Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Antonella Bassani, World Bank Regional Vice President for Europe and Central Asia, visited Samarkand and Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from 26 to 30 September 2024.

In Tashkent, she met with President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and other senior government officials. In Samarkand, Ms. Bassani participated in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Annual Meetings and held talks aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation with partner multilateral development banks (MDBs).

In Tashkent, Ms. Bassani had a productive meeting with President Mirziyoyev. She welcomed the government’s progress in implementing structural reforms that contribute to growth and improve the well-being of citizens. Ms. Bassani reiterated the World Bank’s commitment to continue to provide support to the implementation of the reform agenda in Uzbekistan.

During the meeting, the parties discussed opportunities for expansion of the partnership between the World Bank Group and Uzbekistan, including further support for the country’s efforts to combat poverty, promote economic growth and jobs, develop urban, rural, energy, and irrigation infrastructure, and enhance regional cooperation on energy, water and transport connectivity in Central Asia.

Ms. Bassani also met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Djamshid Kuchkarov to discuss the ongoing and planned World Bank-funded projects, and support for economic reforms, including for increasing economic productivity, transforming state-owned enterprises and supporting Uzbekistan’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). 

During the talks, the parties signed an agreement to finance the implementation of the Innovative Social Protection System for Inclusion of Vulnerable People Project. The World Bank will provide $100 million in financing to help the authorities improve access to and the quality of social services for vulnerable groups in Uzbekistan.

In Samarkand, Ms. Bassani joined Wencai Zhang, Managing Director and World Bank Group Chief Administrative Officer, who visited Uzbekistan from 24 to 27 September 2024, to attend the AIIB Annual Meetings. Mr. Zhang and Ms. Bassani held talks with senior officials from the AIIB and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), including with AIIB President Jin Liqun and ADB Vice President Yingming Yang. They focused on expanding the World Bank’s cooperation with these MDBs to jointly help address the development needs of Uzbekistan and other countries in Central Asia and beyond.

Mr. Zhang and Ms. Bassani also had bilateral meetings with Deputy Prime Minister Djamshid Khodjaev and Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade Laziz Kudratov. They reviewed the World Bank’s financial support to Uzbekistan in implementing projects across a range of sectors, as well as the Bank’s technical assistance to accelerate Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO.

On the sidelines of the AIIB Annual Meetings, Ms. Bassani participated in a panel discussion on financing climate transition in developing countries, where she spoke about the World Bank’s efforts to help its clients build low-carbon economies and better adapt to climate change.