President Mirziyoyev meets World Bank delegation to discuss structural economic reforms

The delegation is in Uzbekistan to attend a meeting of the Swiss Group of World Bank member countries.

At the start of the meeting, Bassani conveyed greetings and best wishes from World Bank Group President Ajay Banga.

The talks focused on strengthening the strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and the World Bank Group, with particular emphasis on the country's ongoing structural reforms. Both sides noted that bilateral cooperation has expanded significantly in recent years, with the joint project portfolio now exceeding $15 billion. They also highlighted the growing role of the World Bank's regional office in Tashkent and the introduction of new financing mechanisms.

The parties reviewed preparations for upcoming joint events, including planned visits by senior World Bank officials later this year, and reaffirmed their commitment to developing a new long-term Country Program aligned with Uzbekistan's key socio-economic development priorities.

Discussions also covered joint initiatives to support small and medium-sized enterprises, reduce poverty, and accelerate the privatization of state-owned enterprises. The officials explored broader use of World Bank financing to support the adoption of artificial intelligence technologies across the economy.

The meeting also identified water resource management, human capital development, and improving Uzbekistan's performance in international rankings as priority areas for future cooperation.