KOICA finances projects for US$79m in Uzbekistan

On 5 June 2015, the KOICA Office in Uzbekistan jointly with the Ministry for foreign economic relations, investments and trade organized the Korea-Uzbekistan Development Cooperation Symposium dedicated to discussion of future strategies for socio-economic development of Uzbekistan.

The symposium was attended by First Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Rustam Azimov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of South Korea to Uzbekistan Mr. Lee Wook-heon, KOICA Vice-President Mr. Choi Sungho, Minister of labor and social security Mr. Aziz Abdukhakimov, Deputy Minister for foreign economic relations, investments and trade Mr. Shavkat Tulyaganovand other high level officials.

Rustam Azimov congratulated KOICA with the 20th anniversary of its operation in Uzbekistan on the behalf the Government of Uzbekistan. He said that the KOICA has played an important role in strengthening friendship between Uzbekistan and South Korea in last 20 years and actively supported wide-scale reforms in Uzbekistan.

First Deputy Prime Minister said that KOICA implemented 24 projects in Uzbekistan with the cost of about US$80 million in such spheres as education, ICT, healthcare, agriculture, mining, etc.

He recalled that Uzbekistan and South Korea inked a programme of cooperation with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for 2015-2017 within the visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Seoul. He said that the KOICA will allocate grants for about US$60 million in three years.

He said that KOICA will issue grants for creation of centers for training medical specialists and maintenance of medical equipment, organization of vocational training centers in Urgench and Qoand in 2015-2017. He said that the agency will also implement a project on creation of electronic libraries. He said that 220 libraries will be united to one internet resources.

Azimoc also underlined work of KOICA volunteers in Uzbekistan. He said that South Korean volunteers are ordinary people, who are eager to help other people.

The symposium included video-reels about KOICA activities and presentations from the representative of partner ministries.

They also discussed directions of Korea’s ODA for the socio-economic development of Uzbekistan.

KOICA Office in Uzbekistan has been operating since 1995 and making a great effort in supporting necessary works for socio-economic development of Uzbekistan with a special focus on education (vocational training), healthcare and public administration (e-government). Since 1995 up to present KOICA Office in Uzbekistan has implemented various grant-aid projects with total amount exceeding $78.9 million.