Uzbek Officials Study Slovak Public Finance Practices

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — A delegation of specialists from the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan has visited the Slovak Republic on a study tour dedicated to learning international experience in public expenditure reviews, program budgeting, investment project evaluation, and tax impact analysis.

The trip was organized to exchange practical experience in the area of improving strategic budgeting and public finance management.

During the week-long program, the representatives of Uzbekistan participated in thematic sessions focused on the fiscal system of Slovakia, outcome-based budgeting, public investment management, public expenditure reviews, and tax impact assessment methodologies.

Practical workshops and case studies in the sectors of education, healthcare, and energy were aimed at examining evidence-based decision-making mechanisms and increasing the efficiency of public finance management.

Shokhrukh Ishankulov, Deputy Director of the Budget Policy Department of the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan, noted that the experience of the Slovak Value for Money unit holds particular practical value for the country.

According to him, the use of tools such as databases for price benchmarking, investment project evaluation methods, tax impact analysis, and green budgeting frameworks is of important significance for shaping public policy based on objective data.

Jakhongir Negmatov, Head of the Consolidated Budget and State Target Funds Division of the Budget Policy Department of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, emphasized that increasing the efficiency of budget expenditures is one of Uzbekistan's priorities.

According to him, the experience of Slovakia demonstrates the effectiveness of applying the Value for Money approach and regularly conducting public expenditure reviews, which makes it possible to simultaneously save public resources and improve the effectiveness of budget programs.

As part of the visit, the delegation also studied the Slovak approach to conducting public expenditure reviews as a tool for more effective allocation of budget funds in accordance with state priorities.

Muzaffar Aniyozov, Chief Specialist of the Budget Policy Department of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, noted that the open exchange of experience with Slovak colleagues, including discussions of both successful practices and difficulties encountered during the reforms, allowed them to gain useful conclusions for the further improvement of the public finance management system in Uzbekistan.

Following the trip, the parties confirmed their interest in continuing professional dialogue and technical cooperation.

The discussions were dedicated to strengthening institutional capacity, integrating the Sustainable Development Goals and green budgeting principles into the budget process, improving investment planning, and developing the analytical capabilities of government bodies.

The study visit was organized within the framework of the "Public Finance for Development in Uzbekistan" project, which is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme jointly with the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan, with financial support from the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic.

The project aims to strengthen the institutional and technical capacity of government bodies, develop program and result-oriented budgeting, and integrate the Sustainable Development Goals and green budgeting principles into the public financial management system.