Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have agreed to continue cooperation on economic reforms, public financial management and improving the effectiveness of fiscal policy.
These issues were discussed on 16 October 2026 in Bangkok at a meeting between Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, Jamshid Kuchkarov, and Jihad Azour, Director of the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia Department. The meeting was reported by the Information Service and Communications Department of Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Economy and Finance.
The talks took place on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank. Participants also included Thanos Arvanitis, Deputy Director of the IMF department, Nodirbek Ochilov, Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of Uzbekistan, Jasur Karshibaev, an adviser to the Minister of Economy and Finance, and other government representatives.
The parties reviewed current economic and financial developments in Uzbekistan, the country’s medium-term outlook and opportunities to further expand cooperation with the fund.
A key topic was support for the economic reforms underway in Uzbekistan. Participants exchanged views on improving public financial management and increasing the effectiveness of fiscal policy.
Particular attention was given to developing tools for public expenditure analysis and improving budget planning and forecasting. The discussions also covered approaches to assessing the economic and social impact of fiscal decisions, with technical support from the IMF.
Other areas of cooperation included the privatisation and transformation of state-owned enterprises, pension system reform, improvements in tax and customs administration, and greater effectiveness of monetary policy.
Following the meeting, the parties agreed to continue developing mutually beneficial cooperation and exchanging views on the issues discussed.
