Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 4-7 March, a delegation led by the Minister of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sherzod Shermatov will visit the United States to strengthen cooperation with international organizations and attract foreign companies to Uzbekistan to increase exports and create new jobs .

As part of the visit, Minister of Digital Technologies Sherzod Shermatov visited the headquarters of the World Bank. At the meeting, representatives of Uzbekistan discussed the implementation of a number of projects with the head of the World Bank Digital Development Group, Michel Rogy and Mikhail Bunchuk.

In November 2023, the Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank approved a soft loan in the amount of US$50 million for the implementation of the “Digital Inclusion in Uzbekistan” project.

The project aims to create thousands of digital jobs for youth, including women and people with disabilities, across the country. In accordance with the National Development Strategy of Uzbekistan until 2030, Uzbekistan plans to increase the annual volume of information technology exports to US$5 billion, attract 1,000 foreign IT companies and provide employment for 300 thousand young specialists in the field of information technology.

To achieve these ambitious goals, it is planned to allocate a large amount of money for the training of qualified personnel, the development of IT and office infrastructure, the creation of appropriate legislation and a strategy to attract foreign and local investment in the IT sector.

The project, which is supported by the World Bank, will be implemented through the IT park of the Ministry of Digital Technologies with the aim of training thousands of young people under the age of 30 living in rural and remote areas. An important aspect will be to encourage outsourcing companies to hire qualified specialists.

When the project is completed in 2029, approximately 25 thousand people will be employed in the IT and outsourcing sectors in Uzbekistan. The project will help launch 11 regional outsourcing centers, train more than 6 thousand young people and provide employment to about 9 thousand young specialists.

To achieve these goals, the project includes the launch of regional centers, the development of the necessary regulatory documents, as well as basic skills training and active employment. An important component will also be attracting new outsourcing companies and stimulating their activities in the country.

The “Digital Inclusion in Uzbekistan” project will become a catalyst for economic growth, creating new jobs and attracting foreign investment to Uzbekistan. The joint efforts of the Government of Uzbekistan and the World Bank are aimed at creating a stable digital economy that will ensure the country’s prosperity in the coming decades.

Michel Rogy was also interested in what work has been done in the education system towards the development of IT education in our country. The minister informed him about the implemented projects, in particular, “English Speaking Nation” and “Al-Khorezmi”.

In addition, during the meeting, issues of cooperation were discussed with the aim of including Uzbekistan in the TOP-30 international ranking of electronic services.