📋 Tender Overview
Project Status: Proposed
The project will provide inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban services in four secondary cities (the project cities are djizzak, khiva, havast, and yangiyer) experiencing low livability and lagging economic growth exacerbated by the coronavirus disease (covid-19). It will demonstrate integrated development, pilot innovative solutions, and strengthen local government capacity for building back better. These measures will (i) enhance quality of life, reduce inequalities, and create jobs targeting women; (ii) strengthen resilience and economic recovery, particularly in the tourism sector; and (iii) increase the coverage, quality, efficiency, and reliability of urban services. The project is aligned with the governments national development strategy 2017-2021 and presidential decree no. 5623, which aim to accelerate growth and reduce poverty through improved urbanization and balanced regional development.
Socioeconomic impacts of covid-19. Uzbekistans gross domestic product decreased from 5. 8% in 2019 to 1. 6% in 2020 with significant declines in tourism caused by a 78% drop in passenger traffic. Unemployment expanded from 9% to 11%. In the project cities, 30% of surveyed households reported incomes too low for basic food compared to 9% prior to the pandemic. Womens incomes were especially vulnerable. Reduced taxes and revenues have strained city budgets and services, and there is demand for a rapid and sustainable recovery. Stagnant, unplanned urbanization and low livability of secondary cities. Uzbekistans urban population (16. 8 million) declined from 51. 5% in 2010 to 50. 5% in 2019, indicating a lagging trend of urbanization. Significant regional imbalances exist with over half of the population concentrated in its easternmost regions around the capital city of tashkent and fergana valley, an industrial center. While a considerable share of the urban population lives in the countrys largest cities, the fastest population growth rate (54%) was observed in medium-sized cities in the period 1990-2017. The recent lifting of internal mobility restrictions (propiska), a large youth population, and a growing share of urban jobs (manufacturing, construction, services) are expected to increase migration to cities. However, if left to the business-as-usual approach of unplanned growth and limited investment, urban services, already under pressure, will continue to be overburdened. Out of 13 regions, excluding tashkent city, the three project regions of djizzak, sirdarya, and khorezm rank at the bottom in terms of quality of life, economic competitiveness, and infrastructure development. The project builds on government policies to demonstrate how a strategic, integrated approach combined with modern planning concepts, e. G. , smart cities, green urbanism can improve investment and livability, especially for the poor. Urban challenges. Key issues facing the project cities include (i) an economic slowdown from covid-19
