COVID-19 Green Recovery for Uzbekistan
On March 11, online Press Conference was held following the eForum “Building Forward Better: a COVID-19 Green Recovery for Uzbekistan’’, which was co-organised by the United Nations Development Programme, the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Uzbekistan, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, and the Government of Uzbekistan represented by the Ministry of Economic Development and Poverty Reduction, the Centre of Hydrometeorological Services (Uzhydromet) and the State Committee for Ecology and Environment Protection.
The eForum, which took place on 3 and 4 March 2021, provided an opportunity to discuss where Uzbekistan stands in its recovery from COVID-19 and how government, the private sector and civil society can jointly develop and implement new policies and incentives for a green recovery.
The European Union actively participated in the eForum. Among the key participants were Ambassador Peter Burian, EU Special Representative for Central Asia, Ms Marjeta Jager, Deputy Director-General, European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships, European Commission, and Ms Astrid Schomaker, Director for Global Sustainable Development, European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment. In addition, Session IV of the Forum “Enabling Environment for the Digital Transformation in the Private Sector” was moderated by Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan Mr Johannes Stenbeak Madsen. During the Session, the participants identified examples of how the private sector can contribute to a green recovery and discussed the opportunities and risks in the digital transformation in the country.
At the Press Conference, Head of Cooperation Unit of the EU Delegation to Uzbekistan Mr François Begeot pointed out, “the Forum’s participants agreed that between the green agenda and growth, there is no room for a trade-off and waiting any longer for concrete actions. Therefore, the EU’s commitment to the implementation of the Green Deal goes beyond the borders of the European Union. The EU aims to build Green Alliances and promote a global green energy transition”.
In particular, it was mentioned, that in Uzbekistan, the European Union plans to enhance the support to a green recovery by putting the green growth at the centre of the next EU cooperation programme for the period of 2021-2027. Renewable energy, sustainable agri-food sector and green investments will be among the key themes constituting the programme.
During the Q&A session, Mr Begeot provided the examples of best practices of green economy mechanisms at the government, private sector and civil society level. “It is important to have a strategy with measurable targets. The stakeholders working at the national level can take the inspiration from the European Green Deal, Europe’s new growth strategy and roadmap to become the first carbon-neutral continent by 2050”.
