On April 6 this year, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan, S. Umurzakov, and the World Bank’s Vice President for the Europe and Central Asia Region, C. Muller, had a video conferencing and discussed interaction between the Republic of Uzbekistan and international financial institutions, including the World Bank, under the Country Platform for Collaboration.
The parties considered promising joint measures aimed at protection of population from the coronavirus infection, support of enterprises, primarily small and medium-sized enterprises, agricultural manufacturers and individual entrepreneurs. They also discussed opportunities and ways for the support by the World Bank in mitigating the impact of the global coronavirus pandemic on the social and economic situation in Uzbekistan.
C. Muller highly appreciated well-timed and well-taken measures to increase social protection of the population and maintain economic activity in the country headed by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
C. Muller informed that the World Bank intends to raise funds from ‘Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan’ (total global operating financial package of the World Bank is USD 14 billion) to support the anti-crisis program of Uzbekistan.
The Bank’s top officials informed that currently they actively consider prompt allocation of USD 1.2 billion to finance public health system, social protection institutions and budget support. These funds will be added to credit lines already approved in March this year intended to finance projects providing modernization of communal infrastructure and agricultural manufacturers amounted to USD 700 million.
Video conference resulted in C. Mullers’ representation that the financial support to Uzbekistan would be considered as a priority.
The parties also agreed to hold such video conferences regularly.