To the United Nations Public Service Forum

Dear forum participants!

Dear guests!

I sincerely congratulate you on the opening of the United Nations Civil Service Forum, which is being held for the first time in the Central Asian region.

I express special gratitude to His Excellency the UN Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, for supporting our initiative to hold the forum in the city of Samarkand, located at the crossroads of world civilizations.

I take this opportunity to congratulate you all on Public Service Day, widely celebrated around the world on June 23 at the initiative of the UN.

As you know, today the world is faced with global problems, such as increased political conflicts that impede sustainable development, climate change, shortage of natural and human resources, cyber threats.

I am convinced that the current international forum, dedicated to the theme “Five years until 2030: accelerating the provision of public services for a sustainable future”, will serve to improve the system of public administration and civil service, which plays an important role in global development, bringing it to a new level that meets the requirements of the time, increasing the potential of personnel and the efficiency of their activities, strengthening international cooperation in the field.

About 400 delegates of the United Nations, other authoritative international structures, states of different continents and regions participate in the traditional forum world, which also clearly demonstrates his high status.

Dear forum participants!

Today, more than ever, the exchange of best practices in promoting the digital transformation of public administration, applying innovative solutions in the provision of public services, radically increasing the efficiency of public sector institutions, developing leadership styles in management, expanding continuing education and identifying the skills needed by future leaders is becoming more relevant.

I would like to especially emphasize that the New Uzbekistan, increasingly opening up to the world, following the path of accelerated reforms, widely applying advanced international experience, firmly follows the principle of “the state for the people” and is becoming an integral part of global changes in the field of public service.

In recent years, systemic reforms have been carried out in Uzbekistan to transform the civil service into a truly inclusive public service. In particular, together with international experts, the Law “On the State Civil Service” was prepared.

In order for our reforms to reach every home, a system of work across mahallas was introduced, the institution of targeted support and social protection was strengthened, the share of women in public administration reached 35 percent, in this direction our country took a leading place in the region. More than 700 public services are provided through online platforms based on the “single window” principle.

As a result of the complete digitalization of public service and management processes, Uzbekistan over the past year has risen by 24 positions in the United Nations global ranking for the level of e-government development, as well as by 17 positions in the international artificial intelligence readiness index.

In order to organize the state civil service based on new approaches, we have created a cluster for training to attract talented specialists who meet modern requirements and form a professional corps of civil servants.

To increase institutional capacity and support investment in human capital based on international experience, the use of endowment opportunities is being introduced. In this regard, we urge you to support our global initiatives to create in Uzbekistan the Global Knowledge Center for Digital Transformation of the Public Service and the International School of Young Leaders.

These initiatives open up great opportunities for enhancing exchange between governments, innovators and development partners, educating future generations of civil servants, widespread use of digital tools in management and everyday life, introducing innovations in the public sector.

I am confident that such important initiatives and the proposals will be fully reflected in the Samarkand Declaration, which will be adopted within the framework of the forum, and this important document will become for all of us a kind of program of joint action to achieve an inclusive, sustainable and people-oriented public service.

I wish you all great success on this noble path and fruitful work of the forum.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Official website of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan