World Bank approves new loan for Uzbekistan’s digital and spatial development

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a concessional loan of \$35 million to Uzbekistan. The announcement was made in an official press release published on the World Bank’s website.

According to the statement, the funds will be used to implement a project aimed at improving access to geospatial information for citizens and the private sector in line with international standards. The initiative will support the continued digitization of public services and contribute to territorial development across the country. The government of Uzbekistan will allocate approximately \$5.7 million in co-financing for the project.

The World Bank noted that due to rapid urbanization in Uzbekistan, more than 50 percent of the population now resides in cities. This growth has placed increasing pressure on land resources, basic infrastructure, and essential public services such as education, healthcare, and public transportation, especially in major urban centers. However, the lack of detailed geospatial data on land use and infrastructure has created challenges in planning and service delivery.

To address these issues, Uzbekistan established a legal framework in 2021 for the development of a National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). The NSDI is intended to promote effective planning and sustainable territorial development by enabling the transparent and efficient collection, storage, management, and exchange of geospatial data.

“Despite some progress in the development of the NSDI, work needs to continue to improve relevant public services,” said Tatyana Proskuryakova, World Bank Country Director for Central Asia.

Earlier, the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved a separate \$100 million concessional loan for Uzbekistan. That funding is designated to support a program integrating renewable energy sources into the national electricity distribution system and enhancing the reliability of power supply in key regions.