EFSD Supports CAREC Think Tank Development Forum in Tashkent
TASHKENT, August 20–21, 2026 — The Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development (EFSD, the Fund) served as a partner of the 10th CAREC Think Tank Development Forum, held in Tashkent, and organized a session titled "Strengthening the Effectiveness of Financial Safety Nets to Ensure Financial Sector Stability in the CAREC Region." The EFSD delegation was headed by the Fund's Chief Economist, Sergei Ulatov.
This year's Forum was held on the subject "Towards Robust, Innovative, and Inclusive Financial Sector Development in the CAREC Region." Discussions focused on strengthening the resilience of financial systems across the region, expanding access to financial services, developing financial instruments, and deepening regional expert cooperation.
The session organized with EFSD's support examined the regional financial safety net and prospects for its further development. Participants discussed the evolution of the financial safety net and ways to strengthen it, including improving institutional quality, building technical competencies, and enhancing supervisory frameworks. Particular attention was given to currency risks and the channels through which they propagate across the region.
EFSD presented its perspective on approaches to strengthening financial stability and its assessment of the impact of global economic shocks on the region.
"For the countries of our region, it is particularly important to strengthen economies' capacity to adapt to external shocks, identify emerging risks in a timely manner, and maintain the tools needed to respond to them. Regional financial safety net mechanisms complement national institutions and enable countries to jointly withstand external challenges. As a regional element of the global financial safety net, EFSD plays an important role in this architecture," said Mr Ulatov.
On the margins of the Forum, the EFSD delegation also held a series of meetings with leading think tanks and academic institutions in Uzbekistan. The parties discussed prospects for expert cooperation, joint research, and the exchange of analytical materials.
These meetings included discussions with the leadership of the Center for Economic Research and Reforms, the Institute of Macroeconomic and Regional Studies, the Institute for Poverty and Labor Market Studies, the Department of Finance and Financial Technologies at Tashkent State University of Economics, and the Faculty of Economics at the Ulugbek National University of Uzbekistan.
