The project “Skills development for employability in rural areas of Uzbekistan” aims at equipping Uzbek women and men with relevant skills for sustainable, diversified and modernised agriculture. This will be achieved by modernising, strengthening and adapting vocational for the agriculture and irrigation sectors.

Together with the UN, the EU will bring integrated and innovative solutions to mitigate the negative consequences of climate change in the Aral Sea region and help the most vulnerable communities in the area. This will increase the UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea region.

In addition, the EU reconfirms its trade interests in the region. It will support the government with concrete activities to: 1) fulfil World Trade Organisation (WTO) accession requirements and to reform related national trade policies; 2) increase understanding of WTO accession; 3) strengthen national capacities for phytosanitary and  trade facilitation compliance; and 4) raise stakeholder and private sector awareness, including women’s associations on WTO accession.

Background

In its bilateral and regional cooperation with Uzbekistan, the European Union has allocated €168 million to the country between 2014 and 2020. This cooperation mainly focuses on rural development but also covers sectors such as governance, education, trade, and investment. Uzbekistan also benefits from regional and thematic assistance in areas like border management and drug control, education (through Erasmus+), democracy and human rights, energy, development of small and medium enterprises, peace and stability, water/environment and nuclear safety. The EU has been active in Uzbekistan since 1996, and invested approximately €24 million annually in development cooperation.

For additional information about activities of the EU Delegation and EU-Uzbekistan cooperation, see: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/uzbekistan and https://www.facebook.com/eudeluzb/