Washington, D.C. - (30 November 2001) Last evening, U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) Director Thelma J. Askey and Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Azimov signed a memorandum of understanding calling for cooperation in a number of sectors, including power generation, fertilizer production, irrigation, transportation, small and medium enterprise development and education. An Uzbek delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Azimov traveled to Washington this week for a series of talks with Bush Administration officials, including Secretary of State Colin Powell, Director Askey and others.

"The U.S. government and American people are grateful for Uzbekistan's strong support for Operation Enduring Freedom," noted Director Askey. "We believe this memorandum of understanding will lead to increased cooperation in the economic sphere between the two countries during this challenging time."

A USTDA/Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) team will visit Uzbekistan the week of December 10 to follow up on several of these projects. Since USTDA began operations in Uzbekistan in the mid 1990's, it has committed almost $7 million to develop numerous infrastructure projects.

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency promotes American private sector participation by helping U.S. companies pursue business opportunities in developing and middle income countries. Through the funding of feasibility studies, orientation visits, specialized training grants, business workshops, and various forms of technical assistance, we help American businesses compete for infrastructure projects in emerging markets. In addition, the agency promotes capacity building initiatives and supports U.S. government trade, economic policy and development objectives around the world.

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