On September 24–25, 2025, Dushanbe hosted the third international conference for the Effective Governance for Economic Development (EGED) Program in Central Asia. The event brought together more than 150 participants from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, including experts in evidence-based policymaking and reforms, senior government officials, and representatives from civil society, think tanks, academic circles, and international organizations.

The conference focused on how data, research, and experimentation can serve as powerful enablers of positive policymaking to support better public governance oriented toward equitable and inclusive economic growth. Experts discussed cases of evidence-based policy implementation and reform from across Central Asia, where the EGED program has:

• delivered better outcomes for citizens
• simplified, expedited or otherwise improved governments’ policy delivery
• facilitated civil society engagement to monitor policy formulation, delivery, or adjustment.

The conference is co-organized by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Tajikistan, the World Bank, and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), with financial support from UK International Development. The views expressed during the conference do not necessarily reflect the official views of the UK Government.

The conference languages: Tajik, Russian, and English with simultaneous interpretation. The event is in-person only.