To support and foster Ukraine's pursuit of reform and rule of law, the U.S. Department of State and the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) recently dispatched a team of prosecutors from the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General to the nation to train the newly established anticorruption-focused Inspector General unit within the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office.
Leading the training were Rhode Island Assistant Attorneys General Maureen Keough and James Baum.
The training marked a new step in U.S. support for developing Ukraine's law enforcement and judicial sectors. With assistance from the State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), Ukraine's Deputy Prosecutor General David Sakvarelidze has recently established and been named the Head of a new Inspector General unit at Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office. Since its recent inception, the Inspector General unit is making progress and has recruited a small but dedicated staff to begin combating corruption within the Ukrainian justice system.
In response to the Government of Ukraine's request to INL for assistance in establishing this new unit, Assistant Attorneys Generals Keough and Baum travelled to Ukraine August 31-September 4, 2015, where they provided advice and mentoring to the members of the Inspector General's unit, and assessed the technical equipment needs, organizational structure, and key procedures to assist the Unit in leading successful internal investigation, conduct sting operations, and protect sensitive information.
The training was the first since Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin signed an agreement in December 2013 with INL in which Rhode Island agreed to provide prosecutorial training to foreign partners to enhance their law enforcement and justice sector capabilities. The Department of State covers all costs related to deploying personnel from the Office overseas.
NAAG signed a similar agreement in February 2014 under which NAAG's National Attorneys General Training and Research Institute and INL cooperate on advancing the development of rule-of-law institutions with partner countries around the world.
"Fair, transparent and legitimate judicial and police institutions are the bedrock of stable, prosperous communities around the world," noted INL's Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Luis Arreaga. "The training that the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General provided to Ukraine has been key to building and strengthening that foundation for the Ukrainian people."
"We live in a global, interactive world, and the United States has the resources to provide assistance to countries that are trying to change the culture of corruption to one of laws and a justice system the public can have trust in. Furthermore, with the growth of transnational crime, including human trafficking and cyber crime, it is important we support Rule of Law throughout the world and establish relationships for prosecution of these crimes," said Attorney General Peter Kilmartin. "I am proud that our prosecutors were chosen to impart their expertise on their counterparts in Ukraine. It is a testament to the excellence of the prosecutors in this office. Each and every day, they work with law enforcement to assess and build cases that lead to successful prosecution, and have earned a reputation as some of the best prosecutors in the nation who are sought out for their expertise."
"It was inspiring to meet a group of such dedicated individuals who are working tirelessly against significant odds to institute reform to the rule of law in Ukraine," commented Assistant Attorney General Maureen Keough.
"The newly formed Inspector General's unit is well on its way to address Ukraine's desire to combat corruption," added Assistant Attorney General James Baum. "It was truly an honor to work with these professional prosecutors to help them reach their critical mission."
Upon returning from Ukraine, Assistant Attorneys General Keough and Baum briefed Attorney General Kilmartin and United State Senator Sheldon Whitehouse on the experience. Whitehouse was among a small group of Senators who visited Ukraine in early 2014 shortly after the Russian invasion of Crimea. Since then, he has urged the State Department to coordinate with Attorneys General to support democracy in Ukraine by providing anti-corruption and rule of law training services.
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