Central Bank of Uzbekistan joins AAOIFI as a regulatory member to strengthen in Islamic finance in its jurisdiction

PR/04/2026

Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain / Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan: The Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) is pleased to announce that the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan has formally become a regulatory member of AAOIFI, marking an important milestone in the country's efforts to strengthen its Islamic finance regulatory and supervisory framework.

The membership reflects the Central Bank of Uzbekistan's commitment to aligning its regulatory practices with internationally recognised standards for Islamic finance, and to supporting the orderly, sound, and Shari'ah-compliant development of the sector. Through this engagement, the central bank will have access to AAOIFI's comprehensive suite of Shari'ah, accounting, auditing, governance, and ethics standards, as well as technical support, capacity-building initiatives, and standard-setting discussions.

AAOIFI's regulatory membership supports central banks and supervisory authorities in enhancing market confidence, regulatory consistency, and cross-border harmonisation in Islamic finance. The admission of the Central Bank of Uzbekistan further strengthens AAOIFI's growing global network of regulators and underscores the increasing relevance of Islamic finance in central Asia.

The membership also opens avenues for closer cooperation in areas such as regulatory capacity building, adoption and implementation of standards, and knowledge exchange, supporting Uzbekistan's broader financial sector development and diversification objectives.

H.E. Mr. Timur Ishmetov, Governor of the Central Bank of Uzbekistan commented, "Joining AAOIFI
as a regulatory member represents an important step in our efforts to develop a robust and
well-regulated Islamic finance framework in Uzbekistan. AAOIFI's standards and technical expertise will support us in strengthening regulatory practices, enhancing market confidence, and fostering sustainable growth of Islamic finance in the country."

Mr. Omar Mustafa Ansari, Secretary General of AAOIFI, commented, "We are pleased to welcome the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan as a regulatory member of AAOIFI. This membership reflects the central bank's strategic vision to strengthen its Islamic finance ecosystem in line with globally recognised Islamic finance standards. We believe that this is a significant development for the broader Islamic finance landscape in central Asia. We look forward to working closely with the central bank colleagues to support regulatory capacity building, market development, and the effective guidance and implementation of AAOIFI standards."

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