25.12.2019

On December 25, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a meeting to discuss issues of drawing in and effectively using grants.

Steadfast efforts are in progress in our country to improve the socio-economic life of the population, to attract grants, technical and other external gratuitous assistance for this purpose, and to develop ties with foreign countries, international organizations and foundations.

In accordance with the 10 October 2019 resolution of the President on measures to improve the mechanisms for raising funds of external gratuitous assistance and work with donors, a new vertical system was created in this area. The Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade is determined as the authorized body for coordinating and monitoring the work with grants and donors, and a new department is set up for these purposes in the Ministry.

Shortcomings in the field were identified at the meeting. Thus, 160 projects are currently being implemented in Uzbekistan through grants in the amount of 667 million US dollars. However, there is no mechanism for monitoring the realization of these projects, for evaluating the effectiveness of development and scrutiny of the targeted use of funds. The facilities and equipment put into operation through grants and the experience harnessed in the framework of projects are used inefficiently. Grants attracted into such areas as science, innovation, ecology are considered insufficient.

In this regard, urgent challenges on the active attraction and effective use of grant funds were discussed.

The President outlined tasks to draw new grants into each priority sphere and industry. The Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade as well as the Ministry of Finance were instructed to institute a new system for assessing the effectiveness of schemes implemented through grants.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade have been tasked with building up ties with international donor organizations.

The Ministries of Healthcare, Higher and Secondary Special Education, Agriculture, and the State Committee for Ecology and Environmental Protection were advised of the need to develop roadmaps for attracting grants in 2020, directing the funds raised to priority goals and specific projects.

For instance, in healthcare, the possibility was noted of attracting funds from the World Health Organization, JICA, KOICA and other benefactors to such areas of main concern as oncology, child and socially considerable diseases, and the establishment of laboratories.

Instructions were given on enhancing the attraction of grants to the UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea Region.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev underscored the importance of intensifying the efforts to attract foreign specialists and volunteers in the framework of free aid, establish constant dialogue with them and cash in their experience.

Corresponding measures were identified on the issues discussed at the meeting.

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