In recent years the government of Uzbekistan has acknowledged the need for invigorating the innovative activity as the main engine for sustainable growth. Some of the most notable government measures include the reorganization of the State Committee for Science and Technology, institutional strengthening of the technology transfer centers, and organization of innovation fairs, which are being held annually since 2008. In the real sector of the economy, large scale modernization is envisaged by the latest government medium-term investment program totaling more than US$20 billion for that purpose.

Moreover, the global financial and economic crisis, which began in mid 2008, creates new challenges, including for the industries of Uzbekistan. In this regard, in 2009 the Government of Uzbekistan passed a series of resolutions aimed at cutting costs and search of new, alternative, and more efficient methods of production to increase the competitiveness of nationally produced products and services in international markets.

For Uzbekistan, achieving innovative and technological development is of critical significance, as only through this way is it possible to create modern technological base, to produce competitive goods, to rationalize the use of natural resources, to increase the efficiency of the agricultural sector, and to improve international competitiveness.

Considering the significance of innovative development for the economy at the current state of development for Uzbekistan, UNDP will be providing support to the Government of Uzbekistan in this area, in particular within the new full-fledged project and based on the results of the project initiation phase completed in 2009.

The new project envisages elaborating the much needed long-term National Innovation Development Programme, which will expectedly be developed through close involvement of the community, specialists from the scientific community, ministry and agencies, private sector stakeholders, and international donor organizations. The Programme will be reinforced by studying, adapting, and calculation of indicators of innovation development widely used in international practice, which will help ensure better monitoring and evaluation of Programme implementation.

In addition to that the project plans activities aimed at strengthening the capacities of technology transfer offices, namely the Agency for Technology Transfer, and regional Centres for Innovation and Technology Transfer. This project component envisages designing of dedicated training programme and conducting of respective trainings for the specialists of these agencies.

Finally, the project will carry out activities aimed at increasing the commercialization rate of national innovation project and technologies, as well as bridging the gap between the applied science and real-life issues in economic, social and environmental spheres. These activities will include support in conducting the annual innovation fairs, preparation of policy brief on various schemes aimed at financial support of innovation projects (e.g. venture capital, soft loans, risk insurance, etc), and development of national standards and methodological guidelines on evaluation of industrial intellectual property objects.

“Supporting the policy making at national and local levels in areas like innovation is identified as an important outcome of UNDP Action Plan for 2010-2015, which has been recently endorsed by the Government and UNDP” – says Sherzod Akbarov, Head of UNDP Economic Governance Unit – “We believe that through this project UNDP will be able to provide additional support to the Government of Uzbekistan in the area of economic reforms and welfare improvement”