Uzbekistan Hosts United Nations Public Service Forum
Israa Farhan
In a major step toward strengthening its role in global governance, Uzbekistan has been chosen to host the 2025 United Nations Public Service Forum (UNPSF) in Samarkand
The forum is an international-level event held under the auspices of the United Nations, aimed at promoting innovation, efficiency, and sustainable development in public service.
It is organized by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and has been held annually since 2003 to develop strategies for advancing public service in support of sustainable development.
Traditionally, the forum focuses on a specific important area of public administration, examining its various dimensions and components in a holistic manner. This major international event unites world leaders, policymakers, practitioners, innovators in governance, representatives of international and regional organizations, academia, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. The first forum was held in 2003 in New York. Since then, it has taken place annually in countries such as the USA, Austria, Spain, Tanzania, Bahrain, Morocco, Colombia, in Baku in 2019, and in the Republic of Korea in 2024.
Importantly, the forum provides a platform for ministers, high-level decision-makers, and working-level civil servants to promote innovations and transformations both locally and nationally.
This year, Uzbekistan's city of Samarkand was chosen to host the forum. The reason lies in Uzbekistan's significant positive achievements in the field of public service. Notably, on October 3, 2019, by decree of the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, a comprehensive reform decree on 'Measures to fundamentally improve the personnel policy and the civil service system in the Republic of Uzbekistan' was adopted. Based on this decree, the authorized state body responsible for civil service issues—the Agency for Development of the Civil Service under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan—was established to implement a unified personnel policy in the country.
In a relatively short period, Uzbekistan has introduced innovations meeting global standards in this sector. Among these is the system of open competitions for entry into public service and for occupying positions. Groups and categories of civil service positions were defined, and a personnel reserve was formed. The main goals are to ensure stable staffing of managerial personnel in civil service, improve the quality of personnel, enhance the professional competencies of civil servants, and establish promotion by position. A system for evaluating the effectiveness of civil servants' performance was introduced. Necessary conditions for continuous professional development of personnel were created, and social protection mechanisms for civil servants were improved.
Uzbekistan's unique approach to personnel training is also noteworthy. Today, personnel are admitted to the National Personnel Reserve based on high potential, knowledge, and skills, adhering to principles of equality, competitiveness, voluntariness, transparency, impartiality, and openness. The leadership of Uzbekistan emphasizes that the higher the intellectual level of a civil servant, the more effective the system works, thereby strengthening focus on human capital.
Another significant achievement is that professional development for civil servants in Uzbekistan is not just a right but a mandatory obligation. According to the Law 'On Civil Service,' civil servants must regularly improve their professional competencies (Article 12). It is established as an obligation that civil servants continuously develop the professional competencies covering the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to fulfill organizational responsibilities at the required level.
Over the past five years, more than 550 professional development courses, training and practical seminars, express trainings, and international internships have been organized for civil servants. A unified system for professional development aimed at improving civil servants' competencies has been established. The key principles of forming a professional civil service include enhancing professional skills, developing skills for working with the public, and continuous self-improvement.
Uzbekistan's National Personnel Reserve system today ensures readiness to place capable personnel in high positions and guarantees that vacancies are filled. The system meets the needs of a rapidly changing environment by preparing a new generation of competitive, modern, reform-ready, and proactive personnel. Recently, the involvement of qualified women in this system has yielded positive results.
Statistics show that women constitute about half of the world's population, including Uzbekistan's. Full participation of women in social life is a necessary condition for economic development. Since 2017, the status of women in Uzbekistan has undergone fundamental change. With the political will of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, efforts to resolve this issue at the highest levels have been launched. The President has firmly stated: 'From now on, no woman in Uzbekistan will be left outside the attention of the state and society.' Thus, women's issues have become a priority in state policy.
Under the President's auspices, the Agency for Development of the Civil Service launched a system to prepare women for senior leadership positions—the 'School for Women Leaders.' This system, organized in cooperation with the Committee for Women and Family Affairs, aims to increase women's participation in public administration.
The 'School for Women Leaders' training program is an important initiative aimed at increasing women's participation and leadership potential in government. Since 2022, 250 women have completed the program, which combines theoretical knowledge with advanced practical experience. Talented and promising women included in the National Personnel Reserve have been sent for internships to developed countries to gain exposure to advanced foreign experience.
Additionally, Uzbekistan's practices such as open competitive recruitment of civil servants, implementation of HR management systems (Q-DEEP), provision of digital public services, performance evaluation of civil servants, and linking salaries to performance are positively recognized.
Additionally, Uzbekistan's practices such as open competitive recruitment of civil servants, implementation of HR management systems (Q-DEEP), provision of digital public services, performance evaluation of civil servants, and linking salaries to performance are positively recognized.
Moreover, this Forum serves as an important platform not only for public services, but also for recognizing the role and efforts of civil servants who serve society through these services, enhancing their prestige, and inspiring a new generation of public servants.
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