IDA21 & Jobs: How Uzbekistan is Scaling Employment (Spring Meetings 2026) - Talking Development

Uzbekistan jobs, youth employment, and economic growth are the focus of this conversation, recorded during the World Bank Group and IMF Spring Meetings 2026. In this mini‑episode of Talking Developmen, Anna Bjerde sits down with Jamshid Kuchkarov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan, to discuss how the country is preparing for a fast‑growing labor force—and what it means to host the IDA21 Mid‑Term Review later in 2026. Uzbekistan’s population is young, with 500,000+ youth entering the labor market each year. This conversation explores the government’s priorities for job creation and upward mobility, including skills and education, capabilities for the digital/new economy (AI and computer science), and the role of rural opportunity, agriculture, tourism, and foundational infrastructure—especially reliable energy supply. We also look at why IDA financing has mattered for Uzbekistan’s reforms and how countries can transition from IDA recipient to blend financing (IDA + IBRD). Chapters 00:00 Welcome to the Spring Meetings 2026 00:45 The youth jobs challenge in Uzbekistan 01:14 Skills, AI and the new economy 01:56 Rural jobs: agriculture and tourism 02:23 Infrastructure and sustainable energy for jobs 03:07 Why Uzbekistan is hosting the IDA21 Midterm Review 03:42 How IDA supported Uzbekistan’s reforms (blended financing) 05:02 Closing reflections on jobs and IDA #IDA #Jobs #YouthEmployment #Uzbekistan #DevelopmentFinance ABOUT THE WORLD BANK 🌐 The World Bank is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for low-income countries. Its five institutions share a commitment to reducing poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development on a livable planet. http://www.worldbank.org