On September 16, 2026, Botir Zohidov, Minister of Employment and Poverty Reduction of the Republic of Uzbekistan, took part in the Annual Forum of the Global Coalition for Social Justice, organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

The Minister spoke as part of the panel discussion "Coalition Partners in Action: Delivering Results through Key Initiatives," which brought together representatives of governments, international organizations, employers, and workers.

In his remarks, Botir Zohidov noted that for Uzbekistan, social justice is a principle consistently woven into the processes of economic reform, employment policy, poverty reduction, and human capital development.

"For Uzbekistan, social justice is a principle woven into economic reforms, employment policy, poverty reduction, and human capital development," the Minister said.

Speaking about the results of ongoing reforms, he noted that the country's poverty rate has fallen to 3.9 percent and the unemployment rate to 4.5 percent. In 2025, 5.4 million people were provided with income-generating work. According to the Minister, the World Bank notes that Uzbekistan's economic growth is accompanied by a reduction in inequality.

According to the Minister, the main task is not only to lift people out of poverty, but also to create sustainable conditions that prevent them from falling back into poverty. In this regard, employment policy, professional skills development, entrepreneurship support, and social protection in Uzbekistan are being brought together under a unified approach aimed at poverty reduction.

As a specific example, the Minister noted that in 2025, 40,000 young people gained skills in e-commerce. At the same time, the vocational training system is increasingly being oriented toward the real needs of the labor market. Targeted delivery of social services is also developing, and an adaptive social protection system capable of responding more effectively to social, economic, and climate risks is being formed with the support of the World Bank.

Particular attention during the address was given to the green and digital transformation. The Minister emphasized that technological transformation means not only the emergence of new technologies, but also the shaping of demand for new jobs, professions, and skills. In this regard, training and retraining of personnel, with future changes in the labor market taken into account, is of particular importance.

Botir Zohidov also noted the importance of international cooperation in accelerating national reforms. Uzbekistan is one of the countries that joined the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions initiative among the first. The national roadmap under this initiative covers reducing informal employment, developing inclusive social protection, and ensuring a just green and digital transition.

In June 2026, Uzbekistan, together with Cambodia, held a high-level ministerial meeting on the Global Accelerator. In addition, the country is actively participating in the Global Coalition for Social Justice, Alliance 8.7, and the World Bank's "Jobs for the Poor" initiative. According to the Minister, these partnerships make it possible to translate international commitments into concrete results at the national level.

"Social justice must become an integral part of the economic transformation process from its very outset. Only then can economic growth create real opportunities for everyone," Botir Zohidov emphasized in concluding his remarks.

Due to changes in the schedule of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Minister's need to travel to Karakalpakstan on a working visit, Botir Zohidov announced that he would not be able to personally continue his participation in the Forum, and stated that Uzbekistan's continued participation in the Forum would be carried on by Deputy Minister Rano Turdiboyeva.