Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 27 April 2020, negotiations between the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sardor Umurzakov and the UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Liu Zhenmin took place in a video conference format.

During the dialogue, Liu Zhenmin noted that Uzbekistan is the first country with which the UN leadership has conducted bilateral negotiations in the online format since the pandemic began, which indicates clearly expressed intentions of both parties to deepen and expand multifaceted cooperation.

Topical issues of the implementation of joint projects, as well as prospects for further expansion of interaction, were considered. Noting the comprehensive measures to reduce poverty initiated by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Liu Zhenmin, on behalf of the UN leadership, expressed his readiness to provide consultative and technical assistance in the development of the Poverty Reduction Program, which aims to systematize a set of measures to provide wide comprehensive social and economic support to the unemployed and vulnerable segments of the country’s population .

The UN office in Uzbekistan will also provide expert support in conducting joint studies of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country’s economy.

Separately, the course of preparation of the first Voluntary National Report of Uzbekistan on the progress achieved in the implementation of strategic goals and objectives until 2030 was considered. Liu Zhenmin welcomed the plans for Uzbekistan to present this report as part of the High-level Political Forum under the auspices of the United Nations Economic and Social Council in New York in July 2020.

The High-level Political Forum is the central UN platform for reviewing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In 2020, presentations of Voluntary National Reports of about 50 countries are expected.

In addition, they discussed the possibility of allocating grant funds to Uzbekistan to develop an Integrated National Financing System in order to increase transparency in the management of public finances and help accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Cooperation in the field of training will be expanded - the UN leadership expressed its readiness to organize advanced training programs for civil servants of Uzbekistan at the UN headquarters.

As a result of negotiations, an agreement was reached on the joint development of a Road Map for the implementation of agreed initiatives and the development of new areas of cooperation. An active dialogue in this direction will be continued through holding regular sessions in the format of video conferencing.