We met a foreigner from Moldova who lives and works in Uzbekistan and learned more about her activities and first impressions of the country and local traditions.
About myself
I am working in development since 2003 and for 15 years already with United Nations Development Programme, having started in my own country, Moldova. There, I was working on local and regional development, civil society, confidence building programmes and others. After ten years, I have moved to take another challenge, and build a EU funded programme for resilience and recovery in Libya. This is what I was doing before moving to Uzbekistan, managing the EU Resilience for Libya, a programme that aimed to bring tangible results for the people, working in the South, East and West of the country to rehabilitate critical infrastructure, like schools and hospitals, deliver life-saving equipment — ambulances, fire trucks, but also support women and youth with job opportunities, building knowledge economy.
After I have been selected to the UNDP pool for deputies, Uzbekistan was one of the top choices for me for many reasons. Not only was I fascinated to discover first-hand the richness of the culture of the pearl of Central Asia, but also, I have some personal ties with Uzbekistan, one of my ancestors being originally from here.
About the first impression
We arrived in Uzbekistan on 1st August 2019, soon to be 3.5 years ago, right in the middle of the heat with temperatures over 43-44 degrees. We, as a family, always embrace change with excitement and discovery and felt very welcomed in Uzbekistan from the first days. Even the heat was not as tough as we prepared for, being a dry one.
Uzbekistan got immediately to our heart, we were surprised by people’s kindness to foreigners, by the city’s beautiful green parks, by the hardworking people, by the contrast of something that reminded childhood in the city’s structure and the mix of oriental with modernism.
It was and still is a very good time to be in Uzbekistan, and witness firsthand how the country is changing in front of your eyes. It’s indeed a unique moment. This brought a sense of responsibility of doing your best in meeting the expectations of partners and people, responding to the country’s needs and working tirelessly with the team to make the many plans a reality.
About activities
I am working as Deputy Resident Representative for UNDP in Uzbekistan. My key responsibility is to support the UNDP Resident Representative in advancing sustainable development, helping design creative programmatic responses to emerging needs and challenges to ensure nobody is left behind.
These 3.5 years were fascinating, and I am grateful to all colleagues and partners for their tireless efforts, strong commitment and friendship. In 2020 we have developed the new country programme document for 2021-2025, outlining the strategy for UNDP work in the country, but then continued to expand the areas of intervention — from adopting a systems approach to tackle inter-sectorial challenges in the Aral Sea region to portfolio approach for the future of work, or from advancing green transformation and green growth strategic framework to anti-corruption and gender equality.
People are one of greatest assets of Uzbekistan
Interesting to note, that I have seen many of the national colleagues grow and embrace international career with UNDP, once again demonstrating the great human potential of Uzbekistan.
Working for UNDP is more than a job, it is a mission, a passion. You embrace the values of the organizations, and you live by them. I feel really humbled to have such an opportunity to contribute to development change around the world. From my early years in UNDP, I felt extremely motivated to see how an idea can change the life of people around you. An idea that you can put in action — connecting the people’s and governments’ needs with opportunities availed by development partners. It is the most rewarding.
About Uzbekistan
I read a lot about Central Asia. And yet, Uzbekistan surprised me with the richness of culture: from the folk song and dance “Lazghi” to the instrumental genre “makom” and the variety of places from Samarkand to Bukhara, Khiva, Kokand and Termez.
We did not expect Uzbekistan to be that green. We arrived from Tunisia, and thus where rather surprised to see the city so green and clean. The flavor of fruits and vegetables, amazing.
We traveled both for work from Andijan to Muynak and Termez, but also with my family — we joined tour groups throughout the country. Hard to pick a favorite, all have something special, some fascinating story. There is a small family hotel we discovered in Samarkand, though. And we returned to the same spot ever since. As the owner said, we kept returning there not as tourists but as friends.
About traditions and people
Traditions are amazing — it is an indicator of the richness of culture. Right after I arrived, in the sixth day or so, I was already invited to attend a wedding of a colleague’s sister. I had an immediate immersive experience, and from that day on I am curiously exploring the dance styles and clothing — trying to guess which region they are coming from.
I like traditional food. My favorite is green somsa in the spring around Nowruz.
People are very kind here. They are one of greatest assets of Uzbekistan. This young population represent a huge opportunity for country’s further acceleration. That is why investing in developing this human capital is essential, equipping the young people, women, other less represented groups on the labour market with skills and capabilities, for increased employability, decent jobs, and ultimately for a better quality of life. UNDP, along with other UN agencies will continue working with partners towards these goals.
About plans
UNDP in Uzbekistan will continue to support the progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
My tenure in Uzbekistan is coming to an end, and I am soon to move to new challenges elsewhere. However, Uzbekistan will always keep a special place in my heart.
