Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — A working meeting was held at the Center for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR) with the center’s director, Obid Khakimov, and a delegation from the World Bank, led by David Knight, the head of the Economic Development Program.

The main topic of the discussions was the expansion of cooperation within the framework of the Structural Reforms Support Program (DPO).

The DPO program, which provides concessional loans for economic modernization purposes, aims to assist partner countries in implementing institutional transformations, improving the investment climate, and enhancing the well-being of the population.

During the meeting, the CERR director presented the key areas of reforms being implemented in Uzbekistan under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, as well as the results of the center’s analytical research evaluating the impact of these reforms on the country’s economy. The World Bank representatives highly appreciated the progress achieved, emphasizing their positive role in stimulating sustainable growth.

The parties paid special attention to joint work on the following priorities:

Developing economic models to assess the effectiveness of reforms

Analyzing the consequences of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO for various sectors

Studying the impact of the removal of export subsidies

Improving fiscal policy and implementing program budgeting

Developing the IT sector, which is expected to generate $1 billion in service exports

Regional development, agrarian reforms, and reducing the share of the informal economy

Following the talks, the participants confirmed their intention to deepen cooperation to implement joint initiatives aimed at the sustainable socio-economic development of Uzbekistan.