President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, during his visit to Samarkand, held a meeting with a delegation from the Asian Development Bank led by its President Masato Kanda.At the outset, the ADB chief expressed gratitude to Uzbekistan for its strong support in successfully hosting the Bank’s 59th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors.Both sides discussed ways to further expand comprehensive and mutually beneficial cooperation.
They noted with satisfaction the high level of partnership achieved over more than three decades, during which the ADB has become a key strategic partner for Uzbekistan.The current portfolio of joint projects stands at nearly $16 billion, making Uzbekistan one of the Bank’s largest partners in the region.
These projects span major sectors including transport infrastructure, energy, water supply, agriculture, and private sector development.Particular emphasis was placed on the effective implementation of a new $12.5 billion Partnership Program through 2030, signed on the sidelines of the summit.The two sides also agreed to enhance collaboration in priority areas such as mortgage market development, support for small businesses, youth and women’s entrepreneurship, poverty reduction, inclusive education reforms, human capital development, digital innovation, and infrastructure modernization in special economic zones.
They further highlighted the importance of advancing major regional infrastructure initiatives across Central Asia, with the ADB playing a leading role in mobilizing financial resources.Concluding the meeting, President Mirziyoyev wished the ADB leadership success in their ongoing Board of Governors meeting. A formal ceremony was also held to exchange the newly signed Partnership Program documents.
