BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 13. Uzbekistan is making significant progress in addressing environmental challenges and transitioning to a green economy with the French Development Agency’s (AFD) strategic assistance, AFD’s Country Director for Uzbekistan Olivier Grandvoinet told Trend in an exclusive interview.
“Uzbekistan, one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, has prioritized the transition to a green economy as a key part of its development strategy. In 2022, the country adopted a Strategy for the Transition to a Green Economy, which is supported by the Green Economy Support Program implemented by AFD from 2021 through 2026,” he said.
According to him, this program focuses on three main pillars: building a strong institutional framework for green growth, advancing fiscal policies for a green transition, and fostering investments in sustainable projects. Financial support is provided to Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Economy and Finance through budget allocations, with the final disbursement scheduled for 2025-2026.
“The program is further complemented by a Technical Cooperation grant, financed by the European Union and implemented by AFD’s subsidiary, Expertise France. This cooperation includes capacity-building measures such as training, advisory support, study tours, and various studies, ensuring effective implementation of Uzbekistan's green economy strategy,” Olivier Grandvoinet noted.
The AFD representative also emphasized the agency’s efforts to support water resource management in Uzbekistan. In partnership with the European Union, AFD is co-financing sanitation projects in Karmana, Kitab, and Shakhrisabz, with a total investment of 105 million euros in loans and 8.15 million euros in EU grants.
“These projects are aimed at improving public health and living standards by expanding sewerage access, reducing water-borne illnesses, and supporting economic productivity through healthier communities. Additionally, advanced wastewater treatment systems are being introduced to prevent pollution of rivers and groundwater, while treated wastewater will be reused to support agriculture, addressing water scarcity in the region,” he stated.
He underlined that AFD is also involved in drinking water projects in Tashkent, Fergana, and Kashkadarya, with funding amounting to nearly 260 million euros, including 7 million euros in EU grants. These projects aim to provide access to safe drinking water for over 600,000 people, particularly in rural areas.
“These initiatives will reduce the time burden on women, who often spend hours collecting and purifying water. We are optimistic that these projects will soon be approved, marking a significant step toward a future where all citizens have access to safe drinking water and sanitation, fostering a healthier, resilient society,” Olivier Grandvoinet said.
AFD’s Country Director also noted that the agency is currently working on future projects in Karakalpakstan, next to the Aral Sea, with a focus on addressing the environmental challenges faced by Uzbekistan.
"One of the main projects is planting trees. So far, 20,000 hectares of windbreak forest and halophyte plants have been planted in nine districts of Karakalpakstan with the help of technical help and a project implementation unit. AFD also wants to plant 5,000 hectares to encourage agroforestry and the growth of non-timber forest products (NTFPs), like fruits and roots that can be eaten. This will give the local people a steady way to make money and meet their needs for wood and medicine," he said.
According to him, another significant project focuses on the irrigation sector, where AFD is working to renovate irrigation canals in the lower Amu Darya basin, aiming to improve both infrastructure and water management. This project will address the needs of farmers and tackle challenges related to climate change, water scarcity, and land degradation. The renovation efforts could also include the introduction of water-saving technologies such as drip irrigation to support sustainable farming practices.
"Uzbekistan is growing fast and making significant progress in many areas, which requires support from international finance institutions such as AFD. I am convinced that AFD will continue to grow rapidly its portfolio and activities in very diverse sectors in response to the needs of the Uzbek authorities," Olivier Grandvoinet emphasized.
He also underlined the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the AFD, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), and Uzbekistan. The document introduces innovative tools and strategies for sustainable development in the country.
"The SDSN is collaborating with the Uzbek Ministry of Finance and the Center for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR), a government think tank focused on economic analysis. The MoU is a significant step toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Uzbekistan. It centers on developing specialized tools for monitoring SDG progress, strengthening institutional capacities, and facilitating knowledge transfer," he said.
According to him, the SDSN’s contribution will focus on tailoring a quantitative analysis approach and tools successfully tested in countries like Benin to track SDG progress at the national level.
Olivier Grandvoinet highlighted three key areas of collaboration under the MoU. The first is tool development. SDSN will design and implement monitoring tools. The second is capacity building and knowledge transfer. The tools and their applications will be shared with scientific and institutional stakeholders in Uzbekistan, enabling their use in planning and policymaking. Sustainability will be ensured by integrating Uzbek academic partners into the SDSN network. The third part includes help from the FABLE Network, which stands for "Food, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Land Use, and Energy." This network offers modeling tools for planning food systems, biodiversity, and land use in a way that is in line with the SDGs and the Paris Agreement.
"This partnership marks a significant step toward strengthening Uzbekistan’s ability to monitor and implement sustainable development strategies effectively and, in particular, to assess progress against the ambitious objectives set by Uzbekistan under its Strategy 2030," he added.