Uzbekistan Ministry of Economy and Finance Delegation Studies Slovak Public Expenditure Management

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — A delegation of public finance specialists from Uzbekistan visited the Slovak Republic to study advanced international practices in fiscal management. The visit focused primarily on conducting public expenditure reviews, implementing program-based budgeting, evaluating large-scale investment projects, and analyzing tax impacts. Studying these fiscal tools aims to enhance the overall efficiency, transparency, and effectiveness of public finances in supporting Uzbekistan's sustainable development.

The study tour brought together officials from the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan and experts from the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic. Over a comprehensive week-long program, the Uzbek delegation participated in practical sessions covering Slovakia's fiscal system, performance-based budgeting, and investment management. Using concrete examples from the healthcare, education, and energy sectors, the participants thoroughly analyzed the operations of Slovakia's specialized analytical unit, Value for Money.

Shokhrukh Ishankulov, Deputy Director of the Budget Policy Department at the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan, noted that adapting tools such as benchmarking databases for price comparison, green budgeting frameworks, and tax impact assessment methodologies is of direct importance for establishing evidence-based public policy in Uzbekistan.

The Uzbek specialists paid special attention to the Slovak approach to public expenditure reviews, which allows for the precise alignment of budget funding with government priorities. Jakhongir Negmatov, Head of the Consolidated Budget and State Target Funds Division, emphasized that expenditure optimization stands as a top priority for Uzbekistan. In his view, adopting the Slovak mechanism will enable the republic to save resources, generate additional fiscal space, and increase the return on national programs.

Furthermore, Muzaffar Aniyozov, Chief Specialist of the Budget Policy Division, added that the open professional dialogue with Slovak colleagues, who transparently shared both their successes and the challenges encountered during their structural reforms, provided valuable lessons for improving the financial management system back home.

In addition to sharing methodologies, the two sides discussed the development of long-term institutional capacity and the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the budgetary process. This study visit was organized under the framework of the joint project "Public Finances for Development in Uzbekistan," implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) alongside the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan, with financial support from the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic.

The project aims to comprehensively strengthen the technical and legal frameworks of the government of Uzbekistan for a sustainable transition to program-based budgeting and resource allocation driven by measurable economic, social, and environmental outcomes.