BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 13. Uzbekistan and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) are actively exploring opportunities to scale up existing project portfolio and identify new joint initiatives, a spokesperson for the organization told Trend.
“Thus, during the meeting on 10 June 2024 between UNIDO Director General Gerd Müller and the Minister of Energy of Uzbekistan Jurabek Mirzamahmudov, both sides voiced their interest in identifying opportunities for cooperation in the energy sector to tap into Uzbekistan’s renewable energy potential, in particular solar, wind and hydropower. Given Uzbekistan’s great potential for and priority on green hydrogen development, there are indeed very promising opportunities for collaboration within the context of UNIDO Global Clean Hydrogen Programme,” the spokesperson said.
According to the representative of the organization, UNIDO and Uzbekistan are discussing the opportunities for applying Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and precision agriculture practices for the Aral Sea area’s restoration and safeguarding
“Overall, the initiative could contribute to the socio-economic restoration and recovery of the Aral Sea area, helping to address its immense environmental and human health challenges by applying cutting-edge precision agriculture practices with the help of innovative technologies such as drones and satellite imagery,” UNIDO’s representative noted.
The spokesperson at the organization also added that Uzbekistan is actively engaged in the UNIDO Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO) Korea advisory programme. Through the deployment of advisors, this programme facilitates cooperation between local enterprises from Uzbekistan and their Korean counterparts, focusing on identifying potential areas for investment and technology cooperation.
“The main goal of this initiative is to support Uzbekistan's sustainable industrial development by fostering partnerships between the private sectors of Korea and Uzbekistan. By serving as a platform for technology transfer from Korea to Uzbekistan, the programme supports enhancing bilateral exchanges and promotes business opportunities to advance cooperation and drive innovation within Uzbekistan's industrial sector,” the spokesperson at UNIDO emphasized.
The representative of the organization also noted that the program aims to boost Uzbekistan's industrial competitiveness and encourage innovation within its SMEs, helping to bridge the gap between Uzbekistan and potential Korean investors and providing significant opportunities for investment and technology transfer.
Meanwhile, as per data from UNIDO's open data platform, the organization's total budget for projects in Uzbekistan reaches $3 million, while the budget for 2024 amounts to $872,564.
