Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Further expansion and strengthening of cooperation between Uzbekistan and the OPEC Fund for International Development in education sphere, development and realization of joint projects were discussed at the meeting of a delegation of the OPEC Fund for International Development led by its director-general Suleiman Jasir Al-Herbish and Minister of Public Education of Uzbekistan Gayrat Shoumarov on 20 November.

During the meeting, the sides underlined that the cooperation between Uzbekistan and the OPEC Fund for International Development is developing gradually in all spheres, including in science and education, UzA reported.

The report said guests familiarized with ongoing reforms, which are carried out in Uzbekistan.

Suleiman Jasir Al-Herbish said that the OPEC Fund for International Development is planning to develop and implement joint projects in various spheres, including in science and education, agriculture and transport communication.

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov signed the Decree "On measures to implement the project of "Building and equipping public schools of the Republic of Uzbekistan" with the participation of the OPEC Fund for International Development and the Saudi Fund for Development" on 13 February 2008.

The project provides financing of constructing and equipping over 25 public schools in Uzbekistan for over 7,900 student places.

The soft loans provided by OPEC Fund for International Development for US$5 million and Saudi Fund for Development, equivalent to US$16 million for the period of 25 years with the preferential interest rate, and prove the strengthening financial and economic cooperation between Republic Uzbekistan and the Islamic country-donors in the framework of Coordination group of the Arab national and regional institutes of development (Arab Coordination Group).