AKIPRESS.COM - Gross domestic product (GDP) continued to expand at about 5 percent in Uzbekistan, IMF mission said in a statement issued following visit to Tashkent and discussions with Uzbek authorities.
Growth in the communication, construction, mining, and some service sectors remained strong through the third quarter. However, growth in sectors that produce goods that can be traded internationally, mainly agriculture and manufacturing, which are especially important for creating jobs, show little sign of pick up.
Slow growth in these sectors seems to reflect intermediate input bottlenecks, such as energy and water shortages, as well as land degradation, pests, and bad weather conditions in the case of agriculture.
Stronger efforts to attract foreign direct investment are needed to stimulate growth in sectors producing internationally traded goods, IMF said.