Uzbekistan and the Asian Development Bank: towards promising co-operation

As a result of the large-scale reforms implemented in the new Uzbekistan in recent years, effective cooperation with a number of large and influential international non-governmental organizations and financial institutions has been increasingly intensified. In this connection, a number of legal and regulatory documents have been adopted on the issues of attracting funds from international financial structures and their targeted and targeted allocation.

In particular, Uzbekistan is the largest beneficiary and reliable partner of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). 
 In this sense, it can be recognized that ADB is making a significant contribution to the country's development in order to achieve sustainable development goals.
For information, it should be noted that ADB was established in 1966 and has 69 member countries, 50 of which are located in the Asian region.
Uzbekistan became a member of the Asian Development Bank in 1995, and over the past 5 years ADB has assisted Uzbekistan's economy. 
More than $5.41 billion has been disbursed.
In addition, 23 new projects are planned to be implemented in 2025-2026 with the participation of the Asian Development Bank for a total amount of $3.6 billion.
Also, under the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Uzbekistan and ADB, 28 promising projects for a total of $4.2 billion are planned for 2026-2028.
ADB is working with the Government of Uzbekistan and other stakeholders to support the transition to a green economy, promote private sector development, and cooperate closely in the areas of supporting competitiveness and fostering investment in human capital.
This is why ADB is inclusive in the Asia-Pacific region,
which transforms people's lives by supporting sustainable growth in their well-being,
and is a financial institution that can effectively use innovative financial instruments and strategic cooperation to build quality infrastructure.
It is important to emphasize that ADB supports and promotes progressive initiatives aimed at developing civil society in Uzbekistan and strengthening its participation in the life of society and the state.
In particular, serious attention is paid to the introduction of democratic principles, the protection of women's rights and interests, gender equality, business and entrepreneurship development, and digital reforms.
It is noteworthy that these issues were also in the center of discussion at the 58th Annual Meeting of ADB, which was held in Milan (Italy) from 4 to 7 May this year under the motto "Sharing Experience, Building the Future".
Members of the Uzbek delegation, which included representatives of civil society institutions, took part in 8 sessions of the "Civil Society Forum" held within the framework of the annual meeting.
In particular, the session on digital economy and technologies, development of green and alternative energy focused on generating interest among young people in digital technologies, green economy. 
Representatives of civil society institutions from countries such as Samoa, Nepal and Turkey also shared their experiences in mitigating climate change through digital tools. In this regard, it was emphasized that digital technologies have become a powerful tool to reach large segments of the population, and humankind can build a sustainable future through innovation.
During the meeting with ADB representative M. Shagazatova, detailed information was provided on the reforms being carried out in Uzbekistan to increase women's social activity in society, prevent violence against them, and ensure gender equality, and issues of further intensification of cooperation with ADB in this area were discussed.
At the meeting, it was emphasized that starting from 2026, ADB will widely use the opportunities of civil society institutions in member countries to prevent sexual violence against women and support women in difficult life situations.

The session ‘Perspectives on the Effectiveness of ADB Accountability and Safeguards’ focused on strengthening regular monitoring by civil society representatives, disclosing information on the implementation of bank-financed projects to ensure that their commitments to communities are fulfilled. 
The session "Infrastructure in a Changing World: Financing Sustainability in Infrastructure Strategies" addressed infrastructure sustainability in the non-state, public, and private sectors.
At the same time, during the event, at a meeting with Jada Rapalino, a specialist from the Belgian international platform Assortis, an agreement was reached on cooperation in facilitating the participation of representatives of Uzbek NGOs in ADB projects, providing educational and methodological support, and establishing partnerships with other international donors.
During the open dialogue between ADB President Masato Kanda and representatives of civil society, the issues of expanding participation of civil society institutions in monitoring projects implemented with funds allocated by the bank, as well as preventing factors negatively affecting the study, were actively discussed.
Practical proposals were presented at the event to improve the system of consideration of appeals from representatives of civil society institutions and to further strengthen cooperation with NGOs in preventing negative environmental impacts of ADB-financed projects.
In turn, the ADB President promised to further strengthen cooperation with civil society, ensure that projects comply with social and environmental standards, and take appropriate measures to study existing problems and eliminate them.
During a meeting with manager of Belgian company IBF International Consulting Daniel Baggio, he recognized Uzbekistan as a country that is opening up to the world community, and stressed that the company is interested in entering the Uzbek market.
It was reported that this consulting company is actively involved in the implementation of projects of ADB and other donors in many countries, in particular, working in such areas as effective utilization of grants provided by them, assistance in preparation of reports, assistance in staff development.
One of the most encouraging aspects of the Annual Meeting was the decision to hold the next, 59th ADB Annual Meeting in Samarkand from 3 to 6 May 2026.
It is worth noting that the 43rd Annual Meeting of ADB was successfully held in Tashkent in 2010.
It is no exaggeration to say that the annual meeting in Samarkand will create a unique dialogue platform for leaders of ADB's 69 member countries to discuss development issues and challenges facing the Asia-Pacific region.
Several thousand people, including finance ministers, central bank governors, senior government officials, representatives of the private sector, major international organizations, civil society institutions and media representatives, are expected to attend this international event.
ADB President M. Kanda noted that the 2026 meeting will serve as an inspiring platform for strengthening dialogue and cooperation and will provide an opportunity to discuss many specific aspects of the region.
In conclusion, Uzbekistan's cooperation with the Asian Development Bank is of strategic importance for the country's rapid development. ADB's investment projects are aimed at expanding opportunities for infrastructure development, improving energy efficiency, and modernizing transport and water supply systems.

Azamat Pardaev,
Head of the Center for Analysis of Democratic Processes.