Uzbekistan and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) held discussions on prospects for cooperation in the areas of infrastructure, energy, water resource management, and private sector development.
The meeting took place on October 15, 2026, in Bangkok, coinciding with the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Participants included Jamshid Kuchkarov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan, and Imad Fahuri, Regional Vice President of the IFC for the Middle East and Central Asia. The meeting was reported by the Information Service and the Department of Communications of the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan.
Lisa Kestner, IFC Head for Kazakhstan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan, Nodirbek Ochilov, Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of Uzbekistan, Jasur Karshibayev, Advisor to the Minister of Economy and Finance, and other representatives also took part in the negotiations.
The parties reviewed the progress made in Uzbekistan's economic reforms, their results, and opportunities for expanding mutually beneficial cooperation. Special attention was paid to infrastructure development, support for private business, and the use of public-private partnership mechanisms.
Potential initiatives were outlined within the discussion, including the construction of a toll road between Tashkent and Andijan, modernization of electricity distribution systems and irrigation pumping stations, the introduction of public-private partnerships in water resource management, as well as the construction of general education schools in the regions.
Another focus of the talks was strengthening the role of the private sector and improving the conditions for doing business. Participants discussed the possibility of using IFC experience to develop the mortgage lending market, privatize state enterprises, and increase the effectiveness of state support for entrepreneurship.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the parties agreed to strengthen cooperation in the discussed areas and continue exchanging views. The report did not specify implementation timelines or estimated funding amounts.