Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 26 September 2020, a high-level international video conference on the topic: "Expanding cooperation in the framework of poverty reduction" was held, which was organized by the Government of the PRC together with the UN Secretariat.

Among the conference participants were Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, UN First Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary General Liu Zhenming, Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Kazakhstan, Peru, Philippines, South Africa and other developing countries.

It was noted that the international development cooperation agenda gives priority to the eradication of poverty in all its forms, to provide additional assistance to developing countries, least developed countries, developing countries, in particular, to overcome the consequences of the pandemic and implement the 2030 agenda.

In his speech, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Jamshid Kuchkarov noted that poverty reduction is a priority task set by the President of the country. The importance of this problem is reflected in the proposals that the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev put forward at the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, as well as the definition of the problem of poverty eradication and the fight against poverty as one of the main topics of the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly and the holding of the Global Summit, dedicated to these issues.

It was emphasized that the long-term strategic goal of Uzbekistan is to ensure sustainable and inclusive economic growth, increase per capita income and reduce poverty and inequality.

To achieve these goals, Uzbekistan is focusing on liberalization and structural reforms to strengthen the market economy.

In the speech, the delegation of Uzbekistan noted the need to strengthen global cooperation in the field of poverty reduction, and also separately highlighted the role of China, given the successful experience of this country in the fight against poverty.

The heads of delegations agreed on the importance of revitalizing international development partnerships, welcoming the Belt and Road Initiative and other regional and international cooperation initiatives that contribute to the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The meeting also called on the audience to create a more open and inclusive development environment for developing countries, highlighting its critical importance, especially in a pandemic, to keep markets open to address disruptions in global supply chains.

In particular, the Chinese Foreign Minister and UN representatives stressed that a global pandemic threatens to push about 70-100 million people in the world into extreme poverty. In this regard, they noted the importance of strategic partnerships in the field of poverty reduction, strengthening the role of financial and technical assistance, which has become an even more important factor in the context of the pandemic.

In addition, information was announced on the practical anti-crisis measures taken in Uzbekistan to mitigate the negative consequences of the global coronavirus pandemic, on cooperation with international organizations and financial institutions, as well as on joint work with international experts to develop a Concept and Strategy for Poverty Reduction.

The ongoing structural reforms aimed at ensuring stable and inclusive economic growth, strengthening human capital and creating new jobs were announced as fundamental measures to reduce poverty in Uzbekistan.

The Uzbek side proposed:

- creation of a legal basis for cooperation between China and Uzbekistan in the field of poverty reduction;

- organization of a business trip for employees of ministries and departments to the PRC to study the experience of reducing poverty;

- attraction of a consultant from the Chinese side to the Ministry of Economic Development and Poverty Reduction.

In turn, the Chinese side expressed its readiness to provide assistance and share its experience in the field of poverty reduction.

In particular, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PRC, Mr. Wang Yi, noted: “Under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Uzbekistan has achieved important results in the field of poverty reduction, on which the Chinese side expresses sincere congratulations. We welcome colleagues from Uzbekistan to visit China to share experiences on poverty reduction. Each country has its own characteristics. I am confident that everyone can find their own way to eliminate poverty, corresponding to the situation in their country. "

As a result of the conference, the participants decided to continue cooperation in this area.