President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, during his visit to Samarkand, received a delegation led by Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda, according to the presidential press service.

At the outset of the meeting, the ADB head expressed sincere gratitude to the country's leader for supporting the holding of the 59th Annual Meeting of the ADB Board of Governors in Uzbekistan and for the assistance provided.

The sides discussed practical aspects of expanding broad mutually beneficial cooperation between Uzbekistan and the ADB. Over the past 30 years, the ADB has become a strategic partner of Uzbekistan. The project portfolio amounts to nearly $16 billion, and in terms of operations volume, Uzbekistan has become one of the bank's largest partners in the region.

Important projects have been implemented and are ongoing in the modernization of railways and highways, energy and social infrastructure, upgrading water supply and sewerage networks, developing agriculture and the private sector, as well as in other areas.

The President and the bank head emphasized the importance of timely and effective implementation of projects worth a total of $12.5 billion included in the new partnership program with the ADB for the period up to 2030, signed during the summit.

The parties agreed to cooperate in the following areas: special attention was paid to promoting major infrastructure projects in the Central Asian region, including by strengthening the bank's leadership in mobilizing funds.

The President wished the ADB leadership and team a successful and productive meeting of the Board of Governors.

At the end of the meeting, a ceremony was held to exchange the partnership program between Uzbekistan and the Asian Development Bank for the period up to 2030.

Source: www.gazeta.uz