On 9 July 2026, the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched a two-day training on professional motivation and resilience in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, targeting 35 women deputy khokims from across the country. The programme aims to strengthen civil servants' skills in managing change, stress, and communication to improve public service delivery. The training is part of the EU-funded project 'Further Improvement of Public Services Delivery in Uzbekistan,' implemented by UNDP with the Ministry of Justice, with a total budget of EUR 4.9 million running from 2024 to 2029. The project seeks to train 1,000 civil servants on inclusive, citizen-oriented service delivery by 2029, conduct functional reviews of 11 back-office institutions, digitally transform at least 35 public services, and establish 34 new public service zones in local communities (makhallas). Renata Wrobel, Chargée d'affaires a.i. of the EU Delegation to Uzbekistan, stated that successful reform depends on motivated and resilient public servants, while UNDP Resident Representative Akiko Fujii emphasised that investing in civil servants' wellbeing is essential for building trusted institutions. The initiative supports Uzbekistan's public administration reforms and contributes to Sustainable Development Goals 16 (strong institutions) and 9 (innovation and infrastructure).
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