ADB Reaffirms Support for Uzbekistan’s Development
TASHKENT — Asian Development Bank (ADB) Vice-President Shixin Chen met senior government officials this week in Tashkent to reaffirm ADB’s support for Uzbekistan’s continued development and recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Mr. Chen met Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade, and ADB Governor Sardor Umurzakov; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Jamshid Kuchkarov; and Deputy Prime Minister for Social Development Bekhzod Musayev, among other senior officials.
“We commend the Government of Uzbekistan’s commitment to pursuing its reform agenda while navigating the unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic,” said Mr. Chen. “ADB will continue to support projects and policies, including regional cooperation and integration, to accelerate the country’s green and inclusive economic recovery.”
Mr. Chen welcomed Uzbekistan’s green growth strategy and commitment to the Paris Agreement through increased investments in renewable energy and mainstreaming climate resilience in all sectors. Mr. Umurzakov appreciated ADB’s timely support to help Uzbekistan mitigate adverse impact of COVID-19 and enable fiscal space for anti-crisis measures and social protection. He and Mr. Chen discussed ADB’s ongoing support and enhanced partnership with the government to ensure projects are implemented efficiently. Mr. Chen reiterated ADB’s plan to accommodate Uzbekistan’s needs for development finance with a robust pipeline for 2022, including expanding the range of projects through public–private partnerships.
In his meeting with Mr. Kuchkarov, Mr. Chen commended government efforts to enact structural reforms to transform Uzbekistan’s economy. He reconfirmed ADB’s support for the transformation of state-owned enterprises, developing the financial markets, and improving the enabling environment for small and medium enterprises to flourish. Mr. Chen also reiterated the bank’s intentions to facilitate private sector engagement through public–private partnerships.
Mr. Chen discussed the implementation of ADB’s COVID-19 emergency response project with Mr. Musayev, highlighting the need for continued investments in education and health care to better prepare for future pandemics.
Mr. Chen also met officials from the World Bank and spoke on the opening plenary at the Uzbekistan Economic Forum, a high-level conference organized by the Government of Uzbekistan to discuss the country’s progress in implementing economic reforms. The forum was held on 29–30 September in Tashkent.
Uzbekistan is a member of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Program, a partnership of 11 countries to promote economic growth and sustainable development through regional cooperation.
Uzbekistan joined ADB in 1995. Since then, ADB has committed loans, grants, and technical assistance amounting to $10.1 billion for Uzbekistan.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.