The policy of the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump demonstrates a steady trend to reduce funding for international initiatives. As part of this strategy, the U.S. side is reconsidering the scope and direction of foreign aid, which is already having a tangible impact on specific programs, including projects in Uzbekistan. In particular, a $2.5 million U.S. State Department grant intended to stimulate civic engagement in the republic was recently canceled.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) plays a significant role in the structure of U.S. support. Since the opening of the USAID office in Tashkent in 2020, there has been a significant increase in its participation in the distribution of U.S. aid. By 2024, USAID's share is estimated to have increased from 24.2% to 73.5%, indicating an institutional strengthening of their presence in the country. However, in January 2025, Donald Trump issued an executive order temporarily suspending all foreign aid from USAID for 90 days to review programs for consistency with “American values” and U.S. national foreign policy priorities.
Such measures fit into the broader context of a return to isolationist attitudes and a revision of the principles of resource allocation in favor of domestic objectives. In this sense, the current steps of the administration cannot be considered unexpected: they are a continuation of Trump's pre-election rhetoric, which implies cutting government spending, strengthening control over international obligations and ideological filtering of foreign policy initiatives.
Nevertheless, the impact of these decisions on the development of civil society in Uzbekistan appears limited. The “New Uzbekistan” concept, proclaimed in 2021, consistently emphasizes institutionalization of public initiatives, strengthening the role of non-state organizations and expanding mechanisms for civic participation. In this context, international support, including U.S. support, acts more as an additional, but not a determining factor.
Consequently, even with the reduction of external grant funding, the development of civil society institutions in Uzbekistan remains internally sustainable, relying on the political will of the leadership and public demand for modernization.
* The Institute for Advanced International Studies (IAIS) does not take institutional positions on any issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the IAIS.
