United Kingdom Allocates £4 Billion in Export Guarantees to Support Infrastructure Projects in Uzbekistan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The United Kingdom plans to actively support infrastructure projects in Uzbekistan by providing approximately £4 billion in export guarantees, Lord John Alderdice, Trade Envoy of the UK Prime Minister for Central Asia and Azerbaijan, stated at the UK–Uzbekistan Infrastructure Conference.

In an interview with the Dunyо news agency, he emphasized the strategic importance of Uzbekistan as a region of stability and a hub for bilateral economic cooperation.

Lord Alderdice highlighted the impressive progress of infrastructure and social projects in Uzbekistan, including the Center for Islamic Civilization and large-scale initiatives in the mining, transport, education, and healthcare sectors. He noted that the country’s infrastructure development goes beyond practical facilities, encompassing educational, medical, and social projects that create conditions for sustainable economic growth.

The trade envoy stressed the potential of the transport, energy, and green sectors. Special attention is being given to public-private partnerships, which open opportunities for IPOs, bond issuance, and the implementation of large-scale mining projects with support from the London Metal Exchange.

British companies are actively involved in the planning of New Tashkent and other transport infrastructure projects, including railways and airports, receiving additional backing through export guarantees.

In education, the UK plans to implement joint initiatives with the University of Oxford, including Uzbek, Kazakh, and Azerbaijani language programs, digitalization of educational processes, and professional development programs. Lord Alderdice noted that these projects contribute to knowledge enhancement, experience exchange, and the improvement of regional specialists’ skills.

He emphasized that the UK’s objectives include raising awareness within the business community about Uzbekistan’s opportunities and actively facilitating the implementation of joint projects. He underscored Uzbekistan’s strategically important geopolitical position between Russia and China, noting its potential to become a center of stable economic development in Central Asia.

According to Lord Alderdice, the allocation of £4 billion in export guarantees creates “enormous opportunities” for a wide range of projects in transport, energy, education, and green infrastructure. Overall, he expressed optimism about the prospects for further strengthening UK–Uzbek economic partnership, highlighting the importance of joint efforts by small and medium-sized states amid global instability.