Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  A meeting took place between representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan and the international payment system Mastercard.

The meeting was attended by Denis Filippov, CEO of Mastercard in Uzbekistan, Asel Abdrahmanova, Director of Public Sector Relations for Central Asia, and several staff members from the ministry’s structural departments.

The strategic importance of cooperation with Mastercard for Uzbekistan was emphasized during the meeting. Key directions for further partnership development were proposed.

Among these, particular attention was given to developing cashless payment infrastructure, including promoting mobile payments and contactless technologies, as well as introducing cards for payments in public transport and utility services.

The development of innovative payment tools, such as digital wallets and biometric authentication systems, was also discussed.

One of the key topics was reducing the share of cash transactions and curbing the shadow economy. To achieve this, informational campaigns will be conducted to raise financial literacy, and cooperation with tax authorities will be strengthened to uncover tax evasion schemes.

Additionally, initiatives in the field of financial technology and support for entrepreneurship were raised, including simplifying conditions for small businesses, introducing fintech solutions for online trading platforms, and enhancing business management efficiency.

Particular attention was given to deepening the digitalization of public services and the tax system, which involves transitioning public services to an online format, conducting transparent procurement through electronic payment systems, and expanding the tax base using payment data.

For further development of cooperation, measures were proposed to create a legal framework, develop investment programs to improve payment infrastructure, and conduct large-scale informational campaigns aimed at informing the population and businesses.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides agreed to continue the exchange of information and discuss joint projects aimed at further strengthening the partnership and advancing economic relations.