BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov. 14
By Fakhri Vakilov - Trend:
Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev received an Asian Development Bank (ADB) delegation led by Bank’s President Takehiko Nakao, who arrived in Uzbekistan to attend the ministerial conference of the Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation Program, Trend reports citing presidential press service.
Today, the bilateral cooperation portfolio includes more than 60 completed and ongoing projects totaling almost $8 billion, covering all priority sectors of the economy. The Bank adopted a new Strategy for expanding partnerships for 2019-2023 with funding in excess of $5 billion.
The meeting examined the prospects for interaction in detail. Attention is paid to the development and implementation of long-term strategic and program documents for the modernization of irrigation and drainage and road infrastructure in Uzbekistan, including improving the management system, introducing public-private partnership mechanisms, training personnel and other issues.
A marked improvement in the quality of training and progress in implementing projects involving the Asian Development Bank were highlighted.
The priority nature of promoting regional projects, primarily for the development of transport corridors, the modernization of energy infrastructure, and the solution of environmental problems, was emphasized.
The head of the Asian Development Bank praised the current level and effectiveness of cooperation with Uzbekistan, and expressed full support for the ongoing large-scale reforms in the country.
Nakao assured that the bank will continue to act as the main partner in achieving the goals and objectives of sustainable development and prosperity of Uzbekistan.
Moreover, Uzbekistan’s Government expects to receive loans of ADB to support projects of mortgage lending and economic reforms worth $500 million by the end of the year, as was stated at a meeting of Uzbekistan’s Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Sardor Umurzakov with Nakao.
In June, ADB approved a new country partnership strategy for Uzbekistan for 2019–2023, which includes assistance in developing the private sector, rural areas, regional cooperation, and reducing economic and social inequalities.
Since 1995, ADB has provided Uzbekistan with more than $7 billion to implement nearly 70 projects in the fields of education, agriculture, modernization of transport infrastructure and the energy sector, as well as about $85 million of technical assistance grants.
---
Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri
