The Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan held an international forum on 22 January 2026 focused on expanding access to banking and payment services for persons with disabilities, with discussions centred on practical barriers and ways to improve physical and digital accessibility across the financial sector. The event is intended to inform the next steps in the Central Bank’s financial inclusion policy. Participants included the National Agency for Social Protection under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Association of Persons with Disabilities of Uzbekistan, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and experts from commercial banks and payment systems. Topics included service quality, adapting branches and ATMs, and designing inclusive financial products and services, with Kapitalbank presenting its “Equal Opportunities” programme (infrastructure adaptations, staff training and tailored products) and PAYNET outlining initiatives to support access through electronic payments and its agent network; planned inclusive initiatives for 2026 were also presented. International organisations highlighted approaches based on inclusive design, alignment with international standards and strengthening institutional capacity, which the Central Bank indicated would serve as a basis for policy follow-up. As context, the Central Bank noted it approved the National Financial Inclusion Strategy for 2025–2030 in 2025 and, with the National Agency for Social Protection, developed a dedicated roadmap to improve access to financial services for persons with disabilities.

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