Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- A delegation of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) visited Karakalpakstan, Dunyo news agency reported.
The main purpose of the visit of the American delegation was to conduct negotiations with the involved ministries, departments and regional khokimiyats of Karakalpakstan for a substantive discussion of the socio-economic situation of the region, improving the quality of the health care system, providing drinking water to schools and kindergartens, as well as implementing educational programs in conjunction with universities of the republic.
At a meeting with First Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Karakalpakstan, Jusipbek Kazbekov, Acting Director of the USAID Mission in Uzbekistan Rebecca Black was thoroughly familiarized with the current state of the environment in the Aral Sea region. The USAID Head of Mission highly appreciated the ongoing social projects to improve the life and health of the region's population, as well as the Government's efforts to overcome the consequences of the environmental crisis in the Aral Sea with the support of the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund for Human Security for the Aral Sea region.
In addition, the American delegation met with the leadership of the Ministry of Health of Karakalpakstan, and also visited a number of medical institutions of the republic, including the Republican Interdistrict Tuberculosis Hospital No. 1 and the Republican Psychoneurological Hospital No. 2. Based on the results of familiarization with the conditions of patient care, an agreement was reached on the implementation of joint programs to assist in equipping local hospitals with modern technology, in particular, X-ray and ultrasound equipment to improve the availability and quality of medical care in rural areas, as well as the epidemiological state in the republic.
The USAID representatives studied in detail the curricula and the current state of water supply in local schools. Rebecca Black said that the Agency will consider allocating additional funds for the installation of pumping stations in order to provide clean drinking water to schools in the region.
The agency also intends to support the Ministry of Public Education in the implementation of educational programs implemented in cooperation with the American Councils for high school students, as well as providing English language textbooks and assessing the quality of teaching, which should help increase students' readiness to study in universities.
Separately, visits of the American delegation to Kungrad and Karauzyak districts, assigned to the Embassy of Uzbekistan in the United States, were organized, meetings were held with district khokims, and local schools and family clinics were visited to discuss the implementation of joint social programs to improve the quality of life of the population.
At the meetings in the ministries of agriculture and water resources, the provision of the population with drinking water and the problems arising from the irrigation of agricultural crops were discussed in detail. In this context, the head of the USAID mission reported that the American side is currently considering the request of the Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan to appoint an American expert as a consultant for the implementation of the strategy for the development of the agricultural sector of the republic, in particular by studying geoinformation systems in control wells of reclamation facilities and the introduction of water-saving technologies in the Aral Sea. sea.
The USAID representatives also visited the Aral Sea International Innovation Center, during which a presentation was made on the Center's activities and an agreement was made to organize training seminars for rural youth on the development and implementation of start-up projects in the field, trainings for farmers on the implementation and operation of water-saving technologies and development. agribusiness.