The following is attributable to Spokesperson Tom Babington:

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Mark Green met with Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan, The Honorable Mr. Abdulaziz Kamilov on July 19, 2019.

The two discussed several shared development priorities, including health, education, trade, and human rights. Administrator Green applauded Uzbekistan's commitment to promoting public health: the country has reduced mortality from tuberculosis by 65 percent with USAID assistance since 2002. He also recognized the Government of Uzbekistan's commitment to implementing recent economic and judicial reforms, and expressed optimism for the launch of new, USAID-funded programs to support reforms in education and the energy sector.

Administrator Green and Foreign Minister Kamilov also discussed how to better facilitate the registration of independent non-governmental organizations. Additionally, the Administrator praised the Central Asian country's efforts to enhance trade with Afghanistan, and encouraged the Uzbek Government's reform agenda to include legal changes to promote and protect the right of peaceful assembly and other human rights, in line with Uzbekistan's international obligations and commitments. The Administrator also noted that the Uzbek Government's efforts to promote intellectual property would help facilitate the country's accession to the World Trade Organization, while increasing foreign investment into the country.

Finally, Administrator Green recognized Uzbekistan's significant efforts to curb forced labor, while emphasizing the need for further progress to promote human rights and religious freedom, and to combat human trafficking, since the country appears on the Tier 2 Watch List in the U.S. Department of State's annual Trafficking in Persons Report.