Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 30 September 2022, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Minister of Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Jamshid Kuchkarov held talks with World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia Anne Bjerde, who is paying an official visit to the country.

The meeting at the Ministry of Economic Development and Poverty Reduction was also attended by Minister of Finance of Uzbekistan Timur Ishmetov, Chairman of the Board of the Central Bank of Uzbekistan Mamarizo Nurmuratov, World Bank Regional Director for Central Asia Tatiana Proskuryakova, World Bank Country Manager for Uzbekistan Marco Mantovanelli and other government and Bank officials.

Uzbekistan joined the World Bank on September 21, 1992. For 30 years of fruitful partnership with the country, the Bank has provided support for delivering various reforms and projects implemented by the Government in various social and economic areas.

Since 1993, the World Bank has provided funding totaling over US$8.5 billion for implementing 67 projects stimulating the country’s economic growth and improving the well-being of the population, including projects in water supply and sanitation, education, healthcare, and social protection.

Currently, the Government, with financial support from the World Bank, is implementing 27 projects totaling US$4.8 billion. Its country program in Uzbekistan is one of the largest operations it is running in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region.

During the talks, the Parties discussed issues of implementation of a recently adopted World Bank’s Country Partnership Framework for Uzbekistan (CPF) for the next five years, which outlines financial and advisory support the Bank will deliver to the Government in the near future.

The purpose of the CPF is to assist the Government in implementing reforms outlined in the New Uzbekistan Development Strategy for 2022-2026, including the authorities’ plans for reducing poverty by half by 2026, as well as to reach the status of an upper middle-income country (GDP per capita of more than US$4,000) by 2030.

The Parties reviewed support of the World Bank in implementing reforms and projects focusing on the privatization of state-owned enterprises, developing agriculture, energy and transport sector, social protection and rural infrastructure, building human capital (education and health) and green economy, improving the use of natural resources, as well as the private sector growth. 

The meeting participants also analyzed the Government’s efforts to strengthen food security, create new jobs in various sectors, develop rural entrepreneurship, and empower women.

Ms. Bjerde stressed that the World Bank will continue to support the Government in implementing reforms designed to build an open and competitive market economy in Uzbekistan in the interest of all citizens.