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photo présidence ouzbèke visite DG
Pavel Stepanov
Rémy Rioux, CEO of Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and President of International Development Finance Club (IDFC) visited Uzbekistan on May 17th and 18th. An opportunity to participate in EBRD’s Annual Meeting and to strengthen AFD’s partnerships with Uzbek counterparts.

The visit of Rémy Rioux is following the invitation by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during their meeting in November 2022 in Paris.

The objectives of the visit were:

1. To conduct a high-level bilateral visit with AFD’s main partners in the Uzbek government, listen to their needs and imagine ways of future cooperation. Rémy Rioux discussed Uzbekistan sustainable development with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Deputy Prime-Minister Kuchkarov, Minister Kudbiev and Deputy Minister Khamidov.
During the visit, three agreements were signed to:

  • Integrate Expertise France, AFD Group’s technical cooperation subsidiary, into the Group activities in Uzbekistan. This will allow technical experts to support the green transition of the country;
  • Prepare a project to rehabilitate electricity distribution networks in Uzbekistan to meet high demand in winter and summer, in partnership with The Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade (MIIT) and JSC RPEN. This project will be cofinanced by the Asian Development Bank;
  • Support the transition towards a green economy through a technical assistance programme funded by AFD and the European Union. Trainings will be provided to the Uzbek administration on green economy topics such as emissions accounting tools, green investments or green taxation.

2. To participate in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Annual Meeting, one of AFD Group close partner in Uzbekistan and in the larger region. Rémy Rioux also participated in the round table on the development of renewable energies in Central Asia. He met with EBRD’s CEO Odile Renaud-Basso to discuss the role of public development banks in the ecological transition.
AFD Group finances wind and solar energy infrastructures in Uzbekistan together with the EBRD, through its subsidiary Proparco subsidiary dedicated to the private sector. In the region, the Group works closely with the EBRD on urban infrastructure projects (water, sanitation, metro) in Turkey, Serbia and Egypt.
The Annual Meeting was also the opportunity to meet with other public development banks such as the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB).

AFD Group has a very successful and fruitful relationship with Uzbekistan. This was showcased by the signature of a Partnership Agreement for the 2023-2025 period during the visit of President Mirziyoïev in Paris last November.

In the country, the Group has financed 16 projects since 2016, for a total of 1.2 billion euros. AFD mainly works on economic and climate governance, urban development, energy transition and sustainable land management. Proparco supports the development of small businesses and of renewable energies, through several wind and solar farms financings. Expertise France specially works on artwork restauration, mainly with the Art Museum of Uzbekistan in Tashkent, that Rémy Rioux had the opportunity to see during his visit.

The visit was concluded by a round-table on water challenges in Central Asia, held in Tashkent, in partnership with the International Institute for Central Asian Studies, the French Institute for Central Asian studies and the French Embassy in Uzbekistan.

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