BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 5. Uzbekistan's Council of Foreign Investors under the President has approved its work plan through 2027 and admitted Japan's ITOCHU Corporation and Germany's Deutsche Bank AG as new members, expanding its network of international companies and financial institutions at the fourth meeting of the Council's Executive Committee under the chairmanship of Minister Laziz Kudratov in Tashkent on November 4.
According to Uzbekistan's Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade, the meeting was attended by Executive Committee members, including Andi Aranitasi, head of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) representative office in Uzbekistan; Kanokpan Lao-Araya, director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) representative office; Neil McKain, regional head of the International Finance Corporation (IFC); and Aziz Gafurov, head of the Council's Secretariat.
Participants reviewed the Secretariat's activities during the first 10 months of 2026, including the work of 10 interagency working groups, efforts to promote investor initiatives, the establishment of the Regional Alliance of Investment Councils of Central Asia and the Caucasus (RAIC-CAC), and the signing of partnership memorandums with business associations.
Following the admission of ITOCHU and Deutsche Bank, the Council now brings together more than 40 companies and financial institutions from over 15 countries.
The Executive Committee also approved a work plan through the end of 2027, which envisages approximately 70 working group meetings and several key events.
The Council's interim sessions are scheduled for November 25, 2026, May 18 and November 23, 2027. Its fifth General Session will take place on June 14–16, 2027, while a RAIC-CAC meeting is planned in Tashkent for April 9, 2027. A presentation of the Investment Outlook is also scheduled for early 2027.
The Council's 2026 annual report will be presented on December 16 during its year-end session. The report will include findings from a nationwide survey of more than 1,000 respondents conducted by the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade to assess the impact of foreign investment on Uzbekistan's economy.
The Council serves as a platform for dialogue between the Uzbek government and international investors, with a focus on improving business conditions, addressing investor concerns and strengthening confidence in the country's investment climate.
