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Uzbekistan, IDB intend to expand bilateral cooperation

Business Materials 18 April 2013 20:03 (UTC +04:00)

Uzbekistan, Tashkent, April 18 / Trend, D. Azizov /

As the head of the reputable international financial organization, the president of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Ahmad Mohamed Ali pays attention to the issues surrounding the expansion of cooperation, its active support for Uzbek initiatives in various fields. This is considered a sign of the great respect and esteem of the Arab world for Uzbekistan.

Uzbek President Islam Karimov said this at a meeting with the IDB head today, who arrived in Tashkent to participate in the international conference "The Modern housing complex as an engine of development and the transformation of the village, improving quality of life for the population".

Karimov said some 10 projects worth $ 186.4 million were implemented within 10-year Uzbek cooperation with the IDB.

Some $ 2.7 million grants were allocated for the implementation of 12 projects within the technical assistance. Currently, 10 more projects worth $640.9 million are being implemented.

Nine projects worth $ 877.9 million were prepared for joint implementation.

An important area of cooperation with the IDB branches is to implement the projects with the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector, aimed at supporting the development of small business and private entrepreneurship. A total volume of borrowed funds delivered by the corporation for small business project financing hits $83 million.

Ahmad Mohamed Ali said that every time he comes to Uzbekistan, he observes great reforms, achieving new goals, the desire for growth and development, the results of new good initiatives and undertakings.

"First, Uzbekistan was known mainly as a supplier of raw cotton, almost all exports accounted for the cotton fiber," he said. "Today, the share of cotton in the country's exports does not exceed 10 percent."

He said that as a result of the radical reforms in the economic sphere, Uzbekistan has taken its rightful place among the countries producing the finished products.

The integrated rural development program is a key element of reforms in Uzbekistan. In fact, it confirms the effectiveness and consistency of the "Uzbek model" of development. It combines the goals of improving the standard of living and balanced economic growth, along with high and sustainable rates of macroeconomic development.

The prospects of relations, the development and implementation of new projects of mutual interest were discussed at the talks. Ahmad Mohamed Ali reiterated the IDB readiness to develop further fruitful cooperation with Uzbekistan.

"We plan to further expand and strengthen our fruitful cooperation with Uzbekistan," he said. "Our willingness to support the integrated rural development programs in Uzbekistan will be reflected in the partnership strategy. It will be worked out by the end of 2013."

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