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UNECE finalizes research mission in Uzbekistan to prepare country profile on housing and land management

Due to rapid population growth, Uzbekistan faces challenges in the provision of housing and infrastructure. With about half of Uzbekistan’s population living in rural areas, the development and the improvement of rural living standards is particularly important. In order to address the situation, in 2009 the Government launched a targeted State programme of individual housing construction in rural areas. From 2009 to 2013 more than 900 new rural residential areas were built in 159 rural areas of the country. More than 33.5 thousand individual houses with a total area of 4.5 million square metres were built as well as 730 km of paved roads, and more than 800 objects of social, industrial and market infrastructure were constructed in rural areas.


The Government of Uzbekistan considers housing construction in the country a priority that will require both short and long-term attention and aims to further develop its long-term strategy for enhancing housing development, especially in rural areas. To this end, the Government requested the preparation of a country profile on housing and land management from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).


The preparation of country profiles is a flagship activity of the UNECE Committee on Housing and Land Management. These studies provide tools for governments to use in analysing their policies and strategies on housing, urban development and land management, as well as the institutional and financial frameworks for these sectors.


On the invitation of the Government of Uzbekistan, the UNECE secretariat conducted a preliminary mission to Uzbekistan on 24-26 February 2014. Based on results of the discussions during this preliminary mission, the structure of the country profile that will be prepared for Uzbekistan has been finalized.


As part of the preparatory work for the Country Profile study, the Government of Uzbekistan, represented by the Ministry of Economy, has set up a high level Interagency Working Group to coordinate and supervise the preparation of the study; as well as a team of national experts who will assist the international team of experts in elaborating the study through provision of information.


To establish the basis for cooperation on the country profile, the Ministry of Economy, UNECE and UNDP signed a Memorandum of Understanding which provides the framework for cooperation needed in order to facilitate collaboration  during the preparation of the profile.


Further, on 12-13 June, the Ministry of Economy of Uzbekistan, UNECE, the World Bank and UNDP Uzbekistan organized a high-level workshop “Approaches and best practices for housing, urban development and land use” in Tashkent where international and national experts and high-level representatives of the Government have discussed approaches to and practices in housing construction, urban planning and land administration in Uzbekistan and in the UNECE region.


Directly after the workshop, a week-long research mission of UNECE international experts started. These experts will work together with Uzbek national experts on the preparation of the country profile study. The outcome of this cooperative work will be presented at the 75th session of the Committee on Housing and Land management in October 2014. 


For more information, please contact:


Cecilia D. Batac
Programme Coordinator, “Country Profiles on Housing and Land Management”
Housing and Land Management Unit
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +41 (0)22 917 21 38


Note to the Editor:


Country profiles are “snapshots” of the housing and land issues within a country. These are major undertakings where in-depth research and discussion between partners form a large part of the work. They are conducted on the request of UNECE member States, coordinated by the secretariat and drafted by independent international experts. The country profiles contain recommendations for improving policies and practices in housing, urban development and land management. The UNECE Committee on Housing and Land Management monitors and supports the implementation of country profile recommendations, for instance through technical model projects.


Please see more information on the country profiles at http://www.unece.org/housing-and-land-management/areas-of-work/country-profiles-on-housing-and-land-management.html

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United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Information Unit

Tel.: +41 (0) 22 917 12 34

Email: [email protected]

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