ADB President Thanks Uzbek Leader for Success of Annual Meeting
As has been reported on several occasions, on May 3-4 this year the capital city of Uzbekistan – Tashkent hosted the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank.
On completion of such a high-profile event – first ever held in Central Asia and Caucasus – in Tashkent and returning home the President of the Asian Development Bank Haruhiko Kuroda sent a message of appreciation to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov.
Here is the full text of this message in English as it has been kindly provided by the ADB officials at the Office of the President of the Asian Development Bank.
His Excellency Mr. Islam Karimov
President
Republic of Uzbekistan
Your Excellency,
On behalf of the Asian Development Bank and all those who participated at the recently concluded 43rd Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank in Tashkent, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to you, your Government and the people of Uzbekistan for the outstanding manner in which the meeting was held. Under your leadership and with the hard work of your officials, the Meeting was one of the most successful ever held.
The impeccable organization of the official events under the Uzbekistan Organizing Committee; the exceptional hospitality of the Uzbek people; the rich history that your wonderful country offers, and the remarkable achievements with modern infrastructure were constantly commented upon by the many participants.
The success of the Annual Meeting clearly demonstrated that the decision to hold the Annual Meeting in Tashkent was right. It showcased the economic and social achievements of Uzbekistan, especially the effectiveness of the anti-crisis measures, the soundness of the Uzbekistan model of development with gradual reforms and prudence in fiscal management, and the potential for future development.
Your welcome address at the Opening Ceremony, especially your strategic vision of post-crisis development of Uzbekistan and Asia in general, was insightful and visionary. It was appreciated by the many participants who attended. I would also like to thank Your Excellency for setting out in your speech the directions for future cooperation between Uzbekistan and ADB, truly an opportune moment for consideration.
This Annual Meeting also signified the partnership between ADB and Uzbekistan by signing agreements for financing arrangements exceeding $1 billion and nearly doubling the portfolio size. I can assure Your Excellency that Uzbekistan will remain ADB's strategic partner in Central Asia in the time to come. With Uzbekistan's leading role in regional integration and cooperation, ADB will continue and further strengthen our utmost support to Uzbekistan.
