Uzbekistan to allocate 3.1 bln USD to support enterprises amid crisis

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has instructed the country's central bank to allocate 3.1 billion U.S. dollars through banks to support domestic enterprises' working capital, the president's press service said Thursday.

When quarantine is lifted, many enterprises will require considerable time and money to restore their production and in this regard, the Central Bank was instructed to ensure the allocation through banks of 30 trillion sums (3.1 billion U.S. dollars), the press service said.

Banks were also recommended to fund small businesses to create jobs and to stimulate self-employment at home.

Uzbekistan now has 582 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and has effectively locked down all major cities including its capital city Tashkent.