Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has announced the program for its 9th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors, scheduled for 25-26 September 2024, in Samarkand.

This landmark event, hosted by the second-largest multilateral development bank in terms of membership, will be the first of its kind held in Central Asia. AIIB, a key co-financing partner of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, will focus on the theme "Building Sustainable Infrastructure for All."

The two-day conference will include four main tracks: official and discussion programs, the AIIB Marketplace initiative, and dialogues with civil society. The event will highlight Asia’s infrastructure development achievements, while addressing current and future challenges and solutions.

As the host country, Uzbekistan will showcase its efforts to enhance infrastructure resilience, particularly through AIIB funding in the water sector. The country will also present its progress in developing Central Asia’s largest solar energy project, featuring three power plants in Samarkand, Jizzakh, and Sherabad, in collaboration with renewable energy leader Masdar.

The event will include roundtables and agreement-signing ceremonies with AIIB governors and high-level officials from member countries. The discussion program is divided into three thematic streams: "Sustainable Infrastructure," "Infrastructure for All," and "Private Sector":

- Sustainable Infrastructure sessions will focus on road development, regional connectivity, project resilience, and green financing.

- Infrastructure for All will explore innovative financing methods, the link between healthcare and climate, and gender issues, offering new perspectives on inclusive infrastructure development.

- Private Sector sessions will discuss mobilizing private capital for sustainable development, showcasing practical solutions and investment opportunities.

A highlight of the program is the AIIB Marketplace, which will showcase AIIB’s diverse project portfolio, policies, and products through nine sessions, including a business opportunities workshop and a session on talent acquisition. The Marketplace will also introduce the AIIB InfraTech Portal, a hub for sharing opportunities in infrastructure technology.

A key feature of AIIB Marketplace will be the presentation of AIIB+, a digital platform designed for AIIB partners. This platform will showcase projects in need of accelerated financing from AIIB and its partners, with a focus on early-stage solutions and project-level opportunities.

The AIIB Marketplace will also serve as a platform for participants, partner institutions, business leaders, and civil society to discover new opportunities and share success stories from joint projects.