UN Chief highlights priority areas of cooperation with Uzbekistan

According to Mr. Priesner, as thecurrent UN Development AssistanceFramework (UNDAF) 2011-1015 enters its fourth year, economic wellbeing, access to social Services, environment protection, and good governancere main priorities for cooperationfor 2014. The overall delivery this year is set to be in the range of US$25 million for Uzbekistan.

The cooperation in these areas will also help the government implement the national agenda to further strengthen democratic transformations, the rule of law, and judicial reforms.

Notably important is the declaration of 2014 the “Year of the Healthy Child” – an area that is core to the UN Agenda and to the Millennium Development Goals, which is the umbrella under which UN agencies in Uzbekistan collaborate with the Government.

While implementation of the current programme is ongoing, the UN Chief also highlighted 2014 as the year of joint strategic planning of a new UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) which will define the scope of cooperation for2016-2020.

In this regard the current joint undertaking between the Government and Uzbekistan and the UN on stocktaking on MDG achievements in the country is very important. This dialogue will also include a close look at the global post 2015 agenda and how it applies for Uzbekistan’s specific situation.

The Head of the UN in Uzbekistan concluded the interview with the assurance that the people of Uzbekistan will continue to be in the center of the organizations’ work in pursuit of the ultimate vision of improving human development.