Uzbekistan Fails to Meet US Fiscal Transparency Requirements

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan does not meet the minimum fiscal transparency requirements set by the United States Department of State, according to the agency's 2026 Fiscal Transparency Report.

The annual assessment is compiled in accordance with Section 7031(b) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act for 2026. The legislation mandates that the Secretary of State annually update and strengthen minimum transparency requirements for foreign governments receiving US financial assistance, assessing whether governments have made significant progress toward addressing identified deficiencies. In 2026, the State Department added a criterion requiring public disclosure of the terms, conditions, liabilities, and collateralized assets for sovereign loans extended to foreign borrowers.

Under State Department methodology, minimum fiscal transparency requires key budget documents to be publicly available, substantially complete, and reliable. The review evaluates the publication of proposed budgets, enacted budgets, and end-of-year execution reports, alongside disclosures on sovereign debt, the presence of an independent supreme audit institution, adherence to natural resource licensing laws, and accessibility of public procurement contracts. The report notes that a lack of fiscal transparency is not an explicit finding of corruption, nor does high transparency guarantee the absence of corrupt practices.

During the review period, Uzbek authorities published executive budget proposals, enacted budgets, and end-of-year reports in a timely manner. These documents provided a generally complete picture of government revenues and expenditures, including allocations by ministry and executive administrative spending. Key off-budget accounts were disclosed, and military and intelligence expenditures were subject to civilian or parliamentary oversight.

However, the State Department noted that Uzbekistan did not disclose complete details regarding government debt obligations, including liabilities of state-owned enterprises, nor did it publish the terms of sovereign loans made to foreign borrowers. Detailed data on natural resource extraction revenues was not publicly available, and the government failed to publish accessible information regarding public procurement contracts.

The country's supreme audit institution met international standards of independence, covering the executive budget and providing substantive findings. Authorities also adhered to legal procedures for awarding natural resource extraction licenses and published basic contract information. Uzbekistan's sovereign wealth fund demonstrated a sound legal framework while disclosing funding sources and overall asset usage guidelines.

The US Department of State recommended that Uzbekistan incorporate state-owned enterprise allocations and revenues into budget documentation, fully disclose sovereign debt and guarantee details, publish terms for loans to foreign entities, and make public procurement contracts accessible.

The assessment evaluated 139 governments and the Palestinian Authority initially identified in 2014. Seventy-three governments met minimum fiscal transparency standards for the assessment period from 1 January to 31 December 2025, while 67 did not. Among the 67 non-compliant nations, 14 made significant progress, a designation Uzbekistan did not achieve.