Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a meeting on 17 April to strengthen cooperation with international financial institutions in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

This year, it is planned to use US$2.7 billion allocated by international and foreign financial institutions. Most of these funds come from the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Existing projects are optimized based on the current situation, and funds are allocated primarily to the medical sector. International organizations express their readiness to contribute to our country.

The meeting noted the need to accelerate the process of attracting and developing US$277 million, which international financial institutions intend to allocate to the health sector of Uzbekistan to combat the pandemic.

Instructions were given to equip the hospitals under construction in Zangiata district and the quarantine zone in Yukorichirchik district of Tashkent region with modern medical equipment with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank.

The Ministry of Health has been given the task of purchasing 2.3 thousand mechanical ventilation devices and other equipment at the cost of US$30 million from the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.

Instructions were given on attracting additional investments from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the World Bank, and their referral to the healthcare system and the social sphere as a whole.

In the context of the pandemic, it is planned to raise US$700 million to support entrepreneurship, small and medium-sized businesses.

The head of state noted the need to allocate these funds primarily for the development of horticulture, food processing and export support.

As you know, by the decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan of 19 March 2020, the Anti-Crisis Fund was established. It is planned to allocate an additional 3.6 trillion soums from it to support projects in the field of infrastructure and utilities.

The meeting paid special attention to this issue, responsible persons were given relevant instructions.

The importance of reaching additional grant agreements with donor organizations for countering the coronavirus pandemic was emphasized.

The tasks to accelerate the attraction and timely targeted development of funds of international financial institutions are identified.