Thursday, 28, March, 2024

Finances

Delegation of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) led by the Managing Director for Central Asia and Russia Natalya Khanzhenkova arrived in Tashkent yesterday, the Foreign Ministry reported.

Uzbekistan launched steps to get a sovereign credit rating, Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Kuchkarov said during a meeting of the International Press Club (IPC) yesterday, Gazeta.uz news website said.

The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) expressed its readiness to finance projects in Uzbekistan, the Chairman of NBU Sukhrob Holmuradov said at the meeting of the International Press Club yesterday.

Ms. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued the following statement after a meeting with Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in New York today:

Mr. Jihad Azour, Director of the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia Department, visited Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on September 14–16. During his visit, Mr. Azour held meetings with the authorities and stakeholders to discuss the latest regional and global economic developments and the authorities’ recent economic reforms. At the conclusion of his visit, Mr. Azour made the following statement:

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on September 13  signed the Measures for Further Improvement of Monetary and Credit Policy Resolution. The document points to the need for "a fundamental review of the current instruments of monetary policy to ensure macroeconomic stability and raising the living standards of the population."

Uzbekistan inflation rate for 2017 is revised upwards to 11-12%, the Central Bank’s director of monetary policy department Ilkhom Norkulov said at a briefing Thursday.

The sharp devaluation of the soums will have only a moderate capital impact on Uzbek banks rated by Fitch Ratings, primarily thanks to the sizeable US dollar-denominated capital and long FX positions at banks with significant foreign-currency denominated lending.

The procedures for buying and selling foreign currency by individuals in Uzbekistan will be simplified. This is stated in the official commentary to the Priority Measures for Liberalizing Foreign Exchange Policy Decree of September 2.

The Central Bank of Uzbekistan today set a new official exchange rate of 8,100 UZS to the US dollar, which is by 3889.65 soums higher than in the previous week (4,210.35 UZS).

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Saturday signed Priority Measures for Liberalizing Foreign Exchange Policy Decree allowing from September 5 to legal entities in Uzbekistan to buy foreign currency in banks without restrictions for payments under current international operations (import of goods, works and services, repatriation of profits, repayment of loans, payment of travel expenses and other transfers of non-trade nature).

Ongoing robust economic expansion and strong government support will help the Uzbek banking system navigate challenges thrown up by the accelerating depreciation of the local currency, the soum, says Moody’s Investors Service.

Uzbekistan has made substantial investment in upgrading its water supply and sanitation services in recent years. From 1995 to 2014, total public borrowing for improvements to these services amounted to US$ 344.1 million, the largest of any country in Central Asia.

The Procedure for Provision by the Central Bank of Cash Aids to Banks for Purchasing Foreign Currency from Individuals Regulation came into force, the Central Bank said in a statement, hinting to exchange offices will soon start foreign currency exchange operations.

President of Uzbekistan on August 17 signed resolution creating Entrepreneurship Development Support National Fund within the Cabinet of Ministers.

On August 15, a two-day seminar on gender aspects of financing small business for representatives of 28 commercial banks kicked off in Tashkent. The seminar was organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry-UNDP ‘Business Forum of Uzbekistan (Phase III)' project jointly with the Women's Committee and the Central Bank. The seminar aims to empower women in Uzbekistan.

Starting from August 22, 2017, the Central Bank of Uzbekistan will issue a new 50,000 soum banknote, СBU said in a statement.

The Russian GazPromBank and VneshEconomBank launched a $ 1 billion ($ 500 million each) credit line to the National Bank of Uzbekistan (NBU), a source in the NBU said.

The total investments in fixed assets in Uzbekistan in January-June of 2017 amounted to 26.6 trillion soums (or $7.5 billion), which is by 8.3% more to the same period in 2016.

Uzbek Agrobank signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRIBANK).