Central Asia faces high vulnerability to climate change alongside structural challenges. Uzbekistan is the country with the largest population in Central Asia and therefore a key driver of regional development. Uzbekistan shares borders with all Central Asian countries, making it an important actor in regional stability and conflict prevention.

Since the early 1990s, following Uzbekistan’s independence, Switzerland and Uzbekistan have maintained a strong partnership. As a members of the Swiss-led constituency at the World Bank Group, International Monetary Fund, and Global Environment Facility, Switzerland and Uzbekistan closely cooperate in economic, development, and environmental domains.

Switzerland contributes substantially to Uzbekistan’s economic and social development and helps to build responsive and inclusive institutions. Its comparative advantage lies in its reliability, impartiality, and ability to combine funding and technical expertise with policy dialogue. A whole-of-government-approach between all Swiss institutions active in Central Asia proves key to the effectiveness of Switzerland’s multilateral and bilateral engagement.

The main achievements in the period 2022–2025 are as follows:

Objectives of the Swiss Cooperation Programme in Uzbekistan 2026–2029

The overall goal of the Swiss Cooperation Programme Central Asia 2026–2029 is to contribute to peace and social cohesion as well as to responsive and strengthened institutions and sustainable development to improve the resilience of the population in Central Asia. Switzerland remains committed to fostering a stable and prosperous Central Asia, enabling its population to live in resilient communities with sustainable livelihoods. Swiss cooperation focuses on priority areas which are key to advance the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda in the region. In Uzbekistan, the programme contributes directly to the comprehensive national development roadmap, the Uzbekistan - 2030 Strategy.

Priority areas for 2026–2029

• Water and Energy
• Sustainable Economic Development
• Transversal theme: Governance and Human Rights

Programme Management and Implementation

The most important partners of the Swiss cooperation are local and national government agencies, UN organisations, regional and multilateral enti­ties, international financial institutions, local, Swiss and international non-profit-organisa­tions, as well as Swiss and national academic and research institutions. To stimulate local ownership, Switzerland strives to increase its locally led cooperation through partnerships with local public and private actors.

Switzerland supports pilot interventions with a focus on Bukhara, Navoi, Kashkadarya, Samarkand, Surkhandarya, and Tashkent region. Once successfully piloted, interventions can be scaled up nationally and regionally, in collaboration with national and multilateral partners.

Switzerland takes on a leading role in the donor coordination for better alignment with the priorities of the governments and increased effectiveness. The programme is managed in an adaptive way to respond to opportunities and emerg­ing needs.