Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 17 April 2025, a meeting took place at the United Nations headquarters in New York between the Minister of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan, Sherzod Shermatov, and the Director of the Department of Public Institutions and Digital Governance (DPIDG) of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), Vincenzo Aquaro.

During the meeting, priority areas of cooperation in digital public administration were discussed, along with the promotion of the open government initiative and the expansion of partnerships within the framework of global UN initiatives.

Special attention was given to the development of electronic citizen participation in decision-making processes.

Vincenzo Aquaro highly praised the efforts being made by Uzbekistan in this area and expressed readiness to provide expert support in the fields of digital inclusion and electronic participation within the framework of UNDESA's opportunities.

The meeting also addressed the organization of systemic training workshops in Uzbekistan aimed at enhancing the capacity of civil servants.

As part of the event, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan and UNDESA within the framework of the Local Online Services Index (LOSI) initiative.

This document will enable the systematic assessment of digital services at the regional level, analyze the state of local digital platforms, develop recommendations for improving the quality and accessibility of online services, integrate Uzbekistan into the international LOSI methodology, and enhance its participation in global rankings.

Vincenzo Aquaro expressed confidence that Uzbekistan would become a regional leader in digital public administration and confirmed continued support for current national reforms from UN DESA.