On February 20, the Deputy PM/Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade S. Umurzakov held a meeting with a delegation of SUEZ (France) led by Senior Executive Vice President Eric Ghebali, the ministry reported.

The parties discussed the projects for the modernization and development of water supply systems in the cities of Tashkent and Samarkandand noted the high activity and effectiveness of joint work on these projects, which made it possible to achieve significant progress, despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Eric Ghebali announced that the French government had approved the allocation of 145 million euros for the implementation of a project to improve the water supply system of the city of Tashkent. While, the parties also considered the existing issues and further steps to accelerate the preparation of project documentation and an early transition to the practical implementation of projects.

He also spoke about plans to participate in the implementation of a number of socially oriented projects in Uzbekistan, one of which will be a project to ensure access to drinking water for secondary schools in Karakalpakstan, Bukhara and Kashkadarya ptovinces. The project will be implemented with funds provided by the company as a grant.

Also, the French side expressed its readiness to assist in the implementation of the program for the comprehensive development and modernization of the drinking water supply system for cities and settlements in rural areas by sending technical missions to Uzbekistan, the task of which will be to introduce effective innovative technologies aimed at promptly solving issues of ensuring the population's access to drinking water.