From June 23 to 25, Uzbekistan hosted the 2025 United Nations Public Service Forum (UNPSF) in Samarkand, welcoming over 1,000 delegates, including government officials, international experts, and representatives of global organizations. Under the theme “Five Years Until 2030: Accelerating Public Service Delivery for a Sustainable Future,” the forum emphasized the pivotal role of digital governance in advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister of Digital Technologies Sherzod Shermatov described digitalization as a transformative shift in state-society relations. “Digitization is not merely about introducing new technologies. It is a new format of relations between the state and the people, based on trust, transparency, and mutual understanding,” he said.
Uzbekistan’s digital advancements were a central focus. In 2024, the country entered the “very high” category of the UN E-Government Development Index (EGDI) and joined the top “A” group in the GovTech Maturity Index, rising 37 positions. In a message delivered by Saida Mirziyoyeva, head of the Presidential Administration, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev highlighted that Uzbekistan had also climbed 24 spots in the EGDI and 17 in the International AI Readiness Index over the past year.
The national e-government portal, my.gov.uz, now provides more than 760 electronic services and serves over 11 million registered users. The integrated “Digital Government” platform connects 49 state agencies and over 216 information systems. To ensure accessibility, 208 public service centers across the country assist citizens without internet access.
Opening the forum on behalf of the president, Saida Mirziyoyeva stressed the pace of Uzbekistan’s reforms and the importance of inclusive governance. “The world is changing rapidly, and we in Uzbekistan are responding with active reforms,” she said, noting that women now comprise over 35% of civil servants. She also underscored the importance of youth participation and global partnerships, thanking institutions such as the Global Knowledge Center.
In his written address, President Mirziyoyev emphasized ongoing efforts to modernize public service through legislative and structural reforms. These include the adoption of a new civil service law in 2022, expanded social support programs, and the implementation of the mahallabay neighborhood-level service system. “We now deliver more than 700 public services online through a single-window platform,” he noted.
One of the forum’s key outcomes was the adoption of the Samarkand Ministerial Declaration, a roadmap for enhancing global public service delivery through inclusive, transparent, and technology-driven governance. The declaration calls for deeper international cooperation and knowledge-sharing in GovTech, artificial intelligence, and public sector innovation.
Forum sessions addressed a broad spectrum of issues, including digital inclusion, AI governance, innovation labs, and outreach to underserved populations. Delegates exchanged best practices and pledged to strengthen international partnerships to ensure equitable access to services worldwide.
For Uzbekistan, hosting UNPSF 2025 underscored both its rapid digital transformation and its role as an emerging leader in global digital governance. With tangible improvements in global indices and expanding access to public services, the country presented itself as a model of reform and a committed partner in advancing sustainable development.
