TASHKENT – During a special webinar held on Wednesday by the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the International Labour Organization, Nozim Khusanov, Minister of Employment and Labour Relation, previewed a major new report to be launched next week on the impact of COVID-19 on the country’s labour market and the efforts made to support Uzbek workers.

Minister Nozim Khusanov and ILO Assistant Director-General/Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, Heinz Koller, welcomed the webinar participants from Tashkent and Geneva. Heinz Koller noted that many European countries faced a recession as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. “Workplace closures have caused serious disruptions on the labour markets,” he said. “The hours worked have declined by 17.3 per cent, or 495 million full-time equivalent jobs – and even 23.3 per cent in the middle-income countries. These working-hours losses have also resulted in massive losses in labour income that represents 3.5 trillion dollars”.

The ILO Assistant Director General noted with appreciation the Covid-19 anti-crisis measures adopted by the Government of Uzbekistan and social partners and the participation of the International Labor Organization in these processes.

Mr Koller stressed that the ILO will continue to support the Government and social partners during the post-crisis recovery.

 “In spite of a relatively limited number of cases - some 51,800 for a 34 million population - Uzbekistan has not been immune to the Covid either, especially in terms of economic and social impact. However, the Government and social partners have made major efforts to put in place a range of economic and social measures to curb the negative trend. Beginning of September, the Government adopted another package of measures devoted to accelerate economic recovery in 2020-2021 – in particular in supporting key economic sectors”, said Mr. Koller.

Uzbekistan’s total labour force constitutes 19 million people. Of this total, 5.1 million Uzbek citizens are employed in the informal sector, while around 2 million Uzbeks are labour migrants working abroad.

In order to provide as much stability as possible for Uzbek workers, including the informally employed and labour migrants, officials at the Labour Ministry worked closely with the ILO and other Uzbek government agencies, social partners and international organizations to design what Ministry’s officials described as an “unprecedented” crisis response.

The crisis response included programs and interventions aimed at mitigating the economic impact of COVID-19, promoting the rapid recovery of the labour market, and developing follow-up efforts to ensure productive employment and decent work in Uzbekistan in the post-crisis period.

The response was designed around four pillars, which reflect the recommendations issued by the ILO at the outset of the crisis:

• Protect Workers: Protect the rights of workers and limit the spread of the virus in the workplace
• Sustain Jobs and Incomes: Help employers to retain workers and support the unemployed
• Create New Opportunities: Provide grants, subsidies, training and temporary public employment
• Unify Communities: Build resilience by working hand-in-hand with communities

The programs implemented in each of these areas are detailed in the forthcoming report.

This was achieved due to creating new types of public works, providing agriculture support subsidies to families in need, subsidies and education and training support for individual entrepreneurs, financial support to business owners to cover salaries, women empowerment programmes and reintegration of migrants.

Professor Jennifer Murtazashvili of the University of Pittsburgh, who moderated the webinar, asked Minister Khusanov, to explain how the Ministry intended to learn from the successes and failures of its crisis response.

Minister Khusanov responded by noting that the short-term need to respond to the pandemic would not detract from the medium and long-term goals of the ministry to promote productive employment and ensure decent working conditions for all Uzbek citizens

These comments echoed a key message delivered by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in his speech to United Nations General Assembly, also on Wednesday.

President Mirziyoyev similarly described the COVID-19 crisis as an important opportunity to develop stronger mechanisms of reform, stating, “Social protection and health system are being cardinally strengthened to mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic; targeted support is [being] provided to the population, sectors of the economy and business.”

The webinar was open to the public and was attended by nearly 200 individuals including official stakeholders, business leaders, international community and members of the local and international media.

The full version of the report brochure is available on the official website of the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations www.mehnat.uz

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