On July 13 this year, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan S. Umurzakov negotiated with President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Masatsugu Asakawa.

The dialogue touched upon current cooperation under measures taken by the Government of Uzbekistan to protect the population from the coronavirus and minimize the negative impact of the pandemic on the social and economic development of the country.

Asakawa thoroughly supported the measures taken in Uzbekistan to ensure the quality and uninterrupted operation of the healthcare system, the creation of specialized medical institutions and quarantine zones, medical assistance and material support to the population, the preservation of macroeconomic stability and the stimulation of foreign economic activity during a pandemic.

He also expressed deep commitment to provide further support to Uzbekistan in priority areas. In particular, the ADB will continue to finance measures to combat the spread of coronavirus, as well as to restore the destroyed infrastructure in Syrdarya region.

The ADB's President informed that currently there is the finish of preparation to approve new loan amounted to USD 100 million to modernize and equip the healthcare system and the sanitary-epidemiological service in Uzbekistan. The loan is expected to be approved in early August this year. Furthermore, it was said that this project will attract co-financing amounted to USD 100 million from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Separately, the parties discussed current state of joint projects within agriculture, water resources management, healthcare, education, energy, infrastructure construction and private sector development, as well as mechanisms to accelerate their implementation.

The negotiations resulted in agreement to continue active cooperation under the current Cooperation Program with ADB and to begin the approval of a new Program for 2021-2023.