ADB Empowers Uzbekistan’s Digital Future Through E-Commerce Training

On 7–8 October 2025, ADB’s Law and Policy Reform (LPR) Program, in partnership with Uzbekistan’s Graduate School of Business and Entrepreneurship (GSBE), hosted a two-day training seminar titled Empowering Uzbekistan’s Digital Future: E-Commerce Trends, Legal Frameworks, and Global Opportunities. The event brought together over 30 participants—including government officials, business leaders, academics, and international experts—to explore the evolving landscape of e-commerce in Uzbekistan and its role in the country’s digital transformation.

Umid Abidkhadjaev (Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance) and Hannah J. Lim (Senior Counsel for ADB’s LPR program) provided opening remarks that emphasized the ongoing partnership between Uzbekistan and ADB, and the importance of e-commerce—a pillar of Uzbekistan’s 2030 Digital Strategy—in the broader context of the government’s commitment to foster innovation and inclusive growth through digital transformation.

Held at GSBE grounds in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the seminar featured presentations and interactive sessions facilitated by a diverse group of experts, including Frank Ludwin Schaefer (Head of International Government Relations, Alibaba Group), Shiyu He (Regional Manager, Alibaba.com), and Azamov Muzaffar Ruxolaevich (Chairman, Association of E-Commerce of Uzbekistan). Other renowned experts, such as Feruza Djabbarova (Commercial Sales Director, Vetteria LLC Uzbekistan), Cristina Poncibò (Professor of Comparative Private Law, Department of Law of the University of Turin), and Nurbek Toshkanov (Lecturer at the Department of Business Law, Tashkent State University of Law), also shared their insights.

Participants gained a comprehensive understanding of global e-commerce trends, legal frameworks relevant to Uzbekistan, and practical approaches to developing the e-commerce industry. In particular, the seminar covered cross-border business-to-business (B2B) practices, export compliance, business model selection, and regulatory challenges, including those relating to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and smart contracts. Ultimately, attendees were equipped with the necessary tools for growing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and managing risk in Uzbekistan’s evolving digital economy.

This seminar marks the third collaboration between ADB’s LPR Program and the GSBE, following two successful events on alternative dispute resolution methods and on AI.  This training series reflects ADB’s commitment to supporting Uzbekistan’s digital modernization and inclusive economic growth. As Senior Counsel Hannah Lim noted in her opening speech, “This event is not just about digital trade or law—it is about equipping policymakers and the private sector to drive development and economic expansion that is sustainable, inclusive, and aligned with the country’s development priorities.”

Relevant links: https://uza.uz/en/posts/uzbekistan-expands-its-e-commerce-market_768405