Amonatbonk (Tajikistan’s savings bank) and Uzbekistan’s National Bank for Foreign Economic Activity have reportedly agreed on conditions, under which Uzbekistan will provide loans to Tajik enterprises working in both countries.
“The final document on trade financing will be signed within the next few days,” Amonatbonk head Ruhullo Hakimzoda told reporters in Dushanbe on July 24.
According to him, Uzbekistan will provide more than 33 million U.S. dollars through Amonatbonk to Tajik enterprises for import of Uzbek goods.
“Under this agreement, Tajik enterprises wanting to deliver Uzbek goods to the country will be able to receive up to 1 million U.S. dollars in preferential loans,” Hakimzoda noted.
Recall, Amonatbonk and Uzbekistan’s National Bank for Foreign Economic Activity as well as Tajikistan’s Eskhata Bank and Uzbekistan’s Asaka signed cooperation agreements in March this year.
Under these agreements, Uzbekistan will extend US$100 million worth of credit to develop enterprises working in both countries. The loan will be provided to Tajikistan for import of Uzbek goods.
The documents provide for launching special credit lines at Amonatbonk and Eskhata Bank for implementation of the trade financing projects for the purpose of increasing the export of Uzbekistan’s goods and services (textiles, building materials, food products, household chemical goods, farm produce, electrical equipment, vehicles, etc.) to Tajikistan.
Low-interest loans will be provided to entrepreneurs who have specific business-plans on expansion of cooperation with Uzbek state-run and private companies.
It is to be noted that Uzbekistan signed a similar agreement with Kyrgyzstan during Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov’s visit to Tashkent in December last year.
A separate agreement was concluded in early February this year between Uzbekistan’s Uzpromstroybank and Asaka and Kyrgyzstan’s RSK Bank and Aiyl Bank on conditions for provision of this money.
The first contract worth US$600,000 on delivery of Uzbek agricultural machines to Kyrgyzstan was signed in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, in mid-February.
