President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrived in Samarkand on May 3 to participate in large-scale international and state events. The visit began with a tour of the renovated Imam Bukhari complex, where verses from the Quran and prayers were recited. Following a major reconstruction initiated by the president, the shrine can now accommodate up to 65,000 visitors per day, up from the previous 12,000. Over the past month alone, more than 1 million people visited the complex.
Mirziyoyev instructed to continue improving the surrounding areas, expand parking zones, and create the most comfortable conditions for pilgrims. The head of state emphasized that the complex should become a training center for imam-khatibs from across the country, and that the culture of visiting sacred sites should play a key role in educating youth and preserving national values.
The working program continued in a business vein: the president received a delegation from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) led by Masato Kanda. The bank's head thanked Uzbekistan's leader for organizing the 59th Annual Meeting of the ADB Board of Governors in Samarkand. During the meeting, the sides noted that over 30 years of partnership, the volume of joint projects has reached nearly $16 billion, making Uzbekistan one of the bank's largest operational partners in the region.
The key event of the meeting was the exchange of a new Partnership Program until 2030. The document envisages the implementation of projects worth $12.5 billion. Priority areas of cooperation include: development of the mortgage market and support for the private sector; stimulation of women's and youth entrepreneurship; reforms in inclusive education and digital innovation; modernization of special economic zones' infrastructure; and implementation of cross-border projects in Central Asia with ADB's leading role in capital mobilization.
Mirziyoyev wished the ADB team productive work during the summit, emphasizing the strategic nature of relations aimed at sustainable development of the country's human capital and economy.
Source: podrobno.uz