On May 16, during the annual conference of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in Samarkand, the global payment technology company Mastercard announced the opening of its first official representative office in Uzbekistan.
“Opening an official office allows us to better understand the needs on the ground, and we will work more diligently, offering the most modern digital technological solutions. Now, for the benefit of all, I am sure that we will work more efficiently in the coming years to achieve common goals for the development of the digital economy,” Dimitrios Dosis, President of Mastercard in the EEMEA (Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa) region, said.
Within the framework of the conference, the Mastercard Inclusive Development Center signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a very important global partner, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, to further expand cooperation in Central Asia and expand digital opportunities for small business owners, especially women. This memorandum aims to explore future cooperation in Central Asia to expand the digital capabilities of micro- and small enterprises in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
In 2022, Mastercard and the Central Bank of Uzbekistan signed a three-year partnership agreement in the field of digital technologies and a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Digital Technologies on key areas such as digitization of small and medium-sized enterprises, fintech, cyber security, tourism, smart city, financial literacy, as well as financial universality.
In 2023, in accordance with the agreement on partnership in the field of digital technologies, Mastercard Advisors together with the Central Bank of Uzbekistan successfully completed an 8-component project on the development of the payment ecosystem aimed at further accelerating the transition to digital payments in Uzbekistan.
“Mastercard strives to help expand the access to financial services in Uzbekistan and Central Asia with the help of innovative digital payment solutions. Our focus is on expanding access to digital payment methods and ensuring safe and secure transactions for all consumers, regardless of location or financial status. We see great potential in the region’s young and technically advanced population and invest in partnerships and programs that support entrepreneurship and innovation,” Dimi Dosis said.
