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The Friedrich Ebert Foundation is a German non-governmental organization that has been continuously operating in Uzbekistan for more than 20 years. The purpose of the Foundation is to support the political and social development of Uzbekistan. To achieve this goal, the Foundation organizes educational events (conferences, round tables, seminars, trainings), publishes analytical materials on various topics, and engages experts from Uzbekistan, Central Asia and Europe to share their experience.
We asked Christoph MOHR, the Regional Director of the F. Ebert Foundation in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, to answer our questions.
— The office of the F. Ebert Foundation has been functioning since 1997. What were the prerequisites for its creation, who was at the origin of its activities?
— Given the importance of the Republic of Uzbekistan, it was a consequent step for Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation to create a representation within the country. To build on the strong relationship between Germany and Uzbekistan, the representation of FES in Tashkent was established in 1997. With almost 25 years of joint work, FES and its partners are looking back on a rich tradition of projects facilitating exchange between the two countries.
— Why is the Foundation named after Friedrich Ebert? Can you tell us about this person and his activities?
— The Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation was named after the first President of Germany, Friedrich Ebert. In his will, he specified that the proceeds from donations at his funeral should be used to create a foundation working against discrimination of workers in education. The FES was banned along with the associated party – the Social Democratic Party – in 1933 by the Nazis. In 1946, the FES was reinstituted. In 1954, the FES was restructured into a charitable organization «for the advancement of democratic education». This established the FES as an independent, self-contained institute. In addition to education programs, the FES has also worked in the area of development cooperation since the 1960s.
— The Foundation’s mission is to help create a foundation for further rapprochement between the countries of the region and the region itself with Europe through mutual understanding and mutual respect. From your point of view, what is the role of Uzbekistan in the Central Asian region?
— Uzbekistan is the most densely populated country in Central Asia. Naturally, it plays a vital role within the region. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev introduced policies that led to more regional cooperation, trade as well as a joint approach for creating a sustainable security regime. As FES, we do believe that further integration and cooperation in Central Asia will be critical in addressing the challenges of our time – climate change, migration, terrorism and many more. The strong commitment of the Federal Republic of Germany, the European Union as well as others to support this process reflects its importance. Additionally, the Republic of Uzbekistan plays a vital role in the Afghan peace process and the development of the region.
— The F. Ebert Foundation makes its contribution to the Development Strategy of Uzbekistan in 2017-2021. What events are mainly organized by the Foundation and in what areas?
— The FES supports the Development Strategy by partnering with key stakeholders from governmental and non-governmental actors as well as by bringing in expertise in multifaceted areas. In joint activities, the FES and its partners work on important projects to help achieve milestones in this process. The ambitious reform process requires a holistic approach including best-practices and case studies from abroad.
— The Foundation has successfully completed many projects and activities implemented within the framework of the exchange of experience between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Federal Republic of Germany. What are these projects?
— During the 25 years of joint work, many delegations from both countries have visited one another. Continues discussions, roundtables, conferences as well as expert discussions have been organized jointly to facilitate exchange and friendship between Germany and Uzbekistan. We work in the areas of judiciary reform, social and gender justice, civil society development, foreign and security politics, regional dialogue as well as human rights.
— Your partners include both government agencies and non-governmental organizations. Can you tell us about the organizations that support the activities of the F. Ebert Foundation?
— As Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation Uzbekistan, we do work with many different stakeholders from all parts of the country. We work with the Supreme Court, the National Centre for Human Rights, the Development Strategy Centre, the Institute of Strategic and Regional Studies under the President, local NGOs, experts from academia and think tanks.
— You support the development of a strong and independent civil society that respects the interests of the Uzbek nation. In the direction of increasing the activity of civil society, is attention being paid to the issues of gender justice – the participation of women in the economic and political life of the country?
— In FES, we believe in the equality of all genders. We believe that fair, just and strong societies can only be built on gender justice. Women play a central role in any reform process. Their inclusion in economic as well as political life is paramount to a functioning society as well as strong economic development. Uzbekistan has shown credible progress in this regard.
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