Effective use of grant funds is considered

On December 25, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a meeting on active involvement and effective use of grants.

Consistent work is being carried out in Uzbekistan to improve the socio-economic life of the population, to attract grants, technical and other external gratuitous assistance for this purpose, and to develop cooperation with foreign countries, international organizations and foundations.

In accordance with the Decree of the Head of the state “On Measures for improving the mechanisms of attracting funds of external gratuitous assistance and working with donors” of October 10 this year, a new vertical system was created in this area. The Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade is determined as the authorized body for coordination and monitoring of work with grants and donors, a new department is organized at the ministry.

Remaining shortcomings in the sphere were identified at the meeting. So, 160 projects are currently being implemented in the country through grants in the amount of 667 million USD. However, there is no mechanism for monitoring the implementation of these projects, evaluating the effectiveness of development and monitoring the targeted use of funds. The facilities and equipment put into operation through grants and the experience gained within the framework of projects are used inefficiently. Not enough grants are attracted in such areas as science, innovation, ecology.

In this regard, the next urgent tasks on the active attraction and effective use of grant funds were discussed.

Instructions were given to attract new grants in each priority area and industry. The Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade, the Ministry of Finance was instructed to create a new system for evaluating the effectiveness of projects implemented through grants.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade were given tasks to develop relations with international donor organizations.

Ministries of Health, Higher and Secondary Special Education, Agriculture, the State Committee for Ecology and Environmental Protection have been instructed to develop roadmaps for attracting grants in 2020, directing the funds attracted to priority goals and specific projects.

For example, the possibility of attracting funds in healthcare from the World Health Organization, JICA, KOICA and other donors to such priority areas as oncology, childhood and socially significant diseases, and the organization of laboratories was noted.

Instructions were given on expanding the attraction of grants to the UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea region.

The importance of intensifying the work on attracting foreign specialists and volunteers within the framework of free aid, establishing a constant dialogue with them and using their experience was noted.

Appropriate measures were identified on the issues discussed at the meeting.

UZA