Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TASHKENT1416
2007-08-03 08:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tashkent
Cable title:  

POWER OF THE PURSE: UZBEK GOVERNMENT UNVEILS PLAN

Tags:  PGOV PHUM UZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0429
RR RUEHDBU
DE RUEHNT #1416 2150853
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 030853Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8248
INFO RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 3188
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA 9339
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 3800
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 3662
C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 001416 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM UZ
SUBJECT: POWER OF THE PURSE: UZBEK GOVERNMENT UNVEILS PLAN
TO PROVIDE STATE SUPPORT TO NGOS

Classified By: CDA Brad Hanson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 001416

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM UZ
SUBJECT: POWER OF THE PURSE: UZBEK GOVERNMENT UNVEILS PLAN
TO PROVIDE STATE SUPPORT TO NGOS

Classified By: CDA Brad Hanson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) Post received a circular diplomatic note, sent to all
diplomatic missions and international organizations in
Tashkent, announcing a plan to make Government of Uzbekistan
(GOU) funds available to Nongovernmental Organizations (NGO).
According to the note, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted the
decree "On Approval of the Statute on State Support of the
Non-State Non-Profit Organizations in Uzbekistan" on April 28
in recognition of the important role NGOs serve as
"instigators and barometers of the democratic process."


2. (U) Under the new law, officially registered NGOs engaged
in "socially significant activity" for at least one year are
eligible to receive state funding in the form of subsidies,
grants, and "State Social Orders". Subsidies are intended to
defray an NGO's basic operating expenses and will be
administered directly by the Ministries of Finance and
Justice. Grants and State Social Orders essentially are
government contracts awarded competitively to NGOs for the
fulfillment of social projects. The major difference between
the two types of funding is that grants are awarded to NGOs
for projects proposed by the organizations themselves and are
administered by coordination committees made up of
representatives of the National NGO Association and
government agencies. State Social Orders are awarded to NGOs
for the completion of projects previously identified by the
Cabinet of Ministers and are administered by the contracting
government agency under the general supervision of the
Ministries of Finance and Justice.


3. (C) Comment: At first glance, the Uzbek Government's new
financing scheme is not dissimilar to the partnerships
democratic states, including the United States, often
establish with NGOs. Administered correctly, the program
could provide additional funding to NGOs working here.
Unfortunately, the decree follows over two years of a
concerted and on-going campaign to reduce the number of
existing NGOs and to choke off outside financial support for
those permitted to remain. Now that the GOU has reduced the
overall NGO community to what it apparently thinks is an
acceptable number, the logical next step is to monopolize
funding, thereby utilizing the power of the purse to restrict
the activities of entities whose missions sometimes bring
them into conflict with the state.
HANSON