U.S. Assistance to Uzbekistan - Fiscal Year 2003

The Uzbekistan assistance program includes significant food aid programs in addition to border control and drug trafficking programs. Democracy and market reform assistance seeks to help Uzbekistan fulfill its commitments in those areas.

The $86.1 million budgeted by all U.S. Government agencies for assistance programs in Uzbekistan in Fiscal Year 2003 is allocated roughly as follows:

Democracy Programs	$14.7 million
Economic and Social Reform	$18.2 million
Security & Law Enforcement	$30.2 million
Humanitarian Assistance	$18.5 million
Cross Sectoral Initiatives	$ 4.5 million

Democracy programs in Uzbekistan focus on improving political processes and government institutions, strengthening civil society and public advocacy, and supporting independent media. Specifically, funding supports civil society centers to provide training, grants, and technical assistance to indigenous non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Training and grants are given to human rights defenders, and a human rights NGO resource center will be established in the Ferghana Valley. Funding also supports a judicial reform program and a human rights law clinic, training for legal professionals and development of law school curricula. Technical assistance, training, and grants will be given to housing associations and local governments to foster greater citizen participation and transparency in municipal decision-making. Print and broadcast media programs provide legal advice and training on journalism techniques, production methods, management, marketing, and advertising to independent media outlets. Funding also supports new civic education and anti-trafficking in persons programs. Small grant-making programs administered by the National Endowment for Democracy, Eurasia Foundation, and the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent support the work of indigenous NGOs to promote human rights, civil society, civic education, private enterprise development, women’s and minority rights, freedom of speech, independent media, and other initiatives to advance democracy in Uzbekistan.

Training and exchange programs reach out to the next generation of Uzbek leaders and give them first-hand experience with the day-to-day functioning of a market-based, democratic system. Last year, the U.S. Government sent over 340 Uzbek citizens to the United States on academic and professional exchange programs in fields ranging from management to social service provision to NGO development. Since 1993, the U.S. Government has funded the travel of over 2,700 Uzbek citizens to the United States on these programs. This year, the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program will bring some 120 students from Uzbekistan to live with U.S. host families and attend U.S. high schools. The new Community Connections program will send 60 entrepreneurs and professionals to the United States to participate in specialized training programs. The U.S. Government also promotes access to information through programs like the Internet Access and Training program, which supports 16 public access sites in 14 cities throughout Uzbekistan.

The Community Action Investment Program (CAIP) aims to mitigate sources of conflict in conflict-prone areas by mobilizing local communities to improve social conditions through small-scale, relatively labor-intensive community infrastructure projects such as rehabilitating schools or irrigation canals. By the end of FY 2002 (the first year of the project), CAIP was active in 59 communities in Uzbekistan.

The U.S. Government is also helping to strengthen provision of social services by targeting improvements in basic education and health care services. In an effort to counteract the deterioration of the education system, a new program aims to equip students with civic and labor force skills. The program trains teachers in interactive teaching methods, integrating critical thinking and learning techniques into curricula and teaching materials. Other program goals include increasing parent and community involvement in schools, strengthening the capacity of school administration, and improving school infrastructure.

In the area of health care, the U.S. Government is developing models of primary health care in seven pilot sites, including the Ferghana Valley. The emphasis is on promoting community involvement and higher-quality care that is better financed. Families are taking an active role in their own health care by getting practical information from mass media campaigns and from their family doctors and nurses. The U.S. Government is also providing technical assistance to implement the World Health Organization-recommended Directly Observed Treatment, Short-Course strategy for tuberculosis control. Together with the Uzbek Ministry of Health, the U.S. is ensuring that all newborns are provided with the hepatitis B vaccine over the next four years. A new maternal-child health program works to improve pre- and post-natal health care for mothers and newborns. To stem the growing problem of drug use, a drug prevention program targets vulnerable groups, such as youth, with information about the dangers of drug use and abuse. A sport and health program targets youth in the Ferghana Valley, providing information about health and nutrition to cross-border communities.

Economic reform assistance focuses on small and medium enterprise development, microfinance, credit union development, and business education. To assist the Government of Uzbekistan (GOU) in its macroeconomic reform efforts, the U.S. Government provides technical advisors in areas of macroeconomics, tax policy and reform, budget, bank privatization, government debt securities, implementation of international accounting standards, and accession to the World Trade Organization.

Environmental assistance focuses on water management, improved efficiency and reducing sources of conflict over shared resources. Significant progress has been made toward establishing a regional communication system that would collect and distribute hydrological data. A pilot demonstration project is improving water monitoring and control techniques for both agricultural and municipal uses. Other projects assist with potable water in Karakalpakstan and irrigation system rehabilitation in Surkhandarya near the border with Afghanistan.

USTDA provided a grant to the State Inspection for Flight Safety Oversight of Uzbekistan for a feasibility study on the modernization of the country’s civil aviation security system to conform both with international best practices and ICAO standards. Also in FY 2003, USTDA provided a grant to the Tashkent Aircraft Production Corporation for a feasibility study on the production of the IL-114-X00 regional aircraft using U.S. components.

Security-related assistance supports Uzbekistan’s efforts to improve border security and enhances Uzbek counter-terrorism capability and interoperability. The International Military Education and Training program funds training and education deemed critical to U.S. objectives of security and military reform, such as English language training. The Export Control and Related Border Security Assistance Program (EXBS) supports border security enhancements, and the EXBS-Aviation/Interdiction Project (A/IP) focuses on air patrol and interdiction capabilities. The Biological Weapons Proliferation Prevention program funds training and cooperation with former BW scientists. It also works to secure, consolidate, and dismantle biological weapons. Beyond these activities, the Department of Energy will fund nuclear reactor safety efforts to bring nuclear facilities into compliance with 1999 revised IAEA standards. The State Department will continue to fund research proposals through the Science Centers and the U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) to redirect former Soviet scientists to peaceful, civilian activities.

U.S. Anti-Crime Training and Technical Assistance (ACTTA) programs provide assistance to strengthen counter-narcotics capabilities, station a Resident Legal Advisor in Tashkent to help restructure the Procuracy, and introduce Western methods and standards for the conduct of criminal investigations and prosecutions. USG funding administered through the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) promotes proper treatment of prisoners through training to Uzbek prison services. Working through the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the U.S. is funding assistance to the Uzbek border guards and customs services as they attempt to control the key border crossing with Afghanistan at Termez.

Humanitarian programs in Uzbekistan include the provision of commodities through the Department of State Humanitarian Transport Program. The main commodities being shipped and distributed are medicines, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, medical supplies, clothing, and food. The total value of Department of State-delivered humanitarian commodities exceeds $41 million for Fiscal Year 2003. Uzbekistan is also receiving $16 million of food aid in Fiscal Year 2003 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Agency for International Development, through one government-to-government program and two private voluntary organization-executed programs. These programs will result in the provision of over 30,000 metric tons of food and commodities.

Ninety-two Peace Corps Volunteers are working throughout Uzbekistan in English education, resource development, health, and a newly created NGO development project.