Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 15 August 2025, Sarvar Nazarov, Director of the Public Procurement Policy Department at Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Economy and Finance, held a bilateral meeting with Zhentu Liu, newly appointed head of the World Bank’s Public Procurement Group in Central Asia, to discuss prospects for cooperation in the field of public procurement.

During the talks, the parties reviewed the results of joint projects in 2025 and discussed areas of collaboration for the development and implementation of initiatives in 2025–2026.

Particular attention was given to developing projects to support manufacturing enterprises, including small businesses, within the public procurement system, drawing on advanced international experience and involving foreign experts.

The discussion also covered expert studies aimed at a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness and efficiency of the existing procurement system, as well as the introduction of a contract management system based on international best practices with participation from global specialists.

Both sides emphasized the importance of training qualified personnel in public procurement. The World Bank expressed readiness to provide technical support in creating a system for continuous professional development and certification of specialists at the Ministry’s Training Center.

Other topics included improving procurement management and control, monitoring mechanisms, anti-corruption measures and prevention strategies, implementation of a centralized procurement system, AI-based automation of procurement processes, and promotion of “green” procurement practices.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the parties agreed to develop a planned “roadmap” for the current and upcoming years and expand the practice of regular online consultations and joint discussions.