Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan – Minister of Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Jamshid Kuchkarov held talks with the World Bank Vice President Anna Bjerde.

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

The parties discussed the implementation of a new cooperation program between Uzbekistan and the World Bank for the next five years, as well as the provision of concrete financial and advisory support by the bank to the government.

The program aims to assist the government in implementing the reforms envisaged by the New Uzbekistan Development Strategy for 2022-2026, including a plan to halve poverty by 2026, as well as entering the list of countries with an upper middle income by 2030 (with an increase in GDP per capita to over $4,000).

The parties also discussed the issues of privatization of agriculture and state enterprises, energy, transport, social protection of the population, development of rural infrastructure, human capital (education and healthcare), effective use of the green economy and natural resources, World Bank assistance in the implementation of reforms and projects in the private sector.

Views were exchanged on measures implemented by Uzbekistan to ensure food security, create new jobs, develop entrepreneurship in the countryside, and the socio-economic development of women.

Anna Bjerde stressed that the World Bank will continue to support the government in implementing reforms aimed at creating an open market economy for the benefit of all Uzbekistan citizens.

UzA