Trade finance events don’t get much better than this. At the end of April 2018 we hosted a fantastic week of seminars, bilateral meetings and a conference in Tashkent to boost trade opportunities in Uzbekistan and the wider region.
The week kicked off with a workshop for back office operations, attended by almost 50 trade finance specialists from local banks.
Then Wednesday saw our first ever conference dedicated to financing trade with the EBRD. The event was attended by more than 200 government officials, industry professionals, exporters and importers who met the senior managers of 20 leading banks from across the globe.
The conference participants were welcomed by Mr. Sakhib Saifnazarov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan. In his speech he noted the important role played by IFIs – and the EBRD in particular – in modernising and diversifying the country’s economy.
The week finished with a two-day seminar covering the foundations of trade finance, which was funded by the European Union. Over 50 attendees represented local banks, exporters and importers as well as the Central Bank of Uzbekistan.
The EBRD Information Session in Tashkent was an excellent opportunity for local and international banks as well as corporate representatives to exchange experience, discuss business and the latest trends in international trade, as well as broaden the trade finance network.
SMEs are key to economic growth as they foster private sector development, create jobs and promote innovation. Improving access to finance for Uzbek small and medium-sized businesses remains one of the key priorities for the EBRD’s work in the country.
All in all our Tashkent trade finance week provided an unprecedented platform for networking and industry collaboration among international banks, local trade finance experts, regulators, importers and exporters.
It was also our first chance to meet Uzbekistan’s trade finance talent and exchange ideas that will form a solid foundation for innovation and the development of trade finance in the country.
And last but not least, a thank you, because behind every successful TFP event there is great support from the Resident Office. So here is our chance to cheer the excellent Tashkent RO team and the Uzbek Embassy in London. Thank you!