Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) – The Presidential Decree “On Measures to Improve Mechanisms for Raising External Gratis Assistance and Work with Donors” has been adopted.

According to the Decree, the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade is determined by the authorized body to develop proposals for the development and improvement of cooperation between the Republic of Uzbekistan and donors.

Also, in accordance with the Decree, government agencies attract grants worth US$100,000 or more for one project by including them in programs to attract external gratuitous assistance and cooperation with donors.

The decree abolished the Bureau of Coordination of Technical Assistance to the Commission of the European Union in Uzbekistan under the Cabinet of Ministers (UzBuroKES).

In the structure of the central apparatus of the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade, a Department for the Coordination of External Grant Assistance was formed.

In accordance with the Decree, starting from 1 December 2019:

- the deadline for sending in advance requests to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the organization of visits to the Republic of Uzbekistan of donor delegations and their meetings with officials, as well as the organization of trips to the regions of the republic, is reduced from 30 to 15 working days;

- the obligation to provide grant recipients with extracts from bank accounts, as well as information and departmental reports on technical assistance funds to the Treasury of the Ministry of Finance is canceled;

- recipients of grants quarterly provide the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade with information on received and utilized grants, and ongoing projects of external gratuitous assistance;

- The heads of state bodies have the right to reward employees directly involved in raising grant funds in the form of a lump sum remuneration up to 15 times the minimum wage.