Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 15 August, a memorandum of cooperation was signed in Washington between the Minister of Digital Development of Uzbekistan, Sherzod Shermatov, and USAID Deputy Administrator, Isabelle Coleman.

According to this memorandum, the US agency will actively contribute to the implementation of the Digital Uzbekistan 2030 strategy. It also provides support for the development of information technologies and communications in the country, with the involvement of young professionals and women in the IT sector, assistance in the unification of educational institutions, support for the growth of the private sector and participation in other IT initiatives.

During the meeting, Sherzod Shermatov and Isabelle Coleman discussed a wide range of issues of cooperation between Uzbekistan and the United States, and also stressed the importance of supporting the IT sector, developing the digital economy and strengthening private business.

The Digital Uzbekistan 2030 strategy was approved by decree of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in October 2020. Its main goal is to accelerate the development of the digital industry in the country and increase the competitiveness of the national economy. As part of this strategy, programs for the digital transformation of regions and industries are envisaged.

It is noteworthy that the signing of the memorandum between the ministry and USAID preceded the large-scale Digital Ecosystem Country Assessment (DECA) conducted by USAID in Uzbekistan in 2021. This evaluation was the first such research initiative since the approval of the first USAID Digital Strategy for 2020-2024.