USAID Uzbekistan announced on Facebook the arrival of their new Mission Director, David Hoffman, in the capital city of Tashkent.
Hoffman will lead USAID's programs to support the ongoing reform agenda of the Government of Uzbekistan.
Earlier, Samantha Power, the USAID Administrator, administered her oath of office at the USAID Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Since 1993, USAID has provided Uzbekistan with over $621mn in aid. Currently, USAID's annual budget exceeds $30mn and is used for:
- ECONOMIC GROWTH: Diversify the agricultural sector; facilitate Uzbekistan’s international and regional trade; make its customs and other border services more efficient; promote the tourism, textiles, green economy, and information technology sectors; foster regional power systems and the development of renewable energy; promotes sustainable transboundary water resources management; and help restore the Aral Sea zone.
- EDUCATION: Reform and modernize Uzbekistan’s education system; strengthen the instruction of literacy, numeracy, English as a Foreign Language, and Information and Communications Technology in the public school system; improve work readiness and employability skills of youth to ensure a successful school-to-work transition, while giving special attention to women, girls, and youth with disabilities; and leverage private sector partnerships to create opportunities for hands-on training of youth through job shadowing, internships, and mentorships.
- HEALTH: Improve health systems and services for tuberculosis (TB), COVID-19, and other emerging infectious diseases; support the pharmaceutical regulatory authority for improved access to quality medicines; and provide food to vulnerable populations such as the elderly, health challenged, and orphans.
- DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE: USAID helps citizens develop the skills they need to participate in government decision-making processes and strengthens government institutions to improve the effectiveness of public services. USAID also supports Uzbekistan’s efforts to enhance adherence to the rule of law; build the capacity of the judiciary, legal professionals, and training institutions; enhance citizens’ access to justice; improve the legal operating environment for civil society; promote gender equality and combat gender-based violence; and create a healthier investment climate. In addition, USAID works to combat human trafficking; and promotes safe migration for prospective migrants and at-risk individuals.
The following examples serve to highlight the favorable impact of USAID's endeavors:
- Co-financing $2.4mn in investment by local businesses and facilitated $4.5mn in private sector investment.
- The creation of 1,254 jobs and upgrading of another 1,000. In addition, more than 7,000 farmers were trained in soil analysis and the proper use of fertilizers.
- USAID's technical expertise and recommendations were included in the final legislation adopted by the Government of Uzbekistan in April 2023, criminalizing GBV. This is an essential milestone for Uzbekistan since, for the first time, there is a solid legal basis to hold perpetrators accountable.
- Providing free legal aid to over 600,000 people (as of July 2023), including at-risk groups such as victims of human trafficking and GBV. As a result of free legal aid, beneficiaries could resolve legal issues and rebuild their lives.
- The inclusion of Countering Trafficking in Persons as a funding category under the Uzbek Parliament's Public Fund for NGOs. This guarantees local NGOs will receive public funding to support migrants and human trafficking survivors.
- The purchase and adoption of English as a Foreign Language teaching and learning materials it piloted in 213 schools in the 2021-2022 school year. Subsequently, the Ministry of Preschool and School Education distributed these high-quality English learning materials to every school in the country in the 2022-2023 school year, reaching over 6mn students and tens of thousands of teachers.
- The donation of cold chain equipment and computers worth $1.3mn to the Ministry of Health to strengthen Uzbekistan’s national immunization system. Also, USAID provided over $16mn in assistance to Uzbekistan’s COVID-19 response during the pandemic. USAID also facilitated the delivery of 9.6mn doses of U.S.-manufactured COVID-19 vaccines through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) initiative.
Daryo previously reported that his predecessor Michaela Meredith served as USAID Mission Director in Uzbekistan from June 11, 2021, to July 31, 2023.
During her tenure, significant achievements were made in expanding the organization's programs and networks.
A team of 34 development experts from the United States and Uzbekistan effectively implemented the first bilateral country strategy for USAID in Uzbekistan.
USAID also introduced four new initiatives to reduce reliance on the USAID/Central Asia regional platform.
Follow Daryo's official Instagram and Threads pages to keep up to date on world news.
Comments (0)