International officials, capital providers, corporate managers and global lenders converged on Uzbekistan's capital for the fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum, launching a week of talks, commercial sessions and economic outreach.

Opening discussions addressed topics from capital deployment and infrastructure through technology, artificial intelligence and funding access.

The event coincides with heightened diplomatic activity across Tashkent. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrives Wednesday for talks centered on commerce, industrial ties, sustainable technologies, transport and supply chains.

Parallel to the main schedule, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev conducted multiple one-on-one sessions with arriving heads of state and business groups.

Albania spotlights European connectivity

A highlight was the inaugural Uzbekistan-Albania summit.

President Mirziyoyev and Albanian President Bajram Begaj explored wider collaboration in commerce, capital projects, clean energy, digital systems, travel and farming.

Emphasis fell on leveraging Albania's Port of Durrës as a gateway for Uzbek goods reaching southern Europe and Mediterranean destinations.

Both nations consented to form a joint governmental body to drive economic and investment ties.

US commercial footprint expands

A standout session was the American-Uzbek Business Forum.

"Today, 193 American companies are represented at the Tashkent International Investment Forum," Investment Minister Laziz Kudratov told attendees. "This shows American enterprise regards Uzbekistan not merely as a sales territory but as a lasting investment ally."

The forum followed a roundtable led by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev with top executives from Boeing, Visa, JP Morgan, Meta, Air Products and Franklin Templeton.

Conversations examined ventures in critical minerals, power generation, artificial intelligence, digital platforms and manufacturing growth.

Additional talks with the US Export-Import Bank and the US International Development Finance Corporation reviewed funding for infrastructure, energy upgrades and tech initiatives such as data hubs and logistics sites.

Agreements between Uzbek and American counterparts were signed at the close.

Themes guiding capital choices

Apart from bilateral encounters and roundtables, the first day underscored factors now influencing investment choices worldwide.

Panels explored methods for securing enduring private funds, upgrading governance standards and building investor assurance. Attendees reviewed political risk, blended finance tools and export credit bodies in supporting major infrastructure and industrial schemes.

Further sessions covered special economic zones, ethical business practices and rising weight of environmental, social and governance criteria for drawing foreign capital. Speakers stressed that funding access hinges on growth potential together with transparency, responsibility and stable rules.

The agenda mirrored wider economic patterns. Topics included Islamic finance growth, city competition for funds and talent, plus women-led firms' contribution to expansion. Participants observed women comprise nearly 40 percent of Uzbek entrepreneurs yet secure only 14 percent of lending, underscoring a gap flagged at the forum.

AI goals and investment focus

Recurring motifs from bilateral talks, such as artificial intelligence, energy, infrastructure and funding access, also dominated the programme.

Digital Technologies Minister Sherzod Shermatov told Euronews that Uzbekistan seeks to pair rising renewable output with digital infrastructure and data centre spending.

"With AI, you need compute. For compute, you need energy," he noted.

"Rather than shipping energy in raw form, we prefer to deliver it via AI data centre services."

Parallel ideas surfaced in talks on technology, industry and supporting infrastructure.

Capital markets featured repeatedly.

"Investors are very keen to participate in the capital markets of the country," Marius Dan, CEO for Central Asia at Franklin Templeton, told Euronews.

He noted growing international interest in Uzbekistan amid ongoing reforms.

Several voices stressed that lasting capital needs more than opportunities.

"There must be trust," said Kanokpan Lao-Araya, Country Director for Uzbekistan at the Asian Development Bank.

She maintained that investors seek political stability, legal predictability and reliable conditions for long-term pledges.

The opening day functioned mainly as a networking platform before Wednesday's plenary, where President Mirziyoyev will present economic priorities.

Subsequent days should clarify whether talks translate into concrete agreements and fresh projects.