized Assets
➢ Approval of a special ARMA Law in a new edition as part of the Ukraine Facility Plan, which is currently undergoing finalization at the Ministry of Justice
➢ amending Article 545 of the Criminal Procedure Code. These amendments are intended to allow ARMA to directly request international legal assistance (MLA) from foreign authorities in the field of asset recovery and management. Increase the speed and effectiveness of international cooperation by enabling ARMA to play a more active role in coordinating asset recovery efforts across jurisdictions.
The Head of ARMA thanked the OECD for the opportunity to continue active cooperation. The first meetings were held in Kyiv with Michal Falenchyk, Acting Head of the OECD Liaison Office in Ukraine, Kateryna Penkova, Policy Analyst at the OECD Liaison Office in Ukraine, and Oksana Huss, Analyst at the OECD Directorate for Public Administration.
“We are in constant contact with representatives of the OECD Office in Ukraine, remaining open to further cooperation and ready to respond promptly,” emphasized Olena Duma.
During the meeting, the OECD emphasized the importance of asset recovery and management, recognized Ukraine's commitment to these efforts, and recognized the adoption and implementation of the National Asset Recovery Strategy and Action Plan as a key step towards enhancing coordination and cooperation among all stakeholders, both nationally and internationally. The main objective of the OECD is to promote the economic and social development of its member countries, to provide technical assistance to developing countries, and to cooperate with the governments of its member countries.
For reference: The OECD was founded in 1961 on the basis of the OEEC, which was created to manage aid under the Marshall Plan after World War II. Currently, the Organization unites 38 member countries and has 70 partners. Ukraine has expressed its desire to join the OECD in 2022 and has been on this promising path ever since.
