Uzbekistan and the French Development Agency (AFD) have drawn up an indicative portfolio of 11 projects worth an estimated 1.125 billion euros, to be implemented in 2027–2030. The Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade (MIIT) reported this after the seventh annual consultations, held in Tashkent on September 25.
An indicative portfolio is a preliminary list of proposed projects with an approximate total value. It is not legally binding, and loan agreements for the full amount have not yet been signed.
The Uzbek delegation was led by Deputy Head of MIIT Shokhrukh Gulamov. The French side was represented by Virginie Bleitrach, Deputy Director of AFD's Eastern Europe, Middle East and Asia Department.
The new portfolio covers energy and transport infrastructure modernization, urban development, irrigation and agriculture, the «green» economy and private sector support. MIIT singled out two major projects: the rehabilitation of the Tashkent–Samarkand railway line and the development of public transport in the capital. Their costs, the specific parameters of the work and the implementation timelines have not yet been disclosed.
The priorities for 2027–2030 are the energy transition and decarbonization, water supply, agriculture, sustainable urban development, private sector support and public finance management.
The parties also reviewed the implementation of the current portfolio and the preparation of new initiatives. The current portfolio includes 13 projects worth 1.29 billion euros, covering energy, water supply and sanitation, livestock, digitalization, the financial sector and other areas. According to the ministry, disbursements under signed agreements have reached about 1 billion euros, or 78% of the total.
Another nine projects worth 604.2 million euros are at the preparation stage. Among them is the modernization of drinking water supply systems in the Kashkadarya region under an AFD program that also covers the Tashkent and Fergana regions. The program's total budget is 257.9 million euros, of which 97 million euros is allocated to Kashkadarya.
The reconstruction of the Suyenli canal in Karakalpakstan is estimated at $150 million. It is financed by AFD and the European Investment Bank (EIB).
In the Aral Sea region, AFD and the EIB, with support from the European Union and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, are helping restore more than 24,000 hectares of degraded land. The feasibility study was financed with 500,000 euros.
The parties agreed to speed up work on these programs and to continue preparing energy and utility infrastructure projects. The agreements were formalized in a protocol and placed under joint monitoring. The eighth annual consultations are planned to take place in France.
AFD has worked in Uzbekistan since 2015 and has approved 17 projects worth about 1.6 billion euros. It is involved in modernizing the Charvak dam, developing hydropower in the Andijan region, water supply and sanitation projects, and programs for the transition to a «green» economy. The agency also reported earlier that it is preparing a project to rebuild Uzbekistan's electricity distribution networks to make them more resilient during peak winter and summer demand. The project is expected to be co-financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
