Uzbekistan to Continue Market Reforms Despite Challenges of COVID-19 Pandemic Published 2 days ago Anna Bjerde, World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia, met with President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Photo: Press Service of the President of Uzbekistan Anna Bjerde, World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia, paid her first official visit to Uzbekistan on May 14-18. Ms. Bjerde met with the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, senior government and parliamentary officials, representatives of civil society and the private sector, and international development partners. “The World Bank welcomes the Government’s plans to continue a transparent and inclusive market transition and implement difficult but much-needed market reforms, despite the COVID-19 crisis. We will further support the reform agenda through our new Country Partnership Framework. It will define priority areas for the Bank’s financing and advisory services from 2022 to 2026 and will be aligned with Uzbekistan’s next development strategy,” said Ms. Bjerde.