According to estimates by the Center for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR), there is potential to increase mutual trade between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan by 30–40%. Additional opportunities for expanding economic cooperation are primarily linked to the development of industrial cooperation between the two countries.

Economic cooperation between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan has demonstrated steady positive dynamics; however, the potential of bilateral relations remains only partially realized. This was stated today by Khurshed Asadov, Deputy Director of the Center for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR), during the international scientific and practical conference “Uzbekistan – Tajikistan: New Prospects for Alliance and Regional Cooperation”, held in Tashkent.

According to the expert, relations between the two countries have reached a qualitatively new level in recent years. Cooperation, reinforced by agreements on strategic partnership and allied relations, has created an institutional foundation for the active development of economic ties.

According to CERR estimates, mutual trade between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan increased 3.8 times during 2017–2025, rising from $238 mln to $912 mln. During the same period, Uzbekistan’s exports grew 3.7 times, while imports from Tajikistan increased more than fourfold.

Today, Tajikistan ranks among Uzbekistan’s key regional partners, occupying ninth place among the countries importing Uzbek products.

At the same time, current indicators reflect only part of the possible potential of economic interaction. According to CERR estimates, mutual trade could increase by an additional 30–40% solely through the substitution of Tajikistan’s imports from third countries with products manufactured by Uzbek producers.

The expert emphasized that geographical proximity, a shared border, and well-developed transport connections create favorable conditions for deepening trade relations. In particular, significant prospects remain for expanding Uzbekistan’s industrial exports, including automobiles, household appliances, textile products, and chemical goods.

At the same time, considerable potential also exists in the sphere of industrial cooperation. According to the expert, one of the most promising cooperation models could involve the establishment of joint processing facilities in border regions, particularly focused on the processing of agricultural raw materials and the development of agrologistics centers.

Asadov also noted that further development of transport infrastructure and the expansion of transit opportunities in Central Asia could serve as an additional driver of economic integration.

As emphasized by the Deputy Director of CERR, the current level of allied relations between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan creates the foundation for transitioning to a deeper model of economic cooperation, focused on joint investments, industrial cooperation, and the development of regional infrastructure, which could become an important factor in strengthening economic connectivity and promoting the development of Central Asia.

For reference: The international scientific and practical conference “Uzbekistan – Tajikistan: New Prospects for Alliance and Regional Cooperation” was organized by the International Institute for Central Asia (IICA). The event brought together representatives of government institutions, the diplomatic corps, and expert and academic communities from both countries. Participants discussed the current state and prospects for developing trade-economic, investment, and humanitarian cooperation between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

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Three decades of dialogue between Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea have built a strong foundation of trust, supported by cooperation ranging from major industrial facilities and modern healthcare to education programs and digital government. Today, this partnership is moving to the next level.

The Central Asia–Republic of Korea format offers an opportunity to combine bilateral achievements with the scale of the five countries’ collective market, moving from individual projects toward integrated technology value chains, joint raw material processing, and workforce development for the new economy.

A Partnership That Has Stood the Test of Time

Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea established diplomatic relations in January 1992. From the outset, ties developed through regular political dialogue at the highest level. A series of reciprocal presidential visits in the 1990s and 2000s established the legal framework for cooperation, opened the door to Korean investment, and strengthened cultural and people-to-people ties. Relations were elevated to a strategic partnership in 2006, and in 2014 the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to further developing and deepening that partnership.

This foundation gave rise to projects that became symbols of bilateral cooperation. One of the most prominent is the Ustyurt Gas Chemical Complex, an approximately $4 billion facility commissioned in 2016. It demonstrated the ability of Uzbekistan and Korean companies to jointly deliver capital-intensive, technologically complex projects, extending cooperation beyond equipment supplies and trade in finished goods.

A new phase began with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s state visit to Seoul in November 2017. The visit resulted in a Joint Declaration on the Comprehensive Deepening of the Strategic Partnership and more than 60 documents. The agenda covered e-commerce, support for Uzbekistan’s accession to the World Trade Organization, a knowledge-sharing program, financing from the Export-Import Bank of Korea, and cooperation with Uzbekistan’s Fund for Reconstruction and Development.

The President of Uzbekistan proposed establishing a Korean Business Center as a permanent platform to support businesses and investment projects. Even then, it was clear that relations needed to rest not only on government contacts but also on lasting institutional support for business cooperation.

President Moon Jae-in’s reciprocal state visit to Tashkent in April 2019 marked a major step forward, as the two countries announced a special strategic partnership. The package of agreements and projects exceeded $12 billion, covering investment protection, science and innovation, the peaceful use of outer space, healthcare, energy, mechanical engineering, textiles, and pharmaceuticals.

During President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s next state visit to the Republic of Korea in December 2021, the agenda centered on three priorities: green development, digitalization, and stronger social protection. His initiatives included establishing an Uzbek–Korean semiconductor and electronics cluster in Tashkent Region that would combine manufacturing, research, and specialist training; creating a regular dialogue between universities and a forum of rectors; and expanding programs run by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

The lending ceiling under the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) was increased to $1 billion for the period through 2023.

The state visit of President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea in June 2024 brought the partnership’s technological focus into sharper relief. The two sides agreed to develop strategic cooperation in critical minerals, renewable energy, transport, agriculture, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and education. A new package of investment agreements worth $9.6 billion was assembled, while the EDCF lending ceiling for 2024–2027 was raised to $2 billion.

At their meeting in New York in September 2025, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President Lee Jae Myung of the Republic of Korea agreed to prepare a long-term program for technological and industrial partnership. Building on earlier cooperation, the proposed program would cover advanced processing of critical raw materials, chemicals, mechanical engineering, agriculture, transport, aviation, and biotechnology.

The Evolution of the Central Asia Plus Format

Today’s challenges increasingly require solutions that extend beyond national borders. Transport corridors do not end at border checkpoints, resilient supply chains depend on multiple interconnected links, and major investors need market scale and compatible regulatory frameworks. The Central Asia Plus format is therefore becoming an increasingly practical tool for development.

This trend has already taken shape as an established framework for cooperation. The C5+1 dialogue between the United States and the five Central Asian countries has operated since 2015 and reached the leaders’ level for the first time in September 2023. In April 2025, Samarkand hosted the first Central Asia–European Union summit, where relations were elevated to a strategic partnership and a €12 billion Global Gateway investment package was announced.

In December 2025, Tokyo hosted the first Central Asia Plus Japan leaders’ summit, although the dialogue itself dates back to 2004. The Republic of Korea has engaged with the region through a multilateral format since 2007. This mechanism is now also being elevated to the highest political level.

The first Central Asia–Republic of Korea summit is scheduled for September 16, 2026, in Seoul. The five countries of the region offer an interconnected market, shared transport routes, and complementary industrial capabilities. Four areas are of particular interest for bilateral discussions: transport and logistics; water, energy, and climate; critical minerals; and digital standards, education, and the mobility of skilled professionals.

The forthcoming summit’s agenda already reflects this logic. Discussions are being prepared on industrial cooperation, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, digital manufacturing, energy, and supply chain resilience. The Republic of Korea has also proposed regular C5+Korea meetings of industry ministers and a business summit.

Central Asia’s Trade with the Republic of Korea

The economic foundations for taking trade to the next level are already in place. According to calculations by the Center for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR), trade between Central Asian countries and the Republic of Korea grew by a factor of 1.7 between 2017 and 2025, reaching $5.7 billion. The region’s exports totaled approximately $1 billion, while imports amounted to $4.7 billion.

Trade has expanded considerably but remains uneven. Central Asia mainly purchases Korean machinery, equipment, vehicles, electronics, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals, while its own presence in the Korean market remains limited.

Kazakhstan accounted for $3.2 billion, or approximately 56% of the region’s trade with Korea, and Uzbekistan for $1.7 billion, or just over 30%. Together, the two countries represented approximately 87% of Central Asia’s trade with Korea. Trade with Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan amounted to $508 million, $196 million, and $45.2 million, respectively.

Investment flows also point to the availability of capital for the next stage of cooperation. In 2025, total direct investment and loans from the Republic of Korea to the region exceeded $1.5 billion. Kazakhstan received approximately $1 billion and Uzbekistan $474.5 million. More than 1,700 enterprises with Korean capital operate across Central Asia.

Uzbekistan’s Trade with the Republic of Korea

In 2025, trade between Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea totaled $1.7 billion. Korea ranked fifth among Uzbekistan’s trading partners in both total trade and imports. Since 2017, bilateral trade has increased by 25.2%, or $350.2 million.

Exports and imports, however, moved in opposite directions. Uzbekistan’s exports declined from $143.3 million to $61.7 million, while imports from Korea rose from $1.2 billion to $1.68 billion. This gap largely reflects the investment-driven nature of the relationship: Uzbekistan imports equipment and production lines to modernize its industries. In 2025, machinery and transport equipment accounted for 60.7% of imports from Korea, chemicals for 12.8%, and manufactured goods and finished products for more than 16%. In other words, a substantial share of the trade deficit is associated with upgrading production capacity rather than importing consumer goods.

Services accounted for 67.6% of Uzbekistan’s exports to Korea in 2025, followed by raw materials at 13.6%, food products at 5.3%, and finished goods, including textiles, at 3.7%.

Meanwhile, preliminary figures for the first half of 2026 show that bilateral trade increased by 11.5% to $940 million. Exports rose by 21.6% to $33.3 million, while imports grew by 11.2% to $906.8 million.

The potential to expand exports is substantial. The Republic of Korea imports hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of goods each year, including clothing, cables and wires, footwear, jewelry, polymers, plastics, fertilizers, cotton fabrics, copper pipes, home textiles, nuts, and fresh fruit. Uzbekistan already has an established production base in many of these categories. The constraints often lie in meeting quality certification requirements, order volumes, packaging standards, and delivery schedules. These factors need to be taken into account when developing future export strategies.

Investment with Room to Grow

As of August 1, 2026, Uzbekistan was home to 730 enterprises with Korean capital, including 186 joint ventures and 544 wholly Korean-owned companies. Between 2016 and 2025, direct investment and loans from Korea approached $2 billion, with $474.5 million received in 2025 alone.

Korean investors are active in oil and gas, chemicals, automotive manufacturing, textiles, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, energy, healthcare, transport, construction, and services.

The next phase of investment could build on this foundation by expanding local production, training engineers, and developing industrial clusters. Korean expertise can help establish standards, while the regional market provides the scale needed to launch major new industrial projects and joint production initiatives.

Artificial intelligence could play a particularly important role. Joint pilot projects between Korean technology companies and Uzbek enterprises could quickly demonstrate measurable economic benefits and subsequently be scaled up across other Central Asian countries.

The same logic applies to critical minerals. Central Asia needs to move beyond raw material supplies by developing geological exploration, mineral processing, and the production of high-purity materials and components. Joint projects could combine Korean technology and financing with the region’s resource base.

Bilateral and regional cooperation should be deliberately developed as complementary tracks. The Uzbekistan–Republic of Korea format is well suited to launching targeted local projects, while the Central Asia–Republic of Korea format offers a more effective platform for coordinating transport corridors, supply chains, cross-border standards, and projects that require access to all five markets.

Success at either level reinforces the other: strong national projects can serve as models for the wider region, while regional scale enhances their commercial appeal.

Conclusion

Relations between Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea are entering a phase in which accumulated trust must translate into a more technologically advanced and diversified economy. Over three decades, the two countries have progressed from establishing diplomatic relations to building a special strategic partnership, delivering major industrial and social infrastructure projects and fostering trust at the highest political level.

The forthcoming Central Asia–Republic of Korea summit could bring regional scale to this progress. It offers an opportunity to turn natural resources into advanced materials, a strategic transit location into efficient logistics services, and a young population into a strong base of human capital. With the region’s most extensive history of cooperation with Korea, Uzbekistan can both benefit from the new format and help shape its agenda and serve as a major center for its implementation.

Developing transport services, industrial zones, and export infrastructure will enable Korean companies to operate across several countries in the region, while helping Uzbek enterprises join international supply chains and enter new markets.

Edvard Romanov
Center for Economic Research and Reforms

Development of the “Central Asia Plus” Formats

In recent years, Central Asia has increasingly acted as a unified region in international relations. Alongside bilateral ties, “Central Asia Plus” formats have been developing, allowing the countries to coordinate their shared interests and discuss trade, investment, industrial cooperation, transportation, energy, and security with external partners.

Existing formats include “Central Asia–European Union,” “Central Asia–Russia,” the C5+1 platform with the United States, as well as dialogue mechanisms with China, Japan, South Korea, and other partners. These mechanisms do not replace bilateral cooperation but complement it with a regional agenda.

Central Asia’s Multivector Cooperation

The first “Central Asia–European Union” summit, held in Samarkand in April 2025, focused on developing a strategic partnership between the two regions. Particular attention was paid to investment, technological modernization, green energy, critical minerals, transportation, and logistics.

Uzbekistan proposed establishing an investment platform to advance regional projects and developing coordinated conditions for expanding the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor. It also proposed holding a meeting of the transport ministers of the countries located along the route.

The second “Central Asia–Russia” summit, held in October 2025, focused on expanding trade, industrial cooperation, and collaboration in energy and transportation.

Uzbekistan proposed holding annual summits, establishing a coordination council at the deputy prime minister level, and creating an integrated transportation and logistics framework combining national road, rail, and air connectivity programs. Particular attention was also paid to developing the North–South Corridor and resilient production chains.

Thus, the “Central Asia Plus” formats enable the region to develop cooperation in several areas simultaneously. Their purpose is not to choose a single partner or route, but to expand economic ties and strengthen the region’s resilience to external changes.

Establishing a New C5+1 Format

The “Central Asia + Azerbaijan” format differs from other platforms because Azerbaijan is directly connected to the region through the Caspian Sea and is a key component of transportation routes leading toward the South Caucasus, Türkiye, and Europe.

For Central Asia, Azerbaijan is an important transit, investment, and industrial partner. For Azerbaijan, the Central Asian countries represent a growing market and a source of cargo flows for its port, railway, and logistics infrastructure. The new format therefore has not only political significance but also a specific economic dimension.

At the seventh Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, held in Tashkent on November 16, 2025, a decision was made to grant Azerbaijan full participation. This became the first meeting of regional leaders in the expanded format.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed gradually transforming the consultative dialogue into a strategic “Central Asian Community” format. Initial steps included strengthening the institutional framework of the meetings, establishing a rotating secretariat, and elevating the status of national coordinators to special representatives of the presidents.

In trade and economic cooperation, Uzbekistan proposed developing a Comprehensive Regional Program for Trade and Economic Cooperation through 2035. The document is expected to address the removal of administrative barriers, simplification of customs and tax procedures, joint use of industrial and free economic zones, and other measures to increase intraregional trade.

Initiatives were also proposed to establish a common investment space and develop e-commerce. These measures include coordinating basic approaches to investor protection, creating regional digital marketplaces, and developing reliable digital payment systems.

Particular attention was paid to transportation and energy infrastructure. Uzbekistan proposed establishing an Infrastructure Development Council at the deputy prime minister level. Priorities included the construction and modernization of roads, railways, border checkpoints, energy networks, green corridors, and digital infrastructure.

Transportation initiatives covered the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway, the Trans-Afghan route, and the Trans-Caspian transportation routes connecting Central Asia with the markets of the Caucasus, Türkiye, and Europe.

In 2026, the meeting is expected to continue under Turkmenistan’s chairmanship in the new “Central Asia and Azerbaijan” format.

Economic Foundation of Cooperation

The expansion of the regional format is taking place against the backdrop of growing trade and investment ties between Uzbekistan and the Central Asian countries.

In 2025, Uzbekistan’s trade turnover with the countries of the region reached $8.3 billion. Exports totaled approximately $3.2 billion, while imports amounted to $5.1 billion. Kazakhstan remained Uzbekistan’s largest regional trading partner, accounting for 60.2% of its trade with Central Asian countries. Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan each accounted for 14.5%, while Tajikistan accounted for 11%.

As of June 2026, Uzbekistan was home to 2,384 enterprises with capital from Central Asian countries. These included 1,283 enterprises with Kazakh capital, 442 with Tajik capital, 362 with Kyrgyz capital, and 297 with Turkmen capital.

The total volume of direct investment and loans attracted from the countries of the region in 2017–2025 amounted to $2.5 billion. In 2025 alone, this figure reached $1.3 billion.

At the same time, the potential of intraregional trade has not been fully utilized. According to calculations by the Center for Economic Research and Reforms, replacing some goods imported from third countries with intraregional supplies could increase trade within Central Asia by $11.4 billion, more than doubling its current volume. Unlocking this potential requires reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers, improving information exchange among businesses, and developing regional production chains.

Uzbekistan’s economic relations with Azerbaijan are also strengthening. Between 2017 and 2025, bilateral trade increased 9.5-fold, from $32.5 million to $307.3 million. Uzbekistan’s exports reached $227.3 million, while imports from Azerbaijan amounted to $80 million.

Uzbekistan’s exports mainly consist of manufactured goods, machinery and transportation equipment, food products, beverages, finished goods, and services. Imports are dominated by food and manufactured goods, machinery, transportation equipment, and chemical products.

Uzbekistan is home to 460 enterprises with Azerbaijani capital. Their number has increased 6.5-fold since 2017. In 2025, Azerbaijani investment in Uzbekistan totaled $173.7 million, bringing cumulative investment to $318.6 million.

An additional instrument was created in 2023 with the establishment of the Azerbaijan–Uzbekistan Investment Company, which has authorized capital of $500 million and can finance projects in Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and third countries.

Cooperation is also developing in the automotive industry, textiles, construction, agriculture, and other sectors.

The Middle Corridor and Azerbaijan

Expanding trade and industrial cooperation requires reliable transportation infrastructure. For Uzbekistan, which has no direct access to the sea, developing alternative routes is essential to strengthening the resilience of foreign trade.

The Middle Corridor connects China and Central Asia with the South Caucasus, Türkiye, and Europe. Cargo from Uzbekistan can be transported through Kazakhstan or Turkmenistan to Caspian ports, shipped by sea to Azerbaijan, and then delivered to European markets through Georgia and Türkiye or across the Black Sea.

Azerbaijan occupies a central position in the western section of the route. Its transportation infrastructure includes the Alat International Sea Trade Port, the Caspian merchant fleet, and the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway.

The capacity of the Alat Port is expected to increase from 15 million to 25 million metric tons, while the capacity of the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway has been expanded to 5 million metric tons. A unified digital platform is also being developed to simplify transportation operations and trade between Caspian ports.

According to the World Bank, if the necessary infrastructure and organizational reforms are implemented, freight traffic along the Middle Corridor could triple by 2030, while delivery times could be reduced by half.

During the first nine months of 2025, transit freight between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan exceeded 1 million metric tons. This indicates growing prospects for using Azerbaijan’s transportation infrastructure as a transit route for Uzbek cargo.

The opening of the Zangezur Corridor is also expected to create additional opportunities for all Central Asian countries.

Opportunities for Uzbekistan and Central Asia

For Uzbekistan, the Middle Corridor provides an additional route to the markets of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Türkiye, and the European Union. This makes it possible to diversify transportation routes and reduce foreign trade dependence on a limited number of corridors.

Delivery times and predictability are especially important. They directly affect the competitiveness of textiles, fruits and vegetables, electrical equipment, automobiles, and other high-value-added products. Coordinating rail and maritime transportation schedules, introducing digital documentation, and reducing border-crossing times could lower exporters’ costs.

The corridor’s development will also create demand for dry ports, multimodal terminals, warehouses and cold-storage facilities, repair enterprises, and insurance, financial, and digital services. Transportation can therefore be viewed not only as a means of delivering goods but also as a separate area of investment and industrial development.

Additional opportunities are associated with the construction of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway. Its integration with the Middle Corridor would establish a shorter and more resilient transportation link between China, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Europe.

For Central Asia as a whole, developing the route would make it possible to consolidate cargo flows, harmonize transportation procedures, and increase the region’s attractiveness to international investors. A larger and more stable cargo base would support regular train and vessel services, reduce per-unit costs, and expand the geographic reach of shipments.

The Middle Corridor is not viewed as a replacement for northern or southern routes. Its main purpose is to expand available options, strengthen logistics resilience, and create additional connections to external markets.

The Importance of Industrial Cooperation

Transportation cooperation will have a long-term impact if it is linked to the development of manufacturing. Growth in transit alone will not ensure the full realization of the new format’s economic potential.

Uzbekistan, other Central Asian countries, and Azerbaijan could establish joint production chains in the automotive industry, textiles, agricultural processing, electrical engineering, construction materials, chemicals, and machinery manufacturing.

An analysis by the Center for Economic Research and Reforms shows that regional enterprises could supply one another with raw materials, components, and finished products, reducing their dependence on imports from third countries.

One promising area is the establishment of joint industrial zones and logistics centers along the Middle Corridor. The idea of creating “mirror” special economic zones in Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan has not yet reached the implementation stage, but it offers significant development potential.

At the same time, growing bilateral trade, the work of the joint investment company, and expanding transportation links are creating conditions for revisiting this initiative.

Such zones could specialize in product assembly and processing, consolidation of export shipments, warehousing operations, and transportation services. Establishing interconnected production facilities in Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan would combine Central Asia’s industrial potential with the transportation infrastructure of the South Caucasus.

Conclusion

The first meeting in the expanded format established a political and institutional foundation for cooperation between Central Asia and Azerbaijan. The next meeting, under Turkmenistan’s chairmanship, could focus on the practical development of the Middle Corridor and the expansion of industrial cooperation.

In transportation, the main priorities include coordinating tariffs and procedures, developing regular rail and maritime services, modernizing port and border infrastructure, digitizing documentation, and exploring opportunities to connect the Middle Corridor with the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway.

In industry, priorities could include establishing joint production chains, developing industrial zones, implementing projects through the Azerbaijan–Uzbekistan Investment Company, and attracting international financial institutions to infrastructure and manufacturing projects.

For Uzbekistan, the “Central Asia + Azerbaijan” format creates opportunities to expand exports, diversify transportation routes, and attract investment in manufacturing and logistics. For other Central Asian countries, it provides an additional route to Western markets.

The format’s future significance will depend on how consistently the participating countries develop the Middle Corridor and complement the transportation agenda with industrial and investment cooperation. The upcoming meeting could provide practical momentum for implementing the most ambitious and mutually beneficial projects.

Edvard Romanov,

Center for Economic Research and Reforms

In recent years, Uzbekistan has demonstrated significant progress in the field of international tourism, which pays special attention to cooperation with the CIS countries. Historically, this region has close cultural, economic and humanitarian ties with Uzbekistan, which contributes to the active exchange of tourists and the development of joint initiatives in the tourism industry. According to statistics for January–August 2024 and 2025, there has been a steady increase in the total number of tourists from 6.7 million visiting Uzbekistan to more than 7.5 million with an annual increase of 15-20% per year. By the end of 2025, more than 11 million foreign tourists are expected to arrive.
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan remain the most significant sources of tourists among the CIS countries. In 2024, Kazakhstan sent more than 2.1 million tourists to Uzbekistan in January – August, Kyrgyzstan — about 1.78 million, and Tajikistan — almost 1.6 million. In 2025, Kyrgyzstan slightly surpassed Kazakhstan in the number of visitors — 2.16 million against 1.77 million, which indicates a positive trend towards strengthening bilateral ties in the field of tourism. Tajikistan also showed an increase of almost 1.7 million tourists. In addition to the traditional leaders, the number of tourists from Turkmenistan increased significantly in January–August, from 125,000 in 2024 to 243,000 in 2025. This growth confirms the growing attractiveness of Uzbekistan as a tourist destination for all neighboring countries.
The CIS countries with fewer tourists, such as Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Armenia, Ukraine and Russia, also note positive dynamics. The increase in the number of Russian tourists in January –August is particularly noteworthy — from 587,000 in 2024 to more than 663,000 in 2025, reflecting the strengthening of tourist and cultural ties between the two countries. The growth of the tourist flow from the CIS is largely due to Uzbekistan's comprehensive work to improve infrastructure, simplify visa procedures, and actively promote travel brands. The development of transport links, the introduction of modern services and the expansion of the range of tourism products make Uzbekistan more and more attractive to visitors from neighboring countries.
Uzbekistan is the historical center and pearl of the Great Silk Road, the crossroads of world cultures and civilizations. There are more than 8,000 cultural heritage sites in the country. 209 of them are part of four museum cities included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The magnificent monuments of the ancient cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva attract many tourists who want to get acquainted with the rich heritage of the region. Samarkand is the ancient capital of the empire of the great commander Amir Temur, which houses the most beautiful Registan ensemble, the Ulugbek Observatory and the Imam Al-Bukhari complex, the most important for Muslims, the fabulous city of Bukhara, famous throughout the Islamic world with its Bahauddin Naqshbandi complex, the Ark fortress and the Poi Kalyan ensemble, the capital of the Khorezmshah State Khiva with a museum city open-air Ichan-Kala, and of course the city of Shakhrisabz, where Amir Temur was born and built the Ok-Saroy palace there.
Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, is the geographical center and the largest hub of Central Asia, a connecting bridge between East and West. Tourists can get great emotions and impressions from their stay in Tashkent, which has many interesting sights, including the architecture of modernity and the ancient East. Uzbekistan is not only a historical city, but also a huge number of natural attractions: the picturesque mountains of the Western Tien Shan and Pamir Alai, mysterious caves, the endless Kyzylkum desert, a huge number of lakes, the Ustyurt plateau and the Aral Sea in Karakalpakstan. It should be noted that Uzbekistan occupies high places in the world tourism rankings, in the field of security, historical attractions, family tourism, gastronomy, etc. There is a tourist police in all tourist centers of the country, thanks to which all foreign visitors feel safe at all times. At the same time, over the past 10 years, Uzbekistan has not had any incidents related to the safety of tourists in the country, which could negatively affect the tourist image of Uzbekistan. Great attention is paid to youth tourism in the country, special tours of historical subjects, ecotourism, extreme tourism, and industrial tourism have been formed to visit various production facilities, which also serve as their subsequent professional orientation.
The Government of Uzbekistan has identified several territories with high tourism potential as free tourist zones created specifically for businesses operating in the tourism sector. Conditions have been created to attract foreign investment in the tourism sector. To encourage investors, various incentives have been introduced for the hotel sector, the construction of tourist complexes and infrastructure. Business representatives from the CIS countries are the most active investors, creating both enterprises with 100 foreign investments and joint ventures in the tourism industry of Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan invites Russian investors to take an active part in joint projects in the territories of Charvak, Chimgan, Nanai, Baysun, Maidanak, Miraki, Parkent, Akhangaran, Angren, Akchakul, Tudakul, Aydarkul and others tourist zones. The development of tourism with the CIS countries is becoming not only a factor of economic growth, but also an important element in strengthening interstate relations, cultural exchange and friendship of peoples. The growth of the tourist flow contributes to the creation of new jobs, the development of small and medium-sized businesses and the improvement of the standard of living of the population. The prospects for further development of tourism ties between Uzbekistan and the CIS countries look very promising. Enhanced cooperation, exchange of experience and implementation of innovative solutions will make the region one of the most attractive and dynamically developing tourist destinations in Eurasia. The Committee on Tourism of Uzbekistan is ready to support the tourism business of our countries in the implementation of joint projects, and create all necessary conditions for comfortable travel of tourists of all categories from the CIS countries.

Head of the Department of
Transport and Logistics Development Shukhrat Isakulov

Amid growing water scarcity and climate instability in Central Asia, Uzbekistan and Finland are implementing a unique form of scientific cooperation that combines digital innovation with sustainable water resource management.

In 2021, the Ministry of Mining Industry and Geology of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at the rational development of natural resources through advanced technologies. Today, this project stands as an example of scientific diplomacy that unites European expertise with Uzbekistan’s potential.

From Paper Maps to Digital Models.

For many years, hydrogeological maps of Uzbekistan existed only in paper form. Within the framework of the joint project, they were digitized using the ArcGIS platform, creating a unified national groundwater database. This digital transformation enables specialists to monitor aquifer conditions, analyze water balances, and forecast the impacts of climate change.

Finnish experts conducted a series of training programs for Uzbek specialists, introducing modern methods of digital mapping and data processing. This strengthened the professional capacity of the sector and laid the foundation for scientifically grounded and transparent water resource management.

Scientific Practice: Experimental Site in Akhangaran.

An experimental site was established in the Akhangaran district of the Tashkent region, where joint research teams conducted geophysical studies and developed digital models of groundwater flow. The obtained data help predict groundwater levels, plan water supply systems, and identify areas vulnerable to drought.

The use of the MODFLOW software package made it possible to create models that provide scientifically based solutions for water resource allocation — particularly important for regions with limited water reserves.

European Partnership for Climate Resilience.

Cooperation with Finland is part of a broader European agenda aimed at supporting climate adaptation and sustainable development in Central Asia. By combining European technologies with Uzbekistan’s scientific resources, the project demonstrates how international partnerships can strengthen ecological security and water stability.

The results of the joint work were published in the journal Water (Scopus) under the title “Assessing Climate Change Impacts on Groundwater Recharge and Storage Using MODFLOW in the Akhangaran River Alluvial Aquifer, Eastern Uzbekistan.”

Furthermore, new areas of cooperation have opened — with the University of Padua (Italy) in geological risk monitoring, and with the Belarusian Scientific and Production Center for Geology in groundwater observation.

Looking Ahead.

The joint project between Uzbekistan and Finland is more than a transfer of technology — it represents a step toward creating a new culture of rational water use and responsible climate action. The establishment of a national digital hydrogeological database will become a key element in the country’s environmentally sustainable development.

As Europe and Central Asia continue to strengthen cooperation in water, energy, and climate, the Uzbek-Finnish project serves as a model of how scientific initiatives can deliver tangible environmental and social benefits.

Today, the combined economic potential of the OTS countries exceeds $2.1 trillion. In 2025, the economies of these countries grew by 6.8 percent. Uzbekistan’s trade turnover with OTS countries reached $10.8 billion in 2025.

These figures demonstrate the significant potential for economic cooperation across the Turkic world.

Turning Economic Initiatives into Practical Mechanisms

A key aspect of Uzbekistan’s approach within the OTS is its focus on strengthening economic cooperation through concrete mechanisms and projects. Currently, practical cooperation is being carried out in more than 35 areas within the Organization. Uzbekistan has also put forward the idea of creating a “Space of New Economic Opportunities” in the near future, bringing together favorable conditions for trade, business, and mutual investment, as well as the necessary legal framework and infrastructure.

The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan has also proposed establishing a Permanent Council on Economic Partnership of the Turkic States and locating its Project Office in Tashkent. Such a mechanism could help move from discussing economic initiatives to their systematic preparation and implementation.

Another important initiative put forward by Uzbekistan is the establishment of a Turkic States Industrial Alliance. Cooperation in such sectors as mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, mining, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, food processing, and construction materials could enable the formation of new production chains across the OTS region. In this regard, a cooperation model based on the principle of “raw materials – processing – science and technology – finished products” is of particular importance.

For Uzbekistan, this model could, on the one hand, facilitate the integration of domestic producers into major regional value chains and, on the other, support the production of higher value-added goods and the expansion of export destinations.

Transport Connectivity as the Economic Foundation of Integration

Uzbekistan’s geographical location makes transport connectivity a strategically important area of economic integration within the OTS. As a landlocked country, the development of new transport corridors is one of the key factors determining the competitiveness of Uzbekistan’s foreign trade.

In this regard, the development of the Middle Corridor and its connection with the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway currently under construction could create new economic opportunities. In the future, connecting this system with the Trans-Afghan Corridor could further strengthen Central Asia’s potential to become a major transport hub linking the markets of East Asia, South Asia, the Caucasus, Türkiye, and Europe.

New Financial Infrastructure

Deepening economic integration also requires institutions capable of financing it. In this regard, the establishment of the Turkic Investment Fund has marked a new stage in cooperation within the OTS. The Fund is focused on developing trade and economic cooperation, financing joint projects, and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises.

The launch of the Fund’s operational activities in 2026, along with the establishment of the OTS Council of Central Bank Governors and the Turkic Council for Green Finance, demonstrates that the financial infrastructure of a common economic space is gradually taking shape.

Uzbekistan supports efforts to combine the resources of the Turkic Investment Fund with those of other international financial institutions. In particular, it has proposed establishing strategic cooperation between the Fund and the Islamic Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, as well as other international and national financial institutions.

Such an approach could enable the OTS to combine its own financial resources with international capital and expand opportunities for financing large-scale infrastructure, industrial, energy, and green projects.

Digital Economy – A New Frontier of Integration

The next major growth area for economic integration among the Turkic states is linked to the digital economy and artificial intelligence.

At the informal OTS summit held in Turkistan in 2026, Uzbekistan proposed establishing a strategic cooperation network in the field of artificial intelligence and developing a “Digital Turkic Corridor Concept”. The concept is aimed at interconnecting data centers across the region through high-speed communication networks, developing a unified modern digital space, and creating a new market for technology-based services.

This initiative is particularly important for Uzbekistan. The country’s geographical position in Central Asia could strengthen its future role not only as a transport hub, but also as a center for digital transit and data exchange.

Green Economy and New Markets

New sources of growth for the Turkic states are not limited to traditional industries. Renewable energy, green hydrogen and ammonia, critical minerals, organic agriculture, and environmental technologies are emerging as promising areas of cooperation.

The “Green Transformation” Consortium proposed by Uzbekistan is aimed at jointly implementing green energy projects, attracting technologies and standards, and expanding the use of public-private partnership mechanisms. In the area of critical minerals, the focus is shifting from exporting raw materials toward their deep processing and the production of higher value-added goods.

The significant agricultural potential of the OTS countries, their diverse climate zones, and proximity to major consumer markets create opportunities for establishing new cooperation chains in the production and export of organic products. In this area, Uzbekistan has proposed combining scientific research, breeding, production, and logistics capabilities and, in the future, bringing products to global markets under a common brand.

A New Stage – New Opportunities

Today, economic cooperation within the Organization of Turkic States is moving to a qualitatively new stage. Alongside increasing trade volumes, industrial cooperation, mutual investment, transport and digital connectivity, energy, and new financial mechanisms are becoming key areas of the common economic agenda.

This creates broad opportunities for making more effective use of the potential available across the OTS region and developing new sources of economic growth.

Professor Komil Rashidov, Head of the Sector of Legislation in the Economic Sphere at the Institute of Legislation and Legal Policy under the President of Uzbekistan, commented for the Dunyo IA on the outcomes of the working visit of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Türkiye and his participation in the Organization of Turkic States Summit:

—Consistent implementation of New Uzbekistan’s foreign policy, alongside the regular and effective conduct of bilateral and multilateral negotiations in political, economic, cultural, and humanitarian spheres based on the interests of the people and the state, aligns with the constitutional foundations of foreign policy.

Operating on the principle of “objective—action—result”, economic diplomacy of New Uzbekistan is filled with concrete substance, including at high-level multilateral diplomacy platforms, aimed at expanding mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation.

Thus, within the framework of the working visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Türkiye on October 29–30^th to participate in the 13^th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Ankara, high-level bilateral meetings were also held, during which issues of further strengthening the Uzbek-Turkish comprehensive strategic partnership relations, particularly in political-diplomatic, trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian spheres, were discussed.

Following the negotiations, Leaders of Uzbekistan and Türkiye signed an Agreement on the Establishment of the High-Level Business Support Council. A number of bilateral documents were also signed aimed at further expanding trade and economic cooperation, creating favorable conditions for business circles and providing them with legal assistance, as well as ensuring the effective protection of citizens' social rights.

It should be noted that the established High-Level Business Support Council is a new format for supporting comprehensive trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. Its activities are aimed at providing large-scale support to entrepreneurs, promptly eliminating barriers, and elevating the bilateral trade and economic partnership to a qualitatively new level.

New Council and the existing Joint Intergovernmental Commission will collectively address the task set by the heads of state to bring trade turnover to $5 billion, including through expanding the product list within the Framework Agreement on Preferential Trade and broadening the portfolio of promising projects.

These economic interaction structures, including Uzbek-Turkish Business Council, will serve as powerful tools within the activities of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council led by the heads of both states.

Meetings of the head of our state in Ankara with representatives of leading Turkish companies, during which promising avenues for investment cooperation were reviewed, testify to the business community's trust in the reforms implemented in the country:

Additional investment projects to modernize the “SamAvto” enterprise in Samarkand, expand its production capacities and increase product export volumes were discussed with “Anadolu Group”;

“Evyap Holding” expressed readiness to further expand mutually beneficial cooperation in the manufacturing of personal hygiene products and cosmetics, and to implement a new project launched in the Uzbek-Turkish industrial zone “OSTIM Global”;

Issues concerning the further expansion of projects in renewable energy, geology and the mining industry, infrastructure, establishment of an electric vehicle charging station network, as well as the food industry were discussed jointly with “Eksim Holding”;

“OYAK” expressed interest in implementing joint investment projects in the chemical industry, geology, and construction in New Uzbekistan, as well as readiness to actively participate in the construction of residential complexes and external infrastructure facilities in New Tashkent.

Comprehensive strategic partnership between the two states, Constitution, legislation on foreign economic and investment activities and the provisions of the Agreement on the Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments with Türkiye serve as the legal foundation for implementing the agreements reached in Ankara with leading Turkish business circles.

Following these meetings, Head of our State emphasized the significant role and contribution of business circles to the consistently developing strategic partnership relations of our country with Türkiye.

Continuation of practical cooperation in economic diplomacy across new avenues was also proposed within the multilateral format.

Thus, in his address at the 13^th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States, Head of Uzbekistan put forward a proposal to adopt the “Turkic World – 100” Program, encompassing one hundred strategic joint investment and industrial projects, including the processing of rare minerals and the localization of manufacturing equipment for green energy. Attention was focused on the importance of attracting resources from the Turkic Investment Fund, which also accumulates the financial assets of Uzbekistan and international financial institutions for the implementation of these projects.

Other important initiatives of the Uzbek side include proposals:

• on the development of a multilateral Treaty “On Mutual Legal Assistance in Commercial Matters”, which is essential for protecting the interests of entrepreneurs, as well as the creation of a digital platform designated for the electronic exchange of legal assistance requests and documents;
• on the establishment of the “Network of Logistics Centers of the Turkic States” and ensuring its joint management, which will allow expanding the participation of the organization's member states in international freight transportation and logistics, as well as increasing economic integration;
• on the creation of the “Turkic Tourism Alliance” to expand tourism potential, as well as the development of a multilateral agreement providing for the simplification of mutual travel of citizens and the expansion of opportunities for travel using ID cards.

Historical significance of the high-level negotiations held, the signed bilateral and multilateral documents, and the business meetings within the framework of the working visit to Türkiye open a new chapter in our country's economic diplomacy. They create the necessary conditions for filling the Uzbek-Turkish mutually beneficial trade, economic and investment interaction with concrete achievements, as well as for further expanding multifaceted cooperation among the member states of the Organization of Turkic States for the sake of Turkic solidarity.

Dunyo IA

Tashkent

Today, a new and ambitious strategic direction is emerging on the global energy map. The strategic partnership established between Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan is a historic step that serves not only to strengthen regional energy security but also to elevate the global "green" transformation to a new level. At the heart of this ambitious initiative lies, first and foremost, the mutual trust, strong friendship, and high responsibility of the leaders of the three brotherly states toward future generations.

Uzbekistan's Green Development Strategy

In recent years, large-scale and intensive reforms on the use of renewable energy sources have been implemented in Uzbekistan. To date, 15 solar and 5 wind power plants with a total capacity of 5,582 MW have been commissioned in various regions of the country, producing "green" energy for the country's population and economy. Notably, the capacity of solar photovoltaic plants is 3,930 MW, and wind power plants are 1,652 MW. To ensure the stability of the energy supply, 12 additional energy storage systems with a total capacity of 1,545 MW were also commissioned.

Looking at the figures, in 2025 alone, solar and wind power plants managed to generate 10.5 billion kWh of electricity. From the beginning of 2026 to April 15, this figure exceeded 2.5 billion kWh, and the goal is to increase it to 15 billion kWh by the end of the year. By 2030, Uzbekistan will become a true "green" energy hub: the total capacity of solar and wind power plants will reach 21 GW, and 54% of the total electricity generated in the country will come from renewable sources. As a result, 18 billion cubic meters of natural gas will be saved annually, and the emission of 25 million tons of harmful gases into the atmosphere will be prevented.

Regional Solidarity: The Brothers' Strategic Choice

Relations with the countries of the region, especially with our close neighbor and strategic partner Kazakhstan, are of decisive importance in achieving such high milestones. During the recent visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Uzbekistan, the leaders of the two countries outlined future priorities for the development of sectors, in particular, energy. These friendly relations guarantee the energy stability not only of the two countries but of the entire region.

Thanks to the far-sighted policy and friendship of the heads of state of the three countries—Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan—the "Green Corridor" project is being implemented. This path, which began with a Memorandum of Understanding in May 2024, was further strengthened by the Strategic Partnership Agreement signed by the Presidents of the three countries at the COP-29 international summit in Baku in November of the same year. This historic document marked the beginning of a new era not only in energy production but also in the field of energy transmission.

"Green Corridor" - practical steps towards the future

The practical stages of the project are proceeding consistently. Within the framework of the founding agreement signed on December 27, 2024, the national operators of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan - JSC "National Electric Grid of Uzbekistan," JSC "KEGOC," and JSC "Azerenerji" - united for a common goal. Negotiations held in early 2025 in Tashkent with the participation of representatives from the Ministry of Energy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia once again proved the project's international prestige.

The establishment of the Green Corridor Alliance Limited Liability Company in Baku on July 1, 2025, laid the institutional foundation for the project. The world-renowned Italian company CESI has been involved in developing the project's feasibility study, which, according to the agreement signed with the Asian Development Bank, will be submitted by the beginning of 2027. Currently, specialists from the three countries, together with CESI, are working on a complete model (technical and economic basis) of the project.

In conclusion, this strategic partnership is not only an important pillar for exporting "green" energy to Europe but also for the transition of Central Asia and the Caspian region to a unified, environmentally friendly, and digital energy system. There is no doubt that the friendly will of the heads of state and the spirit of regional solidarity will make Uzbekistan one of the most reliable and major players in the global energy market in the future.

Ministry of Energy

of the Republic of Uzbekistan

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Aral Sea was the largest lake in Central Asia. Starting from the second half of this century, as a result of the drying up of the sea, a new desert ecosystem-the Aralkum Desert-was formed at its bottom. This area is currently considered one of the largest anthropogenic desert ecosystems in Central Asia. As a result of the decrease in sea level, more than 60,000 km² of wetlands have turned into land. 

The ecological changes occurring in this region have had a significant impact not only on the climate and soil composition but also on biological diversity. As a result, the distribution area of species adapted to wetland ecosystems has sharply decreased. At the same time, the Aralkum Desert, which emerged between the Ustyurt Plateau and the Kyzylkum Desert, led to the formation of a new bird community as a unique and unique desert ecosystem. Therefore, the scientific study of the state of the desert ecosystem formed on the dried seabed and its ornithological fauna, the distribution of species across the biotopes of these ecosystems, and adaptation mechanisms is of urgent importance.

In accordance with this, the Institute of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan Scientific research is being conducted within the framework of the applied project AL-9424104883-R1 on the topic “Current state of the Aralkum avifauna, species adaptation to environmental changes, and conservation measures”. This project was deemed suitable based on the competition requirements announced by the Agency for Innovative Development under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation within the framework of the 94th round and has been funded by the Fund for Financing Science and Supporting Innovation since the second half of 2025. The goal of the project is to identify important areas and biotopes for the ornithological fauna of the Aralkum Desert, to study species diversity, adaptation to environmental changes, biological characteristics, and distribution.

In accordance with the calendar plan of this applied project, a field expedition to the Aralkum Desert in the territory of Muynak district of the Republic of Karakalpakstan was carried out in October–November 2025. Ornithological studies were conducted in areas divided into 10 × 10 km grid cells using the ArcGIS software. A total of 68 grid cells were surveyed using transect and point count methods. Out of these, pedestrian transect observations were conducted in 56 grid cells, with a total length of 140 km. In the remaining 12 grid cells, point count observations were carried out. The grid-based approach to studying the area is important for identifying patterns in the distribution of birds across biotopes and for revealing their association with specific landscape elements.

As a result of scientific research conducted to date, it has been established that the Desert ecosystem formed on the dried seabed incorporates the following biotopes:

Saline deserts are characterized by high salt concentrations; specific species of halophytic plants predominate here.

Sandy deserts consist of wind-driven barchans, semi-fortified, and fortified sands, in which ephemerals, perennial herbs, semi-shrubs, and shrubs are found.

Stony and gravelly deserts cover ancient islands in the central part of the Aralkum Desert and adjacent territories.

Clay deserts are open plains in the western and southwestern parts of the Aralkum Desert.

Hills and chinkes include ancient coastal walls and adjacent hills in the western and northern parts of the Aralkum Desert.

Furthermore, in the northwestern part of this territory, there is a remnant of the Aral Sea preserved as a natural lake, as well as a number of artificial basins formed by drainage and collector waters in the southern regions, which are of great importance to hydrophilic birds as a biotope for wetlands.

During the field studies, data were collected on the autumn diversity, distribution, and abundance of 91 bird species belonging to 12 orders and 26 families across 6 types of biotopes. Among the recorded bird species, 13 species - Cygnus olor, Cygnus cygnus, Phoenicopterus roseus, Falco cherrug, Haliaeetus albicilla, Aegypius monachus, Circus macrourus, Aquila nipalensis, Aquila heliaca, Aquila chrysaetos, Chlamydotis macqueenii, Limosa limosa, and Glareola nordmanni — are included in the Red Data Book of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Additionally, 9 species are included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, 17 species in the Annexes to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and 28 species in the Annexes to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Wild Animals (CMS).

The research results showed that the areas of the Aralkum Desert with the highest ornithological fauna diversity correspond to sandy desert biotopes formed parallel to the chink, bordering the eastern part of the Ustyurt Plateau. This biotope was formed at the boundary of desert and steppe ecosystems, characterized by diverse vegetation and favorable habitat conditions for birds belonging to various ecological groups.

It was also found that hills and chins are of particular importance as favorable habitats for many species during the autumn season. In the remaining parts of stony and gravelly deserts and sandy deserts, highly specialized species for living in arid conditions were observed, while in saline and clay deserts, species diversity was noted to be at a minimum level.

Research has shown that the remnants of the Aral Sea, preserved as a natural lake, are of relatively low importance for waterfowl and waterfowl; conversely, artificial reservoirs in southern regions serve as an important wetland habitat for hydrophilic birds.

The Aralkum desert, formed on the dried bed of the Aral Sea, emerged as a unique new desert ecosystem within a short historical period. Conducted studies have shown that various biotopes have formed in this area, directly influencing the distribution and diversity of birds. The highest ornithological diversity was observed in sandy desert biotopes, while this indicator was low in saline and clay areas. The research results serve as an important scientific basis for identifying important habitats for birds in the Aralkum region and developing measures for their protection.

Institute of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences of
the Republic of Uzbekistan

Assalamu alaikum, dear compatriots!

Dear guests!

Today, we celebrate the thirty-fifth anniversary of the independence of our sacred homeland with great pride and solemnity.

I sincerely congratulate our dear people, including our esteemed enlightened ones, our courageous youth, our honorable women, representatives of all nationalities and ethnic groups in our country, and our compatriots abroad on this day.

The fact that our greatest holiday is being held in New Tashkent further enhances the grandeur of the celebration.

In this region, which will become a center of science, education, and culture in the future, we recently inaugurated the magnificent buildings of the New Uzbekistan University, the Nizami Ganjavi National Pedagogical University of Uzbekistan, and the National Library of Uzbekistan.

The fact that the fountain that will be opened with your participation today is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the tallest musical fountain in the world adds even more spirit to the festive mood.

In this unique place where centuries-old dreams are coming true, we, along with our entire people, will witness many more joyful and historic events.

I am confident that New Tashkent will become a true center of development, adding beauty to our capital and demonstrating the power of the New Uzbekistan we are building!

Dear friends!

We gained our state independence in 1991, thanks to the will and determination of our people. In fact, the roots of our great independence go back to the history of our statehood traditions and ancient civilization, which are more than three thousand years old.

During the First and Second Renaissance, our great scholars such as Muhammad Khorezmii, Ahmad Ferghani, Abu Rayhan Beruni, Abu Ali ibn Sino, Mirzo Ulugbek, and Mir Alisher Navoi enriched the treasury of human thought.

The state founded by our great-grandfather Amir Temur has a worthy place in the pages of history as a symbol of justice and creativity.

The dreams and aspirations of our great forefathers, such as Behbudi, Munavvarkori, Fitrat, Qodiriy, and Chulpon, who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the homeland and national independence, are being fully realized in New Uzbekistan today.

Independence, first of all, has returned to us our honor, our sacred religion, our native language, and our forgotten national values.

Thanks to independence, we realized our identity and demonstrated to the whole world that we are worthy successors of our ancestors, whose names are always held in high esteem.

In these emotional moments, we pay tribute to the memory of our great ancestors and martyrs who sacrificed their lives for today's free life.

On this historic date, we believe it is appropriate to once again recognize the selfless labor and courage of all our deceased compatriots who have made a worthy contribution to strengthening our independence over the past 35 years.

We respectfully commemorate the bright memory of our first President, a prominent statesman and politician, Islam Abduganievich Karimov.

Dear holiday participants!

The great importance of independence is manifested, first of all, in human dignity and free life. Therefore, from the first days of the reforms, we listened to the hearts of the people, aimed to be a remedy for the people's ailments. We brought the idea of ​​"For human dignity!" to the center of state policy. For the first time, we eliminated problems that had tormented people for years, such as "cotton slavery", "forced labor and child labor", "restrictions on conversion", "propiska".

Most importantly, the fear and anxiety in the hearts of our citizens have been replaced by confidence and peace. We have worked tirelessly and tirelessly over the past decade to build a society where every person can live freely and prosper.

Having shown great political will, we have opened Uzbekistan to the world. In particular, border issues have been resolved, friendship and cooperation with our neighbors have been strengthened. Fundamental changes have been made in currency, tax, customs and investment policies. As a result, we have improved our position in the "Index of Economic Freedom" by 80 points, placing us among the "moderately free economies".

Previously, our economy attracted $2-3 billion in foreign investment annually, but now it is attracting $40-50 billion. Along with investments, advanced technologies, modern knowledge, and new economic opportunities are entering our country.

Three years ago, we planned to increase our gross domestic product to $160 billion by 2030. Despite disruptions in global logistics and the unstable situation in the world, we will more than achieve this goal this year and become one of the countries with an above-average income.

The important thing is that we are achieving such high results thanks to the selfless work of our people, their intellectual potential, and the unity of the nation and state. You will certainly agree with me when I say that every person and every family is deeply feeling the positive changes in their lives.

Can words describe the joy of more than 650,000 families who have acquired modern housing in the new era?

The image of New Uzbekistan is entering thousands of our neighborhoods.

We have openly acknowledged the issue of poverty and created the New Uzbekistan experience to drastically reduce it. We have established a system of working "on a neighborhood basis" to improve the income, employment, health, education and living conditions of needy families.

Thanks to our consistent efforts, we have managed to reduce the poverty rate from 35 percent in 2017 to 4 percent today. Behind these numbers lies the joy and gratitude of 10 million people whose livelihoods have been blessed and their quality of life has improved.

Dear compatriots!

To take our rightful place in the world community, we need a new generation of educated, future-oriented, and independent-minded specialists. That is why we are bringing quality and substance to education. We are restoring the prestige of teachers and increasing their income.

Over the past decade, even as our population has grown by 8 million, we have increased kindergarten coverage to 78 percent. 1.5 million additional student places have been created in schools. The establishment of presidential, creative and specialized schools has opened wide opportunities for our children to acquire in-depth knowledge at a level no less than that of leading foreign educational institutions.

We have created suitable conditions for young people to learn foreign languages ​​and professions.

Thanks to the expansion of favorable conditions for studying at universities, the number of students has now reached 1.6 million. Fortunately, the desire to learn is growing among young people. For parents, giving their children a higher education is not just a dream, but an achievable goal.

In particular, it would be correct to say that more than half of the students are women - a unique face of the Third Renaissance. Because educated girls mean an educated family, an educated generation, and an educated society.

We consider science, modern technology, and innovation, along with education, to be crucial factors in our development.

At the same time, we have launched a huge movement by giving new impetus to the development of areas such as IT, artificial intelligence, and the creative economy. Through this, we will introduce 10 million of our young people to the digital industry and the professions of the future.

We are particularly proud of the launch of the Samarkand-2028 satellite into space with our Chinese partners on the eve of our Independence Day.

My intention: Uzbekistan should become a center that offers the world advanced initiatives in the field of technology.

The Uzbek language should be the language in which science and technology are created in the digital world.

Dear compatriots!

When we talk about human dignity, it is natural that we pay special attention to the issue of the health of our population. In recent years, we have increased the funds allocated to this area more than 8 times. Most importantly, the opportunity to receive quality medical services has been created not only in the center, but also in the regions.

Over the past period, 652 new medical institutions have been built in our country, and the volume of medical services has increased threefold due to the wide opportunities provided to the private sector. Our efforts to train highly qualified doctors and create conditions for them
are bearing fruit. More than 100 complex diagnostic and treatment methods previously implemented abroad are now being perfectly implemented in our country.

In general, the most important result of our reforms in this area is that the average life expectancy of the population has increased from 66.4 years in 1991 to 75.4 years in 2025, and infant and maternal mortality rates have decreased by 4 times.

Dear friends!

Our beloved homeland has always been a land of great thinkers, dear saints, and great scholars. We have built unique scientific and educational institutions, such as the Center for Islamic Civilization, the Imam Bukhari and Burkhaniddin Marginoni memorial complexes, worthy of such a priceless heritage.

These magnificent and sacred places are now receiving deserved recognition not only from our country and the Islamic world, but also from the people of the entire world. We will continue such creative work with great intensity.

Dear holiday participants!

Our greatest asset is the youth of New Uzbekistan, who are the decisive force of our tomorrow. 20-25 trillion soums are allocated annually to support our ambitious and hardworking sons and daughters and to open up broad opportunities for them.

Today, young entrepreneurs make up 35 percent of business representatives in Uzbekistan.

The historic achievements of our young athletes at the Tokyo and Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games and on world stages have brought immense pride to our people.

Our footballers have opened a new page in the history of Uzbek sports by participating in the World Cup for the first time. We believe that the path they have begun will certainly be continuous and victorious.

In the near future, a major sporting event - the World Chess Olympiad - will begin in Samarkand. In November, our famous grandmaster Javokhir Sindorov will compete for the world chess crown.

I wish my chess players great victories in these competitions!

I consider our young people, who are taking high places in international science olympiads, competitions, and festivals, to be the stars of New Uzbekistan, the future builders!

Never stop striving forward and constantly searching, my dear children!

Dear compatriots!

Today we stand at an even more responsible and decisive stage in history. Our country is entering a completely new era of development. The next decade will be a period of national uplift for us .

We will build this only through the intelligence, hard work, and unity of our people. To this end, in the coming years, we will implement 7 national programs that will further enhance human dignity in our country.

The first national program will be to transform knowledge and skills into the main capital of our future development.

We will soon increase the coverage of children in 6-year-old preparatory groups to 100 percent. Existing privileges for establishing private kindergartens will be maintained.

All schools are fully covered by international assessment programs.

We will introduce international educational standards in technical schools in our country. We will train our youth in highly profitable professions, bringing the number of students to 1 million. In short, there will not be a single young man or woman left in New Uzbekistan who has not acquired a profession.

We set a major goal of including at least 10 of our universities in the TOP 1000 in the coming years.

The second national program serves to ensure the health and longevity of our people.

To this end, we will increase public spending on public health to 5 percent of gross domestic product over the next five years.

We will move to a health care model by strengthening preventive medicine. State health insurance will reach every household in the country.

In order to strengthen the competitive environment in specialized medicine, we will bring in at least 5 of the world's most prestigious clinics.

We will turn our country into a mask made possible by modern medicine, pharmaceuticals, biotechnologies and medical education.

Dear event participants!

The third national program is to transition our economy to a model of high technology and labor productivity.

To this end, we will attract $450 billion in foreign investment over the next ten years. While maintaining high economic growth rates, by 2030 the gross domestic product will reach $300 billion, and 2 million high-income jobs will be created in industry.

The development of startups, ventures, and artificial intelligence will become a priority in fully realizing the potential of our youth.

We will also create a holistic ecosystem for small businesses to grow into medium-sized businesses, and medium-sized enterprises to grow into large companies and corporations. As a result, the GDP per capita will exceed $10,000 in the next ten years.

Dear friends!

In the context of global climate change, water and environmental issues are becoming increasingly urgent.

Therefore, the fourth national program is aimed at radically changing the attitude towards water and nature.

In the next five years, we will achieve 100 percent coverage of water-saving technologies in crop fields. This will become a nationwide goal.

Attitude to nature is a quality indicator of the culture of the people, the responsibility of the state and progress. Therefore, in our country, we are bringing the nationwide movement "Green Space" to a new qualitative level. Green areas around schools, kindergartens, hospitals and apartment buildings are protected as an inviolable asset of society. In the coming years, we will increase the level of greenery in district and city centers to 30 percent.

Dear compatriots!

Where justice prevails, both economic growth and social trust increase.

In this regard, the fifth national program is to strengthen judicial independence and make ensuring the rule of law a common value.

To this end, we will establish a clear system of legal education, starting from school. We will resolutely continue our reforms to strengthen legal guarantees for citizens and entrepreneurs. We will further strengthen measures to prevent cybercrime, drug trafficking, and human trafficking.

We will take the fight against the "shadow economy", organized crime, and discrimination against women and children to a new level.

Dear compatriots!

The mood of our people, the well-being of families, the dreams and aspirations of young people, and the initiative of entrepreneurs are reflected, first of all, in the neighborhood.

Therefore, the Sixth National Program is aimed at making the mahalla the main customer of social development.

Now the approach to developing state programs will change completely. The district budget, investment program, and infrastructure projects will be developed based on the requirements of the mahalla. The demands and needs of citizens, as well as the well-being of the mahalla, will be the main criteria.

Dear holiday participants!

The Seventh National Program is aimed at comprehensively enhancing Uzbekistan's reputation as a land of peace and friendship, a tolerant country.

In our country, representatives of more than 130 nationalities and ethnic groups, as well as members of 16 religious denominations, live in harmony and harmony, like children of one family.

In today's turbulent times, interethnic harmony and religious tolerance are the golden fund and invaluable wealth of our people.

Our open, pragmatic, and peace-loving policy is aimed at ensuring our long-term development.

Historic achievements have been achieved in expanding good-neighborly relations, strategic partnership, and friendship in Central Asia.

Our relations with the Commonwealth of Independent States, the European Union, America, the Asia-Pacific region, and the Arab-Muslim world have been further strengthened. New areas of cooperation have been opened in Eastern Europe, Africa, and Latin America.

The number of countries that have established diplomatic relations with our country has reached almost 170.

We will continue to pursue a multifaceted, measured, and balanced foreign policy to make Uzbekistan an important center of international diplomacy. Economic diplomacy will remain one of the priorities of our foreign policy.

Our country will chair the Non-Aligned Movement for the first time in 2027-2029. We will actively promote initiatives aimed at increasing the effectiveness of this global structure, which unites more than 120 countries around the world.

We will firmly continue our constructive policy towards our neighboring Afghanistan.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my special gratitude to the representatives of the diplomatic corps, foreign media representatives, and our high-ranking guests from the United States, Turkey, and Singapore participating in our ceremony today for their fruitful cooperation.

Dear and respected compatriots!

I would like to express one opinion with confidence.

We are stronger today than we were yesterday. Hopefully, we will be even stronger tomorrow.

Our thirty-five years of independent development have taught us one truth: when the people and the state unite and work hard towards a common goal, there is no goal that cannot be achieved.

There is no force that can defeat such a powerful people and state.

We are one homeland, one people, and together we will build a new life and a great future!

I am confident that our courageous, courageous, and noble people will certainly achieve the lofty goals they have set for themselves.

Together, we will certainly create a golden age and a new great history for our homeland!

May we be eternally grateful to our Lord for granting us the gift of independence!

Glory to our people, the creators and true founders of our independence!

I once again congratulate you, and through you, our entire people, on today's great holiday - the thirty-fifth anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

May our country be peaceful, and our homes prosperous and prosperous!

Long live the Republic of Uzbekistan!

Long live the people of Uzbekistan!

Starting January 1, 2026, Value-Added Tax will be exempted for Farmers and Dehkan producers

С 1

Almost half of the population of the Republic of Uzbekistan lives in rural areas. Millions of hardworking individuals in these communities play a crucial role in ensuring the country’s food security and establishing a solid foundation for the export of agricultural products. The nation’s development cannot be limited solely to urban centers; it is equally important to ensure that life in rural and peripheral regions is comfortable and sustainable.

The care for rural residents and the stimulation of their activities merit special attention from both the state and society. Governmental support measures have become pivotal in strengthening the agricultural sector.

However, the agricultural industry still faces significant challenges, including high tax burdens and limited access to financing, which contribute to the expansion of the informal economy. According to various estimates, up to half of agricultural producers operate outside the legal framework, resulting in reduced profitability and hindering sectoral development. Without genuine incentives to transition towards a formal economy, the agrarian sector’s capacity for investment and modernization will remain constrained.

In this context, the introduction of a zero rate of Value Added Tax (VAT) starting January 1, 2026, for farmers and dehkan producers selling their own products—including vegetables, fruits, meat, milk, eggs, and other food items—is a timely and significant measure. Producers of grain and cotton are excluded from this provision, as these sectors are regulated through state-managed clusters.

The existing practice of VAT refunds on expenses related to the production of seeds, fertilizers, fuel, logistics, electricity, and other operational costs will remain in place. As a result, farmers are expected to save up to 700 billion Uzbek soms annually.

The zero VAT rate will reduce the tax burden, increase farmers’ net income, and enable the allocation of additional funds toward modernization.

According to projections, farm profitability is expected to rise from 5–7 percent to approximately 15 percent. This measure will also facilitate more accurate planning of subsidies and incentives.

Another positive impact will be the growth of domestic processing industries. When products are processed locally, demand for investment in processing facilities and export logistics chains increases, leading to job creation and improved working conditions.

The reorientation of agriculture towards food crops has been one of the strategic priorities pursued in recent years.
Areas allocated to cotton and grain cultivation are being reduced, while orchards, vineyards, and vegetable crops are being developed instead. Approximately 1,500 food production projects have already been implemented, with a total investment of around one billion dollars.

The introduction of a zero VAT rate will further stimulate processing and export activities, strengthening the potential of the agro-food sector and enhancing the competitiveness and attractiveness of its products on the international market.

For farmers and dehkans, this presents an opportunity to retain a significant portion of their income. The savings can be directed towards farm development, improving working and living conditions, and modernizing production processes. Rural areas will benefit from job creation, technology influx, higher product quality, and a favorable environment for sustainable development.

For the state, this translates into a reduction of the shadow economy, increased transparency in reporting, and more accurate planning of support measures, tax incentives, and development programs. For society at large, it means access to higher quality and more affordable food products, enhanced resilience of the rural economy, and the strengthening of domestic agro-industrial value chains.

Nadira RASHIDOVA,

Member of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis.

The text of the article is in Uzbek!