Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 18 June 2025, a high-level meeting took place between a delegation from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), led by Vice President Bhargav Dasgupta, and Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, Jamshid Kuchkarov.

The discussions were also attended by Enrico Pinali, ADB’s Regional Director for Private Sector Development, Kanokpan Lao-Araya, Head of the ADB Country Office in Tashkent, Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance Umid Abidkhodjayev, CEO of the Mortgage Refinancing Company Murod Farmanov, along with other senior officials from both sides.

During the meeting, the two parties reviewed the current dynamics of Uzbekistan–ADB cooperation and explored future avenues for collaboration. Particular emphasis was placed on the implementation status of ongoing joint projects and on key socio-economic trends in the country.

The dialogue highlighted the importance of infrastructure development, support for small and medium-sized enterprises — especially through the introduction of innovations and artificial intelligence — as well as initiatives to back startups.

Key topics also included strengthening the private sector, maintaining macroeconomic stability with a focus on inflation control, and advancing the green agenda by improving energy efficiency in social sector facilities.

In addition, progress in public-private partnership (PPP) projects — particularly in healthcare — was examined, along with developments in mortgage lending, efficient water resource management, and support for privatization programs.

The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to further deepen the partnership and enhance dialogue on strategic areas of cooperation.