LONDON, August 28. /Dunyo IA/.   President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Odile Renaud-Basso, has extended her sincere congratulations and best wishes to the people of Uzbekistan through Dunyo IA on the eve of the 35^th Anniversary of the Independence of Uzbekistan:

- Uzbekistan is now the leading recipient of EBRD's funding in Central Asia. We have invested more than $7.3 billion across 218 projects, with two thirds supporting the private sector. These figures tell a wider story: growing trust between Uzbekistan and international investors.

Over the past decade, reforms have transformed Uzbekistan's investment climate. New laws on privatization, subsoil resources and electricity markets have opened the economy, while stronger institutions, including the EBRD co-chaired Foreign Investors Council ensure investors' concerns are heard and acted upon.

A defining milestone came with a listing of National Investment Fund of Uzbekistan portfolio companies on the London Stock Exchange, the country's first international equity offering, and a powerful signal that reforms are delivering tangible results.

Undoubtedly, challenges remain to be addressed. State-owned enterprises still play an outsized role. Infrastructure requires further modernisation, and deeper capital markets, banking sector reform and stronger governance are needed. EBRD strategy is focused on meeting these challenges, supporting decarbonisation, strengthening SMEs through local banks and advancing governance reform and privatization.

35 years of independence, 10 years of reform, one shared ambition.

We look forward with high anticipation to the next chapter of development.