AKIPRESS.COM - President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with Jin Liqun, President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), as part of the annual meeting of the AIIB Board of Governors. The meeting focused on expanding strategic cooperation between Uzbekistan and the AIIB, with the signing of an updated roadmap for projects exceeding $4 billion.

According to the presidential press service, the AIIB president expressed his gratitude to President Mirziyoyev for his support in hosting the key event in Samarkand. He reaffirmed the bank's commitment to continuing its support for Uzbekistan’s ongoing reforms, describing them as "irreversible" in the New Uzbekistan.

Both leaders discussed the current state and future of their partnership, highlighting Uzbekistan’s prominent role as the leading beneficiary of AIIB projects in Central Asia, with a project portfolio exceeding $3 billion. Uzbekistan is now the sixth largest AIIB partner globally in terms of operations.

The ongoing projects, which span sectors such as transport, energy, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, utilities, and entrepreneurship, have significantly contributed to the country’s development.

President Mirziyoyev also proposed drafting a long-term Strategic Partnership Program with AIIB for infrastructure development until 2030. Key areas identified for cooperation include poverty reduction, the construction of New Tashkent, support for public-private partnerships, and private sector reforms, particularly in education, water, transport, and energy infrastructure modernization.

Special attention was given to advancing large-scale infrastructure projects across Central Asia, which are vital for regional development.

At the end of the meeting, the updated roadmap for cooperation until 2026 was signed in the presence of President Mirziyoyev. The agreement includes ambitious projects worth over $4 billion, reinforcing Uzbekistan’s commitment to enhancing its infrastructure and sustaining growth through AIIB collaboration.