- Overview
- Speakers
On Wednesday, April 15, we celebrated one more installment of our LET'S TALK DATA event series. This time, we had an insightful conversation with Mr. Behzod Hamraev, Chairman of the National Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and Vice-Chair of the Bureau of the Committee on Statistics of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. He presented about one of Central Asia's most dynamic and far-reaching national statistical reform agendas, as the country undergoes ambitious transformations.
In February 2026, Uzbekistan reached a major milestone with the completion of its first Population, Housing and Agriculture Census since 1989, which will provide a comprehensive baseline for policy planning for years to come.
At the same time, the government is leveraging digital technologies to reshape how data is produced and used. Automated data collection now integrates online tax registries, energy consumption and agricultural outputs, system-wide integrations across government institutions have significantly reduced the reporting burden on businesses, and emerging AI-powered tools are enhancing data accessibility.
These efforts are complemented by ongoing institutional reforms. A new National Strategy for the Development of Statistics is currently being developed to further strengthen data quality and efficiency. In parallel, the national statistical system has been reinforced through institutional reforms, including the re-establishment of the National Statistics Committee (NSC), strengthening its institutional role and supporting the implementation of the principles of official statistics, including professional independence, transparency, and alignment with international standards.
Watch the recording below.
Behzod Hamraev - Keynote Speaker
Behzod is the Chairman of the National Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan. He leads the modernization of Uzbekistan’s national statistical system, strengthening institutional and legal frameworks, improving data quality and timeliness, and aligning official statistics with international standards. Prior to this role, he served as Deputy Chairman and Board Member of the Central Bank of Uzbekistan. Behzod serves as Vice-Chair of the Bureau of the Committee on Statistics of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (2025–2026).
Haishan Fu - Co-chair
Haishan is the World Bank Group Chief Statistician and Director of the Development Data Group, leading and coordinating the World Bank's development data agenda. A lifelong advocate for unlocking the power of data to improve lives, she has spent over three decades at the forefront of global data discourse as a prominent thought leader, expert advisor, and academic and policy researcher. In her dual role, she oversees a wide-ranging portfolio that includes cutting-edge global data public goods, pioneering public-private partnerships, globally trusted technical advisory services, and innovative financing solutions, including the Global Data Facility.
Luis Felipe López-Calva - Co-chair
Luis Felipe López-Calva is a Senior Advisor in the Prosperity Vice Presidency at the World Bank Group, with over 25 years of experience advising international institutions and governments. He previously served as Director of the World Bank’s Poverty Global Practice and as UN Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at UNDP. He has led research and policy work on poverty and inequality across regions and co-directed the World Development Report 2017 on Governance and the Law. López-Calva has held academic positions at leading institutions, including Harvard and Stanford, and specializes in labor markets, poverty, inequality, and development economics.
Mauricio Rodriguez Abreu - Discussant
Mauricio is the Chief of the Demographics and Social Statistics Unit at the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) of Mexico. He is an actuary and demographer with extensive experience in research focused on migration, time-use, gender, applied demography, statistical methods, and disparities. He was Head of the Department of International Migration Flows at the National Population Council in Mexico. Mauricio has been a professor in different institutions such as the University of Texas at San Antonio, Fundación Universidad de las Americas Puebla, the University of the State of Hidalgo and Colegio de México.
