The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today approved a $500 million loan to help the Government of Uzbekistan mitigate the adverse health and economic impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

“COVID-19 and its subsequent economic shock are dramatically reducing employment, income, and the well-being of Uzbekistan’s citizens,” said ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa. “We are fully committed to helping Uzbekistan. Tackling this pandemic requires parallel interventions on several fronts and this loan will provide critical budget support as the government works to contain the spread of the virus, support businesses, and expand social safety nets