Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Nov. 7
By Demir Azizov - Trend:
Uzbekistan and the World Bank are set to further expand their partnership and cooperative relations.
President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, the WB Vice-President for Europe and Central Asia Cyril Muller, and Vice President of International Finance Corporation, a part of the WB, Dimitris Tsitsiragos, recently met in Tashkent to consider the expansion of partnerships and the development of new projects in promising areas of cooperation.
During the meeting, President Karimov expressed his appreciation of the cooperation with the World Bank Group, said UzA, the Uzbek national news agency, Nov. 7.
The representatives of the World Bank Group, for their part, stressed the importance of Uzbekistan's strategic programs for reforms, structural transformation and diversification of the economy.
They also pointed out the interest of the WB and IFC in taking an active part in conducting radical structural transformations in the Uzbek economy.
Some 28 joint projects in the power industry, modernization of irrigation and utilities, water supplies, industrial development, transportation and social infrastructure have so far been carried out in Uzbekistan, as part of the country's cooperation with the WB.
The total cost of these projects stand at $6 billion, which includes the WB's $2.6 billion financial participation in the projects.
A special place in the Uzbekistan-WB partnership is the cooperation in the healthcare sector. The WB has supported implementation of four healthcare projects in Uzbekistan, with a preferential long-term loan that exceeded $300 million.
The IFC, which is carrying out projects to develop the private sector in Uzbekistan, has invested $135 million in 20 projects throughout the country.