Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 19 October, 2016 – The President of Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group, Dr. Bandar Hajjar has told the Interim President of Uzbekistan, H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev that the bank will consider the implementation of the Special Program for Central Asia in the country.

Dr. Hajjar stated this on Wednesday during a discussion with the Interim President of Uzbekistan in Tashkent, the capital city. The IDB Group President was in Uzbekistan to attend the 43rd Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM).. Dr. Hajjar added that Uzbekistan can also benefit from the Lives and Livelihoods Fund, which is managed by IDB and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Other member countries of the IDB also contribute to the Fund.

“A high level technical team from the IDB Group will be formed to visit Tashkent soon in order to implement the signed strategic partnership agreement between the Bank and Uzbekistan and to work out a joint action plan for the next 3 to 5 years,” Dr. Bandar Hajjar added.

In his remarks, the Interim President of the Uzbekistan congratulated Dr. Hajjar on his assumption of office as President of the IDB Group. He then underlined the important economic role IDB plays ,as well as the extent of assistance it provides to Uzbekistan and other IDB member countries.

H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev then called on the IDB to contribute in financing several strategic economic projects in the country, especially in education, health, infrastructure, and rural development, which the government pays special attention to.

The Interim President further stated that his country looks forward to seeing greater contribution from IDB in supporting Uzbekistan’s priority areas, expressing hope that the ongoing cooperation between the Bank and the country reaches the highest possible level.

The IDB Group President, Dr. Bandar Hajjar, for his part, expressed his appreciation to the Hon. Interim President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, for extending an invitation to the IDB Group to attend the 43rd Session of the OIC CFM as well as the high level of confidence accorded by Uzbekistan to the IDB Group and its management.

While in Tashkent, the IDB Group President also met with Uzbekistan’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, H.E. Rustam Asimov. The meeting, also attended by H.E. Elyor Ganiev, Minister of foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade and IDB Governor for Uzbekistan, focused on reviewing the best means of promoting public and private sectors in the country. H.E. Rustam Asimov, further elaborated that Uzbekistan is ready to work with the Islamic Corporation for the Development
of the Private Sector (ICD), while performing feasibility studies to join the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) and the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), both members of the IDB Group.