Brainstorming Session: “Way Forward: Strategic Action Plan for

Enhancing Municipal Governance System and Infrastructure Development

for Uzbekistan and Central Asia”

Wednesday, 6 July 2011 14:00 – 16:30

Grand Mir Hotel, Tashkent

Agenda 1. ESCAP Project Brief 2. Parameters of Phase 2 3. Needs and requirements for next phase 4. Discussions on planning, budget & timeline 5. Responsibilities for implementation

Programme

Time Description Moderator

2:00 – 2:15 Project briefing about ESCAP project “Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Development” KK Philip Kang

2:15 – 2:30 Needs and requirements for next phase Ildus Kamilov

2:30 – 3:00 Discussion on planning, budget & timeframe Adnan Aliani

3:00 – 3:30 Next steps: How to implement? All

ESCAP Project Title: Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Development Project goal: Enhanced sustainability and competitiveness of urban areas in Central Asia Duration: February 2010 – December 2011 Implementing agency: Center for Economic Research Executing agency: UN ESCAP, Bangkok

ESCAP Project Target group: Policymakers, planners and decision makers, both as local and national level, responsible for urban infrastructure development and governance system Key partners: UNDP, bilateral organization, multilateral financial institutions Budget: US$55,000 (First Year) US$50,000 (Second Year) Modality: Financial authorization to UNDP Tashkent as intermediary agent

APUF-5 Summary

Theme: “Cities of Opportunity: Partnerships for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future” Dates: 20-25 June 2011 Venue: UN Conference Center, Bangkok Highlights: • Opening ceremony by Prof. Dr. HRH Chulaborn Mahidol, PM of Thailand, Executive Secretary of ESCAP • 3 Panel Discussions • 29 partners organized about 20 associated events, breakout sessions, side events, exhibitions, and field trips • Approx 1000 participants

Sub-regional Plenary Session: Central & North Asia

Chairperson: Sergey Gulyayev (NGO “Decenta” & Deputy of City Council, Pavlodar,

Kazakhstan)

Supported by: Ilya Andreev (Administrative Attache, Embassy Russian Federation in

Thailand)

Summary Presentation

Friday, 24 June 2011

Armenia Azerbaijan Georgia Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Russian Federation Tajikistan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan

Sub-regional specificities

1. Post Soviet Legacy – opportunities & challenges – Infrastructure – Institutional system/ culture (incl. language) – Social services (education, health & social protection)

2. Low overall population density & low urbanization rate (hardly any mega cities)

3. Harsh climatic conditions (-40 to +40) 4. Many countries landlocked & huge distances

between cities

Key challenges and gaps

1. Governance & Decentralization – Weak local legislation & implementation – Little power for local governments, – Very centralized decision-making & budget allocation

(politically motivated)

2. Urban Planning – Formal approach to planning but often “window-

dressing” (disconnect experts & officials) – Unplanned urbanization (informal housing, lack

infrastructure) – Lack of civil participation

Key challenges and gaps 3. Intro-regional migration

– Informal, low skill migration – it’s demand-driven but…

• no security for migrants, high vulnerability, • no tax income for receiving countries, • in sending countries remittances-dependent economy

& therefore little own econ. development , • divided families – poverty for women-led households &

lack of econ. opportunity for women

4. “Mono-Cities” – little economic diversity; 5. Barriers for private initiatives esp. SME’s

(cumbersome bureaucracy & corruption, intransparency)

Key challenges and gaps 6. Resource usage & air, water & land pollution pollution:

- Lack of proper solid waste management - Lack of access to water & wastewater treatment,

bad water management - Polluting heating practices - Energy inefficiency - Eco-refugees

Key strategies and policies needed 1. Legal structure needs to be holistically updated,

esp. environmental & local self-government law 2. Capacity development of urban authorities & civil

society leader, etc. 3. Awareness raising of urban population on

governance, environmental sustainability 4. New strategies & mechanisms for efficient

infrastructure upgrading & city planning 5. New pricing structure for services 6. Improvement of city-level data collection using

resources of all stakeholder groups

Sub-regional mechanisms/opportunities

Situation Analysis & ways forward: – Comprehensive survey or study of urban

development issues in sub-region

Forum of cities: – Institutionalized multi-stakeholder dialogue of

city-level actors within sub-region – City to city exchanges across Asia & the Pacific to

learn from good practices

NCA Sub-regional session

Key Outcomes: • Antiquated Soviet era infrastructure and service delivery hindering progress • Weak local legislation and governance • Need for strengthening of local budget allocation • Low skilled migrants from rural to urban leading to social imbalance • Economic growth is slow and needs modernization • Low resource efficiency in land, water and energy – need to consider environmental sustainability • Capacity development in dire need • Participation of multi-stakeholders in decision-making

The Fifth Asia-Pacific Urban Forum www.unescap.org/APUF-5

Parameters of Phase 2

Budget: US$50,000 Conditionality: Approval subject to review of Phase 1 performance Reporting: Activity and financial reporting to ESCAP Project end date: December 2011 Submission: ESCAP to submit project/budget revision request to donor (include the Phase 1 report)

Needs and requirements for next phase

(CER: Ildus Kamilov)

Discussions on planning, budget & timeline

(ESCAP: Adnan Aliani)

Responsibilities for implementation

(CER, ESCAP)

Brainstorming Session:�“Way Forward: Strategic Action Plan for Enhancing Municipal Governance System and Infrastructure Development for Uzbekistan and Central Asia”�Agenda��Programme��ESCAP Project��ESCAP Project��APUF-5 Summary�Slide Number 7Slide Number 8Slide Number 9Sub-regional Plenary Session: �Central & North Asia�Sub-regional specificitiesKey challenges and gapsKey challenges and gapsKey challenges and gapsKey strategies and policies neededSub-regional mechanisms/opportunities�NCA Sub-regional session�The Fifth Asia-Pacific Urban Forum�www.unescap.org/APUF-5Parameters of Phase 2Needs and requirements for next phase��(CER: Ildus Kamilov)Discussions on planning, budget & timeline��(ESCAP: Adnan Aliani)Responsibilities for implementation��(CER, ESCAP)