26-09-202650
A national conference on "The Sustainable Development Goals: A New Stage of National Progress," officially launching the Sustainable Development Goals Month (#BRM), was held at the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan. What is the significance of this month-long campaign? We discussed this with Elyorjon Saminov, Director of the Sustainable Development Center.
— Just recently, the Sustainable Development Goals Month was officially launched in Uzbekistan under the slogan "New Uzbekistan: The Result of Reforms Is a Guarantee of Sustainable Development!" First of all, what results are expected from this campaign? What role will it play in taking stock of progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals in our country, finding solutions to existing problems, and setting future priorities?
— Indeed, an important new initiative on the path toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals has been officially launched in our country — the Sustainable Development Goals Month. Organized at the initiative of the Parliamentary Commission for Monitoring the Implementation of the National Goals and Targets in the Field of Sustainable Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan until 2030, this campaign is intended, above all, to serve as an important platform for dialogue: to look back at the road traveled, take stock of the results achieved, seek solutions to existing problems, and define the tasks ahead.
At the same time, it would be wrong to perceive this campaign as merely a series of events. At its core lies a single purpose — to make the idea of sustainable development an integral part of society's life. That is why particular attention is being paid to actively engaging in this process not only government bodies and parliament, but also local administrations (khokimiyats), civil society institutions, the private sector, academia, young people, and the general public.
More than 60 international conferences, roundtable discussions, outreach events, and thematic podcasts are planned within the framework of the campaign. Each of them is envisioned as an open forum for dialogue where new ideas are born, experience is exchanged, and practical proposals take shape.
Most importantly, at the center of these events stand not numbers, but people and their well-being. The Sustainable Development Goals Month is a major initiative aimed not only at taking stock of the results achieved, but also at further elevating human dignity, linking today's reforms to the well-being of future generations, and strengthening our shared responsibility for a sustainable future.
— Time is running short to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals set for 2030. Where do the world's countries currently stand on the path to these goals, and what is the greatest risk — failing to achieve the goals, or a further deepening of the gap between countries?
— As we draw ever closer to 2030, the current state of the Sustainable Development Goals worldwide gives cause for increasingly serious reflection. The issue here is not merely the inability to achieve all the goals by the set deadline. The greatest risk is that countries and regions are moving at different speeds of development, and as a result, the global development gap continues to widen.
According to the Sustainable Development Report 2026, only 16.5% of the Sustainable Development Goals analyzed globally are on track to be achieved by 2030. This means that if the current pace continues, less than one-fifth of the goals may be realized by the deadline. Lagging progress is particularly noticeable in ending hunger and developing sustainable agriculture, as well as in ensuring peace, justice, and strong institutions.
However, judging the global picture by overall figures alone is not enough, because countries' starting conditions, economic capacities, and rates of progress differ sharply from one another. High-income countries and members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development already had considerably higher scores on the Sustainable Development Goals back in 2015. For this reason, their growth rates have slowed somewhat in subsequent years.
By contrast, East and South Asia, BRICS+, and lower-middle-income countries, though starting from a lower point, are moving forward at a faster pace. The report identifies East and South Asia as the region that has progressed fastest on the Sustainable Development Goals since 2015. This demonstrates that there is no single model of development, but that with the right policies, investment, and cooperation, tangible results can be achieved in a short time.
The most worrying situation is seen in low-income countries. They started from the lowest baselines back in 2015. Yet despite this, their pace of progress is even slower than would be expected given their economic capacities. The report describes this situation as "slow convergence," meaning that the development gap between countries is not narrowing quickly enough.
That is why the issue cannot be approached with the simplistic view that "some will achieve the goals and some will not." After all, sustainable development is not the individual success of a single country, but a process that shapes the common destiny of all humanity. Even though high-income countries score highly on the Sustainable Development Goals, their models of production, trade, and consumption can also generate negative environmental and social spillovers for other countries.
From this perspective, the greatest risk facing the world on the threshold of 2030 is the emergence of "two-speed development." On one side stand states with ample financial resources, technologies, and investment capacity; on the other, countries that still need substantial financial and technological support for their development. Unless this gap is narrowed, the achievements of any single country will not be enough to ensure global sustainability.
The task today, therefore, is to end wars and conflicts and secure peace, to increase long-term investment, to strengthen regional and local cooperation, to expand financing opportunities for developing countries, and to make effective use of science, innovation, and reliable data.
After all, the time remaining until 2030 is not simply a dwindling number of years on the calendar. It is a decisive period for the entire world. The true measure of sustainable development lies not only in how fast the most advanced states are moving forward, but also in how much closer countries, regions, and millions of people with limited opportunities today are drawing to a better tomorrow.
Sustainable development is the responsibility not to stop at meeting the needs of the present generation, but to leave future generations a prosperous life, a healthy environment, and decent opportunities.
— What results is Uzbekistan recording among the countries of the world in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals?
— In assessing Uzbekistan's results in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals today, one truth deserves particular emphasis: sustainable development is not only about rankings, numbers, or statistical indicators. At its heart are people — their lives, their destinies, their hopes and dreams, and their confidence in tomorrow.
This approach is also reflected in international rankings. According to the Sustainable Development Report 2026, Uzbekistan ranked 65th among 169 countries with a score of 72.9. Results in education, healthcare, poverty reduction, digitalization, infrastructure, and social protection are key drivers of this positive momentum.
Behind each of these numbers is a human story. For example, high educational enrollment is not merely a percentage — it is the path to the future opening up for a child on their way to school. An improved poverty indicator is not statistics — it is abundance on the family table, a child eating their fill, parents' confidence in tomorrow. And the development of e-government is not just a figure — it means citizens no longer wasting time waiting in line at government offices and resolving their problems faster.
In this sense, the most important feature of the reforms carried out under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is the view of the human being as the principal measure of progress. This principle is not confined to domestic reforms. Uzbekistan is bringing its development experience and its vision of regional cooperation to the international stage, proposing shared solutions for sustainable development.
One striking example is the initiative to strengthen regional cooperation and economic integration in Central Asia. On September 23, 2025, at the 80th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev put forward an initiative to adopt a General Assembly resolution supporting the further deepening of cooperation and economic integration among the countries of Central Asia. This initiative reached its logical conclusion on May 20, 2026, when the UN General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/80/260 without a vote — that is, by consensus.
Notably, 66 states supported the resolution as additional co-sponsors. The UN office in Uzbekistan assessed this document as an important initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation in the interests of the peoples of Central Asia, noting that it will serve to encourage innovation, create new jobs, and ensure long-term sustainable economic growth.
If we look at this event a little more closely, its meaning becomes even clearer. Cooperation in Central Asia is not only about relations between states. It is a process that touches the destinies of millions of people. Easier cross-border trade means a new market for an entrepreneur. The development of transport corridors means a new job for an ordinary person. Cooperation in energy and water means reliable supply for millions of residents. And cooperation in education and science opens the door to new opportunities for the younger generation.
From this perspective, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's initiative stands out as a strategic vision tied to the future not only of Uzbekistan but of all of Central Asia.
At the same time, the 2026 report pays particular attention to the processes of aligning sustainable development with national planning and policy in Uzbekistan. In particular, the report of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network notes that cooperation with Uzbekistan is being established in the area of integrated national planning.
After all, the truest measure of sustainable development is change in people's lives. Uzbekistan's development path today is not a chase after numbers, but a path of improving the human destinies that stand behind those numbers. And President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's policy of aligning national reforms with regional and global initiatives is carrying this goal onto an ever broader stage.
After all, sustainable development is not about waiting for the future. It begins with creating a better life for every person today. And the ultimate result of every reform must be measured by a single criterion: how much has a person's life changed, and how much has their destiny improved?