During her visit she spoke at the International Conference on ‘Modern rural housing as the most important engine of comprehensive development of associated industries and services transforming the look of rural areas and the mentality of the people’ and visited UNDP project sites throughout Uzbekistan.

In Karakalpakstan Ms. Sultanoglu visited a school which has been reconstructed with energy-efficient technical features (through the ‘Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings’ project), and a demonstration plot featuring the use of laser-levelling technology to improve agricultural output (established through the UN Joint Programme ‘Sustaining Livelihoods Affected by the Aral Sea Disaster’).

She also visited a second demonstration plot featuring the use of no-tillage agricultural practices (established through the Small Grants Programme ‘Achieving Ecosystem Stability on Degraded Land in Karakalpakstan and the Kyzylkum Desert’), an energy-efficient solar green house (established through the ‘Business Forum of Uzbekistan’ project.

On 16 April Ms. Sultanoglu spoke at the International Conference ‘Modern rural housing as the most important engine of comprehensive development of associated industries and services transforming the look of rural areas and the mentality of the people’. The rural housing programme is an initiative which is welcomed by the UN, and one which will be monitored carefully for potential lessons for other countries on how to incorporate sustainable development approaches into rural development.

Initial results suggest that these lessons could be twofold. Firstly, the programme can contribute to achieving economic and social goals, by acting as a spur to reducing differences in living standards and economic opportunities between rural and urban areas, and achieving a more inclusive growth pattern. Secondly, the programme has the potential to become a showcase on how economic and environmental goals can be achieved simultaneously, if it succeeds in incorporating energy efficiency into public construction projects from the design stage onwards. UNDP is already supporting the government in achieving this through its energy efficiency in public buildings project.

During her visit Ms Sultanoglu will also meet key women leaders in Uzbekistan and national and international counterparts. The visit will last till 19 April 2013.