ADB Launches Training on FDI Legal Framework and Domestic Policymaking Towards Green Economic Transition

On 25-29 August 2025, ADB's Law and Policy Reform Program, in partnership with the Uzbekistan Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade, convened government officials across multiple ministries with a mandate to drive policy change in an intensive workshop to familiarize themselves with the legal framework for foreign direct investment (FDI) critical for the green economic transition, as well as its interaction with domestic policymaking to enable them to contribute more effectively to reform process and help mitigate dispute risk for the government. 

The 5-day training provided an overview of the international system governing international investments, with a particular focus on issues relevant to Uzbekistan’s reform agenda for sustainable development. Participants explored the pre-establishment phase focusing on attracting investments and went through the post-establishment phase covering the lifespan of investments governed by international investment agreements as well as their interactions with domestic policies and laws. They also gained an in-depth understanding of key issues such as state attribution and regulatory change and lessons learned by examining investor-state disputes in prioritized sectors for investment such as energy, mining, water, and waste management. 

The training program concluded with a look at modernization and future trends in international investment agreements, the role of public officials in these processes, and an introduction to Uzbekistan’s new model bilateral investment treaty. This training program will be complemented by a subsequent workshop on navigating coherence in international investment governance, as well as the publication of toolkits to assist government officials in the green economic transition.