Kanokpan Lao-Araya has been appointed as the new Country Director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Uzbekistan, the bank's press service reports.
In this role, Lao-Araya will oversee ADB's operations in Uzbekistan and be responsible for developing and implementing the bank's cooperation strategy with the country for the period 2023-2028.
ADB aims to strengthen its support for Uzbekistan's transition to an inclusive and market-based economy, promote private sector development, facilitate a "green" transformation, reduce economic and social inequalities, and enhance regional cooperation and integration.
With over 25 years of experience in development and economics, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region and Central Asia, Lao-Araya joined ADB in 2001 from the Ministry of Finance of Thailand. She has held various senior positions within the bank. Before his appointment as director in Uzbekistan, Lao-Araya served as Country Director in Kyrgyzstan, where she managed ADB's operations and provided assistance during the challenging COVID-19 pandemic, which severely impacted the country's economy and public health.
Uzbekistan became a member of ADB in 1995. Since then, ADB has provided a total of $11.5bn in loans, grants, and technical assistance to the country, comprising 240 projects in the public sector. ADB's engagement in Uzbekistan also includes active participation in the Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) program, which focuses on regional cooperation and integration.
In addition, Andi Aranitasi was recently appointed as the director and head of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) representative office in Uzbekistan. Aranitasi is scheduled to assume his duties on September 1, 2023.
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