BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 6. A new ‘Green Economy Technical Assistance Programme’ strategy implemented by the European Union in Uzbekistan will support the country with a budget of 6.1 million euros over a period of four years, a source at the European Commission told Trend.
"'Inclusive, digital, and green growth' is one of three pillars of our bilateral cooperation in terms of development aid to Uzbekistan. Under this pillar, the bilateral 'Green Economy Technical Assistance Programme' (GETAP) program has just begun and will provide the country with 6.1 million euros over a four-year period. The goal of the new program is to deliver on key milestones of the country's Green Growth Strategic Framework (GGSF)," says an EU source.
At the regional level, the EU representative stated that the EU program on Sustainable Energy Connectivity in Central Asia (SECCA) aims to strengthen policy, regulatory, and institutional frameworks for the transition to a sustainable energy system, as well as increase investment in sustainable energy in the Central Asian region, as part of the Team Europe Initiative for Water, Energy, and Climate Change.
“Via the EU Investment Facility for Central Asia, the EU is also providing support to two ongoing energy projects in Uzbekistan, which include support to energy efficiency investment by industrial enterprises, implemented by the European Investment Bank, and a hydroelectricity development project, implemented by Agence Française de Développement (AFD),” the source explained.
Meanwhile, the European Union has plans to allocate 76 million euros to Uzbekistan for the first four years (2021-2024) of its 7-year Multi-Annual Indicative Programme (MIP) 2021-2027. Additional funds are earmarked for human rights support (the tentative allocation is 3.6 million euros for 2021–2024) and civil society organizations (3.4 million euros for 2021–2024).
The MIP 2021-2027 has three main priorities:
Effective governance and digital transformation;
Inclusive, Digital and Green Growth;
Development of a smart eco-friendly agri-food sector.
The priorities in the program will focus on budget support for agriculture reform and transfer of know-how through technical assistance or twinning projects with European Union member states.