Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The European Investment Bank (EIB) is set to open a regional office in Tashkent by the end of 2025, according to Davide Monguzzi, Senior Lending Officer at the EIB. The announcement was made during the 4th Tashkent International Investment Forum.

Monguzzi noted that a memorandum on establishing the EIB’s representation in Uzbekistan was signed in April this year at the Samarkand Summit — a significant milestone in enhancing bilateral cooperation and expanding investment opportunities.

“We’ve finally signed the agreement with the Government of Uzbekistan, which will allow us to open the office by the end of this year,” he said.

The EIB intends to prioritize sustainable infrastructure development, with a particular focus on transportation and water management. Key areas of engagement include easing traffic congestion in heavily populated zones of Karakalpakstan and Samarkand, as well as irrigation, road construction, and the modernization of railway infrastructure. The bank will draw on the expertise of its team of over 400 engineers to support these initiatives.

As the financial arm of the European Union, the EIB is committed to bringing best-in-class European practices in sustainable infrastructure to Central Asia.

“We are focused on building strong partnerships and have begun implementing our Memorandum of Understanding with Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Transport through concrete projects in Karakalpakstan and Samarkand, aiming to ease congestion and improve mobility in these regions,” Monguzzi concluded.