TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, December 2. The World Bank approved a soft loan of $50 million for the implementation of the Digital Inclusion in Uzbekistan, Trend reports.
According to the World Bank, this project aims to support the Government of Uzbekistan's efforts in the field of digital economy development and to increase access of young people in rural and remote areas to digital skills training and employment opportunities in the field of information technology-based services (ITES).
"A new World Bank-supported project will assist Uzbekistan in using the IT services sector as a driver for economic growth, job creation, and attracting international investment. It will be implemented by the Ministry of Digital Technologies' IT Park with the goal of teaching thousands of young people under the age of 30 living in rural and remote areas of the country. Various incentives will be granted to IT companies that hire these personnel as part of the project's structure," Marco Mantovanelli, head of the World Bank representative office in Uzbekistan said.
The project calls for the establishment of 11 regional ITES centers across the country, the training of over 6,200 young people, including women and people with disabilities, and the employment of approximately 9,000 young people in ITES firms, with financial incentives for companies that hire young professionals.
The project also includes the creation of regulatory papers to foster the activities of ITES firms in Uzbekistan. It is anticipated that as a result of this project, about 240 new ITES businesses will become residents of the IT Park and commence operations in the country.
