BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 3
By Klavdiya Romakayeva - Trend:
Uzbekistan and OPEC discussed the prospects for developing cooperation within the framework of concessional financing of projects in the country in such areas as education, transport, agriculture, irrigation and melioration, finance, Trend reports referring to the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Vienna (Austria).
Ambassador of Uzbekistan Abat Fayzullayev met with Abdulhamid Alkhalifa, Director General of the International Development Fund of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
During the meeting, the parties discussed the current state of cooperation and priority areas within the framework of concessional financing of projects in the country in such areas as education, transport, agriculture, irrigation and melioration, finance, as well as support for business entities.
Noting the fruitful cooperation of the Fund with Uzbekistan, Abdulhamid Alkhalifa said about the growing level of cooperation between the parties.
To date, the OPEC Fund has financed more than 10 social, investment and banking and financial projects in Uzbekistan.
The parties also discussed the joint projects for sustainable development of rural areas and the creation of a multidisciplinary medical clinic in the city of Muynak. It was noted that within the framework of these projects, the Fund intends to allocate a concessional credit line in the amount of about $100 million.
During the negotiations, Alkhalifa also noted the readiness to expand cooperation with Uzbekistan and implement new projects in various spheres of social and economic life of the population.
The OPEC Fund includes 12 member countries: Algeria, Ecuador, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela. Today, the Fund is the only development institution with a global mandate to provide OPEC funding to non-OPEC member states.
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