The president of the World Bank Jim Yong Kim sent a letter to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev yesterday:

“Dear Mr. President,

I want to thank you for opportunity to meet with you in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. I am very grateful for open and sincere exchange of views, which took place.

In particular, I would like to once again congratulate you on your vision and activities to transform Uzbekistan into a modern economy with a dynamic private sector in which economic growth is inclusive and sustainable.

Let me emphasize that the World Bank Group is committed to supporting you in this activity and that we highly value the trust you show in our organization. We are ready to act as your leading partner in supporting economic and social reforms in Uzbekistan and three investment projects for US$450 million signed last week serve as evidence. This financing will allow Uzbekistan to make required investments in electric energy, irrigation and stimulation of expansion of the livestock sector.

I am impressed by your personal commitment to diversify and increase productivity of the agricultural sector with an emphasis on development of fruit and vegetable growing and livestock. Your decisive steps to improve the payment of cotton pickers and removal of previously used labor practices are very positive.

I took note of your requests for technical and financial assistance and instructed my colleagues to speed up their preparation. In view of Uzbekistan’s growing development needs, arising from your ambitious reform program, we are ready to accelerate financing by the World Bank Group during the remainder of the Country Partnership Strategy and provide high-level technical assistance in areas of structural reform, social and basic infrastructure modernization, and reforming the agricultural sector.

I commissioned Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, the Chief Executive Officer of the World Bank and Mr. Cyril Muller, the regional vice president, to meet with you in near future in order to discuss and agree on our future cooperation. I look forward to continuing our discussion.”