BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 22. Uzbekistan held
talks with representatives of several global institutional
investors and Barclays to discuss the country's economic outlook,
sovereign credit profile and opportunities to expand investment in
local-currency financial instruments.
This was reflected in a statement issued by the Uzbek Ministry
of Economy and Finance following a meeting with representatives of
Barclays, Artisan Partners, Global Evolution Asset Management,
Kirkoswald Capital Partners, Sona Asset Management and Morgan
Stanley Investment Management.
According to the Ministry, the officials presented an overview
of Uzbekistan's macroeconomic performance, economic reform agenda,
investment climate and measures aimed at attracting greater
international capital.
"The parties exchanged views on improving Uzbekistan's sovereign
credit rating, achieving investment-grade status, expanding
financing opportunities in the national currency, managing foreign
exchange risks and further developing the domestic capital market,"
the ministry said in the statement.
Discussions also focused on strengthening local-currency
financing and introducing hedging and swap instruments to help
investors manage foreign exchange risks while increasing
participation in Uzbekistan's domestic bond market.
According to the ministry, foreign investors highlighted strong
demand for Uzbekistan's international bonds denominated in the
national currency and expressed interest in expanding investments
in the country's domestic debt market.
Representatives also answered questions on Uzbekistan's ongoing
economic reforms, the banking and financial sector, privatization
program and capital market development, outlining measures intended
to improve market access and strengthen investor confidence.
The meeting comes as Uzbekistan seeks to deepen its integration
into international capital markets while broadening its domestic
investor base. The government has made improving the country's
sovereign credit profile and achieving investment-grade status a
strategic priority, alongside expanding the use of local-currency
financing to reduce exposure to exchange-rate risks and strengthen
financial market resilience.
Growing interest from global institutional investors reflects
increasing confidence in Uzbekistan's reform agenda and
macroeconomic stability. Continued development of domestic capital
markets and risk-management instruments could help diversify
funding sources, attract long-term foreign investment and support
the government's broader objective of financing economic growth
through market-based mechanisms.
