The UN Civil Service Forum has finished its work in Samarkand

The United Nations Public Service Forum (UNPSF 2025), which was held for the first time in Central Asia, has finished its work in Samarkand. The event has become one of the largest international platforms for the development of the civil service, digitalization of management and sustainable reforms in the field of public services.

The Forum gathered more than 1,000 delegates from dozens of countries in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa. Ministers and heads of State administrations, representatives of international organizations, experts in the field of public administration, civil society, academia and the private sector participated.

The forum's closing ceremony took place on June 25. The main address was delivered by the Minister of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan Sherzod Shermatov. In his speech, he expressed gratitude to all participants of the forum for their contribution to the discussion and development of new approaches to the modernization of public services.

According to the Minister, holding UNPSF in Samarkand is symbolic, as the city has played the role of a crossroads of cultures, ideas and civilizations for thousands of years. Today, it has become a space for dialogue about the future — digital, sustainable and inclusive governance.

A key outcome of the forum was the joint adoption of Samarkand Ministerial Declaration - a strategic document reflecting the common desire of States to create more transparent, accessible and efficient models of public services. The declaration includes priorities for developing GovTech initiatives, expanding digital education, introducing open platforms, and improving human resources in the public sector.

The event included panel sessions, thematic seminars and presentations of practical cases. Special attention was paid to issues of equitable access to digital services, combating digital inequality and building state systems that are resilient to crises.

The Minister noted that Uzbekistan is open for international cooperation and is ready to share its accumulated experience in the field of digital transformation of the public sector.

At the end of the forum, the Georgian delegation received the right to host the next UN Civil Service Forum in 2026.

Shermatov stressed that the adopted Samarkand Declaration should become not just a final document, but a basis for concrete actions and further international cooperation in the field of modernizing public administration.