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By Trend

Since 1993, US Agency for International Development (USAID) has partnered with the people and government of Uzbekistan to diversify the country’s economy, increase regional trade, address serious health threats, improve learning opportunities for students, and build the government’s capacity to respond to the population’s needs, Information Officer of US Embassy in Tashkent Susannah Wood told Trend in an interview.

"For example, based on a USAID-piloted electronic-court case management system, E-SUD, in 2018, the government of Uzbekistan expanded this system from the eight pilot civil courts to all 89 civil courts in the country, making court proceedings more transparent and significantly reducing the time needed to file court cases and publish decisions," Wood noted.

The information officer stressed that this system has been especially useful during the pandemic enabling court personnel to continue working from the safety of their homes.

"In 2019, USAID leveraged over $10 million in private sector investment in the establishment of new orchards, installation of water saving technologies, increase in cold chain capacity countrywide, and upgrades in product packaging, marketing, and branding to meet international standards," she said.

According to Wood, last year, the Uzbekistan's Ministry of Public Education and the US Government, through USAID, signed the first ever Development Objective Agreement (DOAG) that will provide $50 million to improve learning outcomes for Uzbekistan’s students, including expanding use of internet technologies in the classroom and improving the English capacity of the students.

She added, that today, USAID and Uzbekistan are cooperating closely in the global fight against COVID-19.

The US government has supported the Government of Uzbekistan’s efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing life-saving equipment, laboratory and medical supplies, and technical assistance.

According to Wood, as of July 10, 2020, the US government’s funding assistance to Uzbekistan to combat COVID-19 is approximately $6 million.

"USAID has also provided $2 million in regional COVID-19 supplementary funds to expand the Safe Migration activity for the Central Asia region. The disruptions caused by the COVID-19 situation have increased the vulnerability of millions of migrant laborers in Central Asia. The loss of jobs and remittances has left families without adequate resources and legal protections," stated the information officer.

"Through the Safe Migration in Central Asia activity, USAID will deliver much-needed assistance including informational resources; referrals to essential services; alternative livelihoods support; and skills training to help migrants navigate the difficult situation they are facing", she noted

The USAID mission in Uzbekistan will incorporate programs that will to help address the impacts of COVID-19 on a range of development areas, including employment, Government revenues, return of migrants, food security, and human trafficking, Wood said.

The US Agency for International Development is an independent agency of the US Federal Government that is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance.

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