EBRD to explore opportunities for financing small and medium-sized businesses in Uzbekistan

The Ambassador of Uzbekistan to the UK, Ravshan Usmanov, held online discussions with Hüseyin Özkan, the Director for Central Asia at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and Andi Aranitasi, Head of the EBRD’s Tashkent Office.

Photo: Dunyo IA

During the talks, the EBRD representatives praised the extensive reforms currently underway across all sectors in New Uzbekistan and expressed strong support for these efforts.

The two sides explored ways to deepen their cooperation, particularly in financing micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in Uzbekistan, as well as promoting entrepreneurship among women and youth.

At the conclusion of the meeting, an agreement was reached to continue collaboration under the EBRD’s "Women in Business" and "Youth in Business" programs, which aim to support women and youth entrepreneurship in Uzbekistan. Both sides also emphasized the importance of maintaining ongoing working relations.

To date, the EBRD has partnered with Uzbekistan on 170 projects, with 58% of the total project portfolio being contributed by the private sector.