Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On May 18, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received a World Bank delegation headed by Vice President Anna Bjerde, who is in our country on a working visit.

Topical issues of further expanding strategic partnership relations between Uzbekistan and the World Bank Group, increasing the level of practical interaction in order to ensure sustainable development in our country and in the region as a whole were discussed.

At the beginning of the meeting, the head of our state sincerely congratulated Anna Bjerde on her appointment as Vice President of the World Bank for Europe and Central Asia and wished her great success.

The current highest level of bilateral cooperation, which in recent years has been brought to a qualitatively new stage by joint efforts, was noted with deep satisfaction.

It was emphasized that with the full support of the Bank in our country, the implementation of the program of market transformations and social reforms continues.

A "road map" is being implemented with a set of specific measures to promote projects with the participation of the World Bank Group, the "Country Platform" system has been introduced.

The total portfolio of projects reaches US$7 billion. The current program includes 23 ongoing projects worth US$4.1 billion, covering such priority areas as education, health, energy, water supply, agriculture, transport and many other areas.

The World Bank was one of the first to provide assistance to cope with the consequences of the pandemic. Last year alone, new projects worth US$1.6 billion were approved.

In addition, the Bank’s experts provide advisory and technical assistance, participate in the implementation of the transformation of state-owned enterprises, the modernization of the transport sector and agriculture, and the reform of all links of the electric power industry. Notable progress has been made in the area of introducing renewable energy sources.

During this visit, agreements were signed on the implementation of projects to improve the water supply system and support the national innovation policy in the amount of about $ 300 million.

At the meeting, an agreement was reached on the thorough preparation and adoption of a new five-year Partnership Program of Uzbekistan with the World Bank.

As was emphasized by the Vice President Anna Bjerde, the Bank highly appreciates and intends to continue to provide the necessary support in the implementation of economic and social reforms in the country.

“Uzbekistan has done a lot of work in a short historical period. The reforms have changed the country fundamentally, both internally and externally. Thanks to this, today your country is attractive for foreign investors, ”said the head of a leading international financial institution.

The new agenda proposed by the President of Uzbekistan for the further expansion of multifaceted cooperation with the World Bank was fully supported.

In particular, it included the following specific areas of partnership:

- support for reforms aimed at reducing poverty in the country, primarily through the development of entrepreneurship in rural areas, promotion of business initiatives of women and youth;

- increasing the efficiency of transformations in the field of higher education and health care in order to achieve tangible results and radically improve the quality of services provided;

- implementation of the program of accelerated industrialization of the regions of the republic and continuation of the project for the development of medium-sized cities;

- transition to an innovative development model, the introduction of a "green economy";

- continuation of reforms in the field of land relations;

- fighting corruption and increasing the potential of state development institutions;

- joint promotion of large regional infrastructure projects.

Following the meeting, an agreement was reached on the continuation of constant contacts and fruitful exchanges to maintain high dynamics of interaction, accelerate the preparation and implementation of priority programs and projects of strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and the World Bank.