From 12 to 14 July, staff members from the Statistics Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan benefited from a three-day study visit to Washington D.C., United States, which included a specialized training on data openness and quality, metadata and data dissemination, as well as meetings with relevant stakeholders such as the World Bank, the Global Data Barometer and the Center for Open Data Enterprise. The training was organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) and delivered by Open Data Watch (ODW), an international non-profit organization working at the intersection of open data and official statistics.
When it comes to good governance, quality open data is critical and can lead to more effective and efficient governments. In addition, a public sector based on integrity, openness, transparency and accountability is key to promote a positive climate for business and investment.
The PCUz has been actively supporting efforts to promote and develop an effective open data ecosystem in Uzbekistan, integrating best standards into national open data policies and strengthening the capacities of national stakeholders based on best practices in the OSCE region. The PCUz and ODW have been cooperating since 2019, when Uzbekistan initiated reforms in the field of open data.
As a result, open data publishing has considerably improved in the country and so has the country's position in various international rankings. In the Open Data Inventory (ODIN) - managed by ODW - Uzbekistan ranked 37 out of 193 in 2022, a steady improvement from its initial rating of 168 out of 178. The workshop represented a further step in the improvement of Uzbekistan's open data record, as the staff from the Statistics Agency learnt from ODW's expertise and experience to improve data access and quality. Participants went beyond the basics of open data and explored other significant recommendations from the latest 2022 ODIN assessment, as well as additional areas of interest such as data governance and data use and visualization.
During the workshop, participants also met with members of the Open Gov Hub, a non-profit coworking space gathering various stakeholders working in the area of good governance and opening up governments.
