Uzbekistan’s total external debt in the first six months of 2021 amounted to $35.9 billion (57% against GDP), according to the data unveiled by the Central Bank on September 24. Since the beginning of the year, the indicator has expanded by 6% or by $2 billion.
External debt includes public and private debt. The first amounted to $22 billion and grew by 3%.
The private debt comprised $13.9 going up by 11% YTD.
The public sector raised loans totaling $1.2 billion in H1, with borrowings of the private sector making up $3.2 billion.
The oil and gas and energy sector raised $379 million in loans, with the share of enterprises of other sectors of the economy comprising $1.2 billion.
Deputy Finance Minister Akhadbek Haidarov said that after a sharp increase in state budget expenditures amid the crisis in 2020, the government was planning to reduce the indicator to the pre-crisis level, to 27% of GDP.
The government also plans to keep the level of public debt within 50% and the budget deficit within 2% in the coming years. (Uzreport/Business World Magazine)
