The European Investment Bank has opened a regional office for Central Asia in Tashkent. This will allow the bank to more effectively interact with partners and support project implementation throughout the region.

Current and future areas of work include support for the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, major hydropower projects, including the Rogun Hydroelectric Power Plant and the Kambarata-1 Hydroelectric Power Plant, and the development of regional digital connectivity.

It was noted that following the signing of the Framework Agreement between Uzbekistan and the European Investment Bank in 2017, Uzbekistan became one of EIB Global’s key partners in Central Asia.

Currently, EIB Global, together with the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade, is developing a portfolio of potential projects aimed at supporting the implementation of the Uzbekistan 2030 Strategy and the EU Global Gateway initiative, including the following areas:

Transport – supporting the development of environmentally sustainable, modern, and safe transport, primarily within the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor;
Climate, Energy, and Water – supporting investments related to the transition to clean energy and more sustainable water management;
Digital Infrastructure – developing safe and secure digital connectivity;
Healthcare – strengthening healthcare supply chains and developing local vaccine production;
Critical Raw Materials – facilitating the development of local industrial value chains.

Taking into account the projects already signed, as well as the existing memorandums of understanding, the total volume of transactions currently under consideration in Uzbekistan amounts to 1 billion euros.

Potential investments can be financed through sovereign and sub-sovereign lending, public-private partnerships, private sector financing, EU-Uzbekistan trade facilitation, equity investments, and blended finance solutions.

In addition to providing financing, EIB Global is expanding its advisory activities in the region, assisting partners in project preparation, attracting investment, and bringing complex infrastructure initiatives to market.

In particular, during the Tashkent International Investment Forum, a Declaration of Intent was signed between EIB Global and JSC Uzsuvtaminot on the issue of exploring the possibility of providing advisory support to the PPP project for the construction of the Surum wastewater treatment plant in Tashkent.

Subject to receipt of the necessary approvals and successful completion of the project due diligence, EIB Global will provide transaction advisory services to support the implementation of the project for the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant with a capacity of 300,000 m³ per day.

The project is expected to improve the quality of wastewater services in the capital of Uzbekistan and reduce the burden on the city’s existing wastewater treatment infrastructure.

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