European External Action Service

02/02/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/02/2023 05:33

EU Ambassador to Uzbekistan pays a monitoring visit to Khorezm region

2 February 2023, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.Today H.E. Charlotte Adriaen, EU Ambassador to Uzbekistan completes her two-day visit to Khorezm region of Uzbekistan where she met with local authorities and partners, got acquainted with the ongoing projects and monitored the results of activities implemented with EU funding in the region.

EU provides its financial support to Khorazm region through a number of initiatives and projects on livestock development implemented with the World Bank, skills development for employability in rural areas of Uzbekistan as well as on the silk road heritage corridors in Afghanistan, Central Asia and Iran - that are the result of partnership with the UNESCO, and a number of educational projects within the ERASMUS+ Programme.

The visit started with the meeting with Mr Bakhrom Abdullaev, Rector of the Urganch State University, the staff involved in ERASMUS+ projects. Ambassador Adriaen also exchanged with students, including with some who conducted short-term study as part of International Credit Mobility.

The delegation visited local textile plant 'Bahmal Group' exporting to Europe. It is noteworthy that the volume of trade between the EU and Uzbekistan has increased by 15.7% in 2022, reaching $4.4 billion. Germany, Lithuania, Italy, Poland and France are indicated as the top five trade partners of Uzbekistan from among the EU countries during this period. As it was emphasised during the visit, the growth trends are due, among other things, to Uzbekistan's beneficiary status of the Generalised System of Preferences Plus (GSP+), which is enabling to increase and diversify the country's exports to the EU market by almost 50% over the previous year.

Within the agenda, the second day started with a meeting with acting Hokim of Khorazm region, Mr Djurabek Rakhimov, to discuss further cooperation prospects between the EU and Khorezm. During the meeting, Ambassador Adriaen shared her impressions with a.i. Hokim Rakhimov and said:

"I am truly impressed by the dynamism and development of Khorazm. Not only does the region have a multicenturies long history to attract tourists, but I see also a great potential for a quick development, thanks to the energy and socio economic projects being implemented. The EU is ready to continue its support to help the region cope with its challenges, including environmental ones, and attract European investors".

The next meeting was held at the Koshkupir College of Water Management and Land Reclamation where the pilot office of the EU funded UNESCO Project "Skills Development for Employability in Rural Areas of Uzbekistan" is located. The initiative is being implemented in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Khorazm, Bukhara and Surkhondaryo regions with the aim to enhance living standards in rural areas through better employability for women and men, providing them with relevant skills for the needs of a sustainable, diversified, and modernized agriculture.

That day the EU Ambassador to Uzbekistan HE Charlotte Adriaen and the UNESCO Representative to Uzbekistan Ms Sara Noshadi opened the newly restored Bogbonli Mosque within the walled city of Khiva.

Since 2018, the EU funded project «Silk Roads Heritage Corridors in Afghanistan, Central Asia and Iran - International Dimension of the European Year of Cultural Heritage» has been implemented by UNESCO Offices of Almaty, Kabul, Tehran and Tashkent to strengthen capacities for safeguarding tangible and intangible cultural heritage, raise awareness and promote the common cultural heritage on the Silk Roads, and use the heritage as a foundation for sustainable development.

Jointly with the national partners within this project a small quarterly mosque 'Bogbonli', located in the southern part of Ichan-Kala and considered the World Heritage Property of Uzbekistan, was restored. It is envisioned that this activity will also contribute in improving livelihoods and creating opportunities for income generation and jobs for communities in the region.

European Union established relations with Uzbekistan since the country's independence in 1991. The EU provides financial assistance to Uzbekistan, primarily for promoting economic development; effective governance; digital transformation; digital and green growth; development of sustainable agriculture and food sector.