Uzbekistan is on the way to fully implementing its commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals

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Uzbekistan has created a strong foundation for the timely and high-quality achievement of its national goals and objectives for sustainable development by 2030. This confidence is explained by the balance and interdependence of the Development Strategy "Uzbekistan 2030" with the implementation of the goals and objectives of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The country fully fulfills the obligations it has undertaken together with
192 countries of the world to implement the UN program Transforming Our World: "The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development".

The goals and objectives of sustainable development are balanced with the developed and implemented Strategies, Concepts, Roadmaps for the economic, social and ecological development of the country and regions).

The results achieved in the implementation of Uzbekistan's national goals and objectives have been generally approved and recognized by the international community. The main principle of the new Uzbekistan "In the name of the honor and dignity of man" is in line with the UN principle of sustainable development "Leave no one behind".

A comparison of national sustainable development goals with the goals of the Development Strategy for 2022-2026 shows their complete interconnectedness and interdependence: further increasing the well-being of the people, transforming industries, accelerating the development of entrepreneurship, unconditionally ensuring human rights and interests, and forming an active civil society. In general, the Development Strategy covers all National goals and objectives in the field of sustainable development, creating a good foundation for their achievement by 2030.

In accordance with the Strategy, major shifts have been made, which have led to dynamic growth in the economy and social sphere. This has created a powerful impetus for the active and purposeful implementation of tasks in almost all areas of sustainable development in the country.

The system of state power and management bodies has been radically reformed. Priority tasks were identified as increasing the efficiency of their activities, introducing modern market mechanisms of state regulation, reducing the role of the state in regulating socio-economic processes, which, in turn, contribute to achieving national goals and objectives in the field of sustainable development.

It should be noted that a significant increase in the quality of legislative activity is an important direction in improving the system of state and public construction.

Major changes have taken place in judicial activity, in particular, the institution of review of judicial decisions has been reformed, and the fight against corruption has been identified as one of the priorities of state policy. In this regard, the Anti-Corruption Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan has been established.

In recent years, Uzbekistan has made significant progress in eradicating poverty (Goal 1). At the current stage, the task is to reduce the poverty rate by half by 2026 and significantly reduce it to 5% by 2030. In addition, we also strive to pay more attention to people who are at high risk of falling below the poverty line.

Recent reforms in the agricultural sector and the allocation of land to vulnerable segments of the population have contributed to significant changes in the field of food security and promoting sustainable agriculture (Goal 2).

As a result of the policy pursued from 2018 to 2022, Uzbekistan has improved 12 positions in the Global Food Security Index (GFSI).

In the area of "Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages" (Goal 3), the country is seeing a steady decline in child and infant mortality.

In accordance with our strategy, we have committed to increasing average life expectancy to 78 years by 2030, reducing child and maternal mortality by half.

Significant progress has been made in recent years in ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education (Goal 4). Over the past 6 years, our social reforms have yielded remarkable results in expanding access to preschool education for children. The participation rate of children in organized (preschool) education rose to 84.2% in 2022. In this direction, it is planned to achieve 100% coverage of preschool education by 2030, increasing the number of educational institutions to 56,000.

In order to fundamentally change the system of ensuring gender equality (SDG 5), 2 laws, 16 decrees and resolutions of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 33 resolutions of the Government, as well as the “Strategy for Achieving Gender Equality in Uzbekistan until 2030”, have been adopted, defining key measures to ensure gender equality, prevent cases of harassment and violence against women, and enhance their role in state and public administration. A Republican Commission on Issues of Enhancing the Role of Women in Society, Gender Equality and Family has been established. The number of women senators has increased by almost 25%, and the number of women deputies by 33.3%.

In accordance with the direction of the Strategy, the main economic reforms have become ensuring macroeconomic stability, reducing inflation, reducing and simplifying the tax burden, diversifying economic sectors, creating a favorable business climate, improving infrastructure, developing agriculture, economic integration and the digital economy.

As a result of the reforms, conditions have been created for equal and free competition for all, which allows achieving SDG 10 (Reducing inequality within and among countries). Thanks to the abolition of unnecessary fees and the reduction of tax rates, the tax burden on economic entities has been reduced. At the same time, the rates of property, income and social taxes have been halved.

In order to raise the state youth policy of Uzbekistan to a new level, find solutions to problems in this area, effectively organize and coordinate the activities of authorized bodies, a state body - the Agency for Youth Affairs - was established in 2020.

A new system has been introduced aimed at ensuring youth employment, solving their problems - "Youth Notebook" and "Youth Programs." A single electronic platform "yoshlardaftari.uz" has been launched, allowing for the digitalization of the system, ensuring the transparency of benefits provided to young people, and monitoring work on the ground (SDG 8).

It should be noted that in order to consistently increase employment and the real incomes of the population, LLC "Monomarkaz" was created, providing services to the unemployed population.

Overall, as a result of the implementation of the Strategy, fundamental structural and institutional transformations have taken place in Uzbekistan. First of all, this is the democratization of society, the implementation of the principle of "Leaving no one behind" through the national mahalla model, major positive shifts in ensuring sustainable socio-economic development (a relatively high level of economic growth and investment activity, a significant expansion of international cooperation, reforming healthcare and education, ensuring gender equality, working with children and youth, developing production and social infrastructure).

The necessary foundation of legislative, institutional and economic basis created will serve the purposeful achievement of national goals and objectives of sustainable development until 2030.

International recognition of Uzbekistan's efforts in recent years has been the adoption, at the initiative of the President, of the following UN General Assembly resolutions aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals: "Strengthening regional and international cooperation to ensure peace, stability and sustainable development in the Central Asian region "; "Education and Religious Tolerance"; "Sustainable Tourism and Sustainable Development in Central Asia"; "Declaration of the Aral Sea Region zone of ecological innovations and technologies”.

The UN General Assembly resolution on December 14, 2022 approved the Initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On strengthening the role of parliaments in accelerating the achievement of the sustainable development goal”. International Forums were organized in the cities of Bukhara and Tashkent with the participation of parliamentarians from more than 100 countries.

The Action Strategy and Development Strategy adopted by the President of Uzbekistan are five-year “road maps” for the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The UN makes a significant contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Uzbekistan's cooperation with the UN has risen to a completely new level over the past five years. In order to implement the UN Agenda 2030, the government, with the assistance of UN Agencies, adopted the National Sustainable Development Goals and Targets for the period up to 2030, approved 16 national goals and 125 targets. A "road map" for the implementation of the National Goals and Targets was adopted, a parliamentary commission and a Coordination Council under the government were created. Two Voluntary National Reviews on the implementation of the SDGs were presented, which became real evidence of the progress achieved, characterizing the country's participation in the implementation of the "Agenda - 2030". A Strategy for Financing the Sustainable Development Goals has been developed. UN Agencies contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals through the implementation of specific programs and projects.

The instrument of interaction between the Government of Uzbekistan and the UN is the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), which reflects the priority areas of the country's socio-economic development in the medium term and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

As part of the implementation of the main tasks defined in the framework of the Development Strategy of the New Uzbekistan, political contacts between Uzbekistan and the UN at the highest and high levels have noticeably intensified in recent years. Uzbekistan has become an active participant in the activities of the General Assembly and specialized agencies of the UN.

The main result of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Uzbekistan is their recognition by international organizations. In the international ranking of Sustainable Development Goals, published by an international independent organization (SDR) in 2023, Uzbekistan took 69th place among 166 countries, increasing its rating by 8 notches (in 2022, 77th place). According to the SDR Index Sustainable Development Report, Uzbekistan has seen positive growth in sustainable development indicators for the following 11 out of 16 goals: poverty reduction (Goal 1), food security and nutrition (Goal 2), health and well-being (Goal 3), gender equality (Goal 5), quality education (Goal 4), clean water and sanitation (Goal 6), industrialization, innovation and infrastructure (Goal 9), sustainable development of cities and communities (Goal 11), combating climate change (Goal 13), peace, justice and effective institutions (Goal 16).

Significant work has been done to ensure food security and nutrition. In particular, Uzbekistan took first place in the Top 10 countries with the greatest progress in ensuring food security in 2019-2022 according to the Global Food Security Index.

The first and second Voluntary National Reviews on the implementation of national goals and objectives of sustainable development of Uzbekistan until 2030, prepared in 2020 and 2023, were positively assessed by the UN.

Significant progress has been made in ensuring gender equality and empowering all women and girls. In 2024, the World Bank's “ The Women, Business and the Law Index 2024” ranked Uzbekistan among the top 5 countries that have implemented significant reforms in the field of women's rights and gender equality. Particularly high scores were achieved in such index components as security, mobility, workplace, pay, marriage, parenthood, childcare, entrepreneurship, assets and pensions.

In the gender data availability ranking published by Gender Data Compass in 2023, Uzbekistan ranked 56th in the world among 185 countries and 3rd in Central Asia.

In the Open Data Watch openness ranking (including gender breakdown), it ranked 30th among 195 countries and 1st among Central Asian countries.

Much work has been done to promote the building of a peaceful and open society. In the World Bank's ranking, Uzbekistan's performance in the World Governance Indicators (WGI) improved in all six components in 2022. In the Government Effectiveness indicator, Uzbekistan ranked 116th out of 214 countries, improving its previous result by 22 positions. In the United Nations E-Government Development Index, Uzbekistan rose to 69th place out of 193 countries in 2022, compared to 81st place in 2019, reflecting the acceleration of the implementation of digital technologies.

Overall, Uzbekistan has created a strong foundation for the timely and high-quality achievement of its national goals and objectives for sustainable development until 2030.

Yulduz Abduganiyeva

 Project Manager of the Institute of Forecasting and Macroeconomic Research