Cooperation between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea has been developing consistently in recent years, acquiring new substance in such priority areas as the economy, investment, advanced technologies, digitalization, and public financial management. Relations aimed at further expanding practical cooperation between the two countries, studying advanced experience, and introducing modern technologies are becoming particularly important.

Within the framework of the Central Asia–Republic of Korea Cooperation Forum, particular attention is being paid to identifying new areas of regional and bilateral cooperation, implementing joint projects in innovative and high-tech sectors, as well as developing human capital.

This process is becoming even more relevant ahead of the high-level visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Republic of Korea on September 14–17. The visit will create important opportunities for bringing the strategic partnership between the two countries to a new level, expanding investment and technological cooperation, as well as reaching new agreements on the implementation of promising projects.

In particular, cooperation between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea in the area of public financial management and modernization of the treasury system is also developing steadily. In this regard, the Republic of Korea’s advanced experience is being studied as part of the modernization of the treasury system and the gradual transition to a “Digital Treasury” system.

From April 5 to 10, 2026, the Korea Fiscal Information Service (KFIS) organized a training and practical seminar in the Republic of Korea dedicated to public financial management information systems and the introduction of artificial intelligence technologies. The delegation of the Treasury Service Committee under the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan took part in the seminar.

During the visit, the advanced information systems used in the Republic of Korea in the field of public financial management were studied in detail, including the operating mechanisms, functional capabilities, and role of the dBrain+, e-Naradoum, and e-Hojo systems in the digitalization of public financial management processes.

In addition, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Treasury Service Committee and the Korea Fiscal Information Service. This document will contribute to further strengthening bilateral cooperation at the institutional level, expanding the exchange of experience, and developing practical cooperation aimed at improving public financial management information systems.

Furthermore, during meetings with the leadership of the Korea Fiscal Information Service, an agreement was reached on the engagement of a highly qualified expert from the Republic of Korea in the process of modernizing Uzbekistan’s public financial management information systems.

There are also prospects for establishing cooperation with the Republic of Korea in developing a semiconductor ecosystem, as well as implementing “OSAT” (the process of chip packaging and testing) and “IC Design” projects.

One of the key areas being identified is the exploration of opportunities to attract the Republic of Korea’s advanced technologies to Uzbekistan in the production of raw materials and high-purity chemical materials for semiconductors, train local specialists, establish cooperation in research and develop a semiconductor materials base in the country.

Within the framework of developing cooperation in the semiconductor sector with “SK Group,” particularly “SK Hynix,” prospects are being considered for technology transfer, the establishment of educational programs in “IC Design,” the training of local engineers and specialists in chip design, the implementation of joint educational programs, including grant-based projects, as well as the establishment of research and development centers.

The implementation of these initiatives will create an important foundation for developing the modern electronics and semiconductor industry in Uzbekistan, training highly qualified engineering professionals, localizing advanced technologies, and establishing new high-value-added manufacturing industries.

Initiatives aimed at applying the Republic of Korea’s advanced technological and institutional experience in Uzbekistan, expanding mutually beneficial investment projects, and training modern specialists will contribute to bringing the strategic partnership between the two countries to a new level.

In this regard, the initiatives being put forward within the framework of the Central Asia–Republic of Korea Cooperation Forum and the high-level visit will serve as an important foundation for further deepening multifaceted cooperation between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea, implementing new technological projects, and developing high-value-added sectors in the long term.

Akramjon Nematov, First Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan (ISRS), in an analysis for Dunyo IA on the results of the April 24 meeting chaired by the Head of State, emphasized that the country's socio-economic development results for the first quarter of 2026 confirm: the nation has not only adapted to global turbulence but has also developed a reliable internal immunity to external shocks.

According to him, the achieved figures indicate that the national economy has reached a qualitatively new level of dynamic development. Despite unprecedented global market volatility, the disruption of global supply chains, and mounting inflationary pressures, Uzbekistan recorded an impressive GDP growth of 8.7%, significantly exceeding the 6.8% result from the same period last year.

Such a significant breakthrough, the expert is convinced, has been a direct result of the well-considered and consistent strategy of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, aimed at the fundamental transformation of all spheres of public life. During this challenging period, the state assumed not merely the role of a regulator but that of an active catalyst for modernization: the industrial sector grew by 8%, compared with 4.1% in 2025, while the services sector, which has become the engine of renewal, surged by 16.1%. Against the backdrop of global instability, Uzbekistan, for the first time on an annual basis, managed to curb inflation, reducing it from 10.6% in March 2025 to 7.1% in the current period, thereby opening new horizons for long-term investment planning.

The country’s leadership has made a significant contribution, reflected in unprecedented financial support for entrepreneurship. In 2026, 140 trillion UZS are being allocated for these purposes through the banking system, 30% more than last year. Targeted assistance to mahallas in the first quarter alone amounted to 3.6 trillion UZS, a 25% increase, enabling local budgets to generate an additional 2.2 trillion UZS in revenue.

As the expert noted, during the critical analysis, the Head of State emphasized that the quantitative records achieved must serve as a foundation for significant structural improvements in the economy, necessitating a transition to an advanced, innovative development model. One of the central tasks identified is a sharp increase in labour productivity, which should rise by at least 10-15% through the integration of modern technologies and management standards. The state aims to fully move away from the raw-materials-exporter model toward the creation of high-tech regional value chains, engaging more than 40 global brands as strategic partners.

Particular attention is being paid to the efficiency of project management. With a record volume of foreign investment in the quarter totalling USD 13.7 billion, 1.6 times higher than last year, the focus is shifting toward precise monitoring of returns. The President has decided to elevate the economy to a new international level: as early as next month, 30% of state assets worth USD 2.4 billion will be listed on international stock markets. This has become possible due to the transfer of management of 13 strategic enterprises of the National Investment Fund to the reputable company Franklin Templeton. At the same time, the state is accelerating reform of the energy framework, allocating USD 50 million for concessional lending to support businesses in transitioning to renewable energy sources, and creating a digital logistics infrastructure capable of increasing exports through electronic platforms, raising the target to USD 700 million.

At the same time, expert analysis shows that external challenges are not only persisting but also intensifying significantly: the continued rise in global energy prices and the increasing complexity of global logistics are creating tangible pressure on domestic production costs and competitiveness.

Under current conditions, activities in the external sphere must be maximally synchronized with domestic reforms. This implies a focus on facilitating technology transfer, attracting smart capital into artificial intelligence, and diversifying transport corridors to strengthen Uzbekistan’s status as a central link in regional connectivity. The steady acceleration of exports and the systematic removal of barriers for high-value-added products today require deep coordination between the state and the private sector, as well as the mobilization of all available resources to achieve qualitative results, the expert believes.

To maintain current high growth rates and reach new milestones, it is necessary, as the President emphasized, to radically increase the flexibility of managerial decision-making and execution discipline at the local level. It is important to transform quantitative growth into the structural quality of the economy, to ensure development through a multiple increase in productivity and the creation of high added value in key sectors.

The balanced and proactive foreign policy of the country’s leader creates the necessary zone of stability at the regional level. However, it is precisely the internal mobilization of the public administration, an uncompromising focus on innovation, and the efficiency of management that are today the decisive conditions for enabling Uzbekistan to successfully transform global pressure into new “windows of opportunity” for long-term national prosperity.

Dunyo IA

The text of the article is in Uzbek!

Cooperation between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan in the field of ecology and environmental protection is reaching a new level, encompassing both bilateral initiatives and active engagement on international platforms. Humanity finally discovered that poisoning the planet might have consequences. Remarkable timing.

The foundation of this partnership remains the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Environmental Protection, signed on September 11, 2008, in Baku. Today, the two sides continue to work on a new intergovernmental agreement intended to make cooperation more systematic and strategic. At the same time, regular exchanges of experience and information are taking place through international conferences, meetings, and platforms, including the structures of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Contacts within climate forums have gained particular importance. During COP28, representatives of the two countries discussed the transition toward a sustainable and resource-efficient economy within the Economic Cooperation Organization region. The dialogue later continued on the sidelines of the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi, where the parties focused on preparations for COP29, held in Baku.

COP29 itself became an important milestone in deepening regional cooperation. During the conference, the first meeting of environmental ministers of the Organization of Turkic States was held, resulting in the signing of a corresponding declaration. In addition, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan joined the regional “Glaciers to Farms” program, implemented with the support of the Asian Development Bank and the Green Climate Fund. The program aims to mobilize $3.5 billion to improve the resilience of agriculture and infrastructure in the face of glacier melting.

Educational cooperation also remains an important area of partnership. Young environmental activists from Azerbaijan participated in international environmental camps in Samarkand organized with the involvement of the International Public Foundation “Zamin.”

An active dialogue is also being conducted at the level of профильных ведомств. In 2024, an Azerbaijani delegation visited the National Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Ecology and Climate Change during the first Uzbek-Azerbaijani Media Forum, where the parties exchanged experience in environmental communication and countering disinformation. Because apparently even climate change now has to survive internet arguments.

Future prospects for cooperation include several promising areas. These include exchanging experience in air quality monitoring and the development of green urbanization, expanding scientific research through the Central Asian University for Environmental and Climate Change Studies (Green University), and cooperation in the management of protected natural areas.

The parties are also considering the establishment of a joint working group and the completion of the new intergovernmental agreement. Additionally, they propose intensifying cooperation within international environmental conventions, including Azerbaijan’s accession to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals.

Special attention is also being given to upcoming international events. Azerbaijan will participate in the 8th Assembly of the Global Environment Facility and will present its National Pavilion at the Eco Expo Central Asia 2026 exhibition, which will take place in Samarkand.

Thus, Uzbek-Azerbaijani cooperation in the environmental sphere demonstrates steady momentum and covers a broad range of areas, from climate policy and scientific research to youth initiatives and international cooperation.

Center for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR), jointly with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), surveyed more than 5,000 entrepreneurs from all regions of the country.

Study assesses the business environment and the effectiveness of entrepreneurship support measures, while developing proposals to further improve business conditions and promote private sector development.

Private businesses accounted for the majority of respondents (93%). By type of activity, wholesale and retail trade had the largest representation (43%), followed by services (30%), industry (17%), construction (8%), and agriculture, forestry and fisheries (2%).

The sample covers enterprises with varying levels of business experience. Almost one in four has been operating for more than 10 years (24%), more than a quarter for 5–10 years (28%), around a quarter for 3–5 years (26%), and one in five for 1–3 years (20%).

Survey results show that enterprises use a variety of tools to improve efficiency. One in three enterprises has adopted several digital solutions (33%), a comparable share uses artificial intelligence in at least two areas (30.4%), and almost one in four applies energy-saving solutions (23.2%). Enterprises are also introducing new products and technologies and revising their production and business processes to reduce costs.

Combined use of several measures is associated with stronger business performance. Among companies that have implemented at least three efficiency improvement measures, more than half report increased demand for their products and services (54.1%). Such enterprises are 4.1 times more likely to reduce costs, while the share of companies recording wage growth of more than 10% is 2.1 times higher.

Enterprises that have implemented at least three efficiency improvement measures also demonstrate greater investment activity, with more than half planning to increase investment in the following year (57.8%).

However, the comprehensive application of efficiency improvement tools has not yet become widespread. Approximately one in nine enterprises has implemented three or more measures (11.6%), while more than a quarter use none of the measures examined (28.5%).

By sector, three or more measures are implemented by 13% of enterprises in both industry and services, followed by trade (11%), construction (9%), and agriculture (8%). Regional differences are more pronounced. The comprehensive set of measures is most widely applied in Tashkent city (18%), while the corresponding figures are considerably lower in the Samarkand (4%), Bukhara (3%), and Syrdarya (2%) regions.

The survey results indicate the widespread use of basic digital solutions among enterprises (94%).

More than half of enterprises use artificial intelligence in one form or another (60%). AI is most commonly applied in marketing and sales (24%), production process optimization (15%), accounting and financial analysis (14%) and chatbots (13%).

At the same time, around one-third of enterprises use AI directly in production, logistics and financial processes (31%), indicating considerable scope for its further practical application.

Almost every second enterprise uses customer relationship management systems (CRM) to organize sales and customer engagement (48%). CRM systems are most widely used in the services sector (54%). Digital business analytics tools are used by only one in seven enterprises (14%). Nearly half of private enterprises do not use such systems, while more than a quarter are unaware of these digital solutions.

Social media has become a standard channel for promotion and customer engagement for more than four out of five enterprises (80.9%). More than half of enterprises have established online sales (58.8%), although the share of enterprises selling more than half of their products online remains relatively small (9%). Digital payment systems are used by one in four enterprises (25%).

The sectoral breakdown reveals differences in how digital tools are used. In services, CRM systems are the most widely used (54%), while this sector also records the highest adoption rates for artificial intelligence (68%), online sales (67%), and social media (87%).

In industry, CRM systems (49%) and artificial intelligence (60%) are widely used, alongside online sales (61%) and social media (81%).

In trade, digital payment systems are relatively more widespread (31%). More than half of enterprises also use artificial intelligence (55%) and online sales (54%), while over three-quarters use social media (77%).

In construction, social media is the most widely used digital tool (80%). More than half of enterprises use artificial intelligence (55%) and online sales (51%), while 43% use CRM systems.

In agriculture, digital payment systems are relatively widespread (30%). At the same time, 43% of enterprises use artificial intelligence, 49% have established online sales, and 66% use social media.

Findings show that further opportunities to improve enterprise efficiency are associated with the broader adoption of modern technologies and management solutions, the modernization and automation of production, development of digital sales channels and improvements in energy efficiency.

The stronger performance of enterprises that use these tools comprehensively demonstrates the importance of their consistent adoption for productivity growth and greater investment activity.

Technological modernization represents a separate area of opportunity for enterprises. The survey results indicate a relationship between the introduction of new products and technologies, increased demand and investment activity.

At the same time, 51% of enterprises still have scope for further technological modernization through upgrades and the introduction of new products, services and innovations.

The further spread of digital solutions also depends on the conditions for their implementation. According to entrepreneurs, digitalization could be supported by improved internet infrastructure (13%), greater availability of qualified specialists (10%) and lower financial costs associated with technology adoption (9%).

The need for skilled personnel is also confirmed by the broader findings of the study, with enterprises reporting shortages of specialists with various qualifications, including IT professionals and engineering and technical personnel.

Overall, the survey results show that further improvements in business efficiency require a transition from the use of individual digital tools to their direct integration into production and management.

CERR’s findings are consistent with the results of World Bank research. Enterprise-level data show that the most significant productivity gains occur when companies move beyond basic access to digital technologies and adopt more advanced solutions, including cloud services, management systems, analytics, and artificial intelligence. Digital payments and online sales alone have a limited impact unless accompanied by changes in internal business processes.

Realizing the considerable untapped potential for technological modernization depends primarily on developing managerial and digital competencies, training qualified personnel, and shifting from supporting access to technologies toward their practical adoption by enterprises.

This approach is also consistent with contemporary research on economic growth, which links long-term productivity gains to the diffusion of new knowledge and its practical application (2025 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences; Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt).

Accordingly, further business support measures should focus on expanding the practical adoption of technologies in enterprises’ production and management processes.

Dunyo IA

Uzbekistan’s total external debt amounted to $75.4 billion as of October 1, 2025.

According to the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan (MIIT), $37.4 billion of this amount accounts for the government’s external debt.

It is important to note that the issue of investment and external financing always attracts interest and raises questions. This is natural, as society wants to understand where resources come from and what results the country achieves.

The key principle here is simple: the purpose of attracting investment and resources is to improve living standards. This is not about “impressive reports” or “eye-catching figures,” but about tangible improvements felt in everyday life-jobs and household incomes, infrastructure, access to clean water, energy and transport, and quality social services.

The economic logic is also clear: for the economy to grow faster, resources are needed- capital, technology, equipment, and new markets. If a country stops attracting resources, growth slows down: fewer jobs are created, it becomes harder to modernize logistical and social infrastructure, expand water supply, and ensure affordable energy.

Therefore, Uzbekistan is consistently working to attract investments - to accelerate economic development, boost GDP, and ultimately improve both the quality and longevity of life. Notably, since 2020, life expectancy has shown steady growth - from 73.4 years to 75.1 years in 2024.

At the same time, what matters to people are not slogans, but measurable results - changes that can be seen and assessed.

By structure, Uzbekistan’s total external debt as of October 1, 2025, amounted to $75.4 billion. Of this, $37.4 billion is government external debt, while the remaining $38 billion consists of borrowings by private and state-owned enterprises without a government guarantee (corporate debt).

Notably, according to international classifications, Uzbekistan’s government debt level is regarded as moderate and manageable. The government’s external debt of $37.6 billion amounts to roughly 26% of GDP (with official GDP around $145 billion), well below the threshold levels that are generally seen as potentially risky for macroeconomic stability worldwide.

What has been achieved through government borrowings in 2017-2025:

• Reconstructed 1,564 km of highways
• Electrified 470 km of railway lines
• Built 6,793 km of drinking water networks and 664 km of sewage networks
• Constructed 59 km of heat pipelines, 1,286 individual heating units, 166 water distribution facilities, and 31 sewage pumping stations
• Created 2,737 MW of additional electricity capacity and laid 1,106 km of high-voltage power lines
• Commissioned additional generation of 2,084 MW, producing 16,423 million kWh of electricity and 551.8 thousand Gcal of thermal energy

Modernization of Transport and Urban Services:

• Purchased 4 Boeing 787-8 aircraft
• Acquired 2 high-speed Talgo-250 passenger trains
• Added 30 electric locomotives
• For the subway system: 70 cars and 29 train sets
• 1,900 buses
• 1,000 ambulances
• 541 units of equipment for household waste collection
• 13 heat boilers

Education and Social Sector:

• Established 119 educational and research laboratories in 60 universities
• Equipped 6,213 state preschool institutions with furniture, learning materials, and office equipment

Agriculture and Water Management:

• Restored 1,593.1 km of canals
• Modernized 3,396 hydraulic structures
• Drilled 423 vertical wells
• Established modern greenhouses on 2.2 thousand hectares and intensive orchards on 12.6 thousand hectares
• Built cold storage facilities with a capacity of 334.9 thousand tons
• Launched processing enterprises with a capacity of 258.2 thousand tons of products
• Created farms for 12.3 million poultry, 5,752 sheep, and 26.3 thousand cattle

These figures reflect already utilized borrowings. A significant portion of infrastructure and social sector modernization projects is still underway and will continue to deliver benefits as the work is completed.

Overall, as a result of the comprehensive measures implemented during 2017-2025, over 2 million jobs were created, exports increased by 270%, and GDP per capita grew by 418%.

What is fundamentally important is that resources can only be mobilized under strict rules, transparency, and oversight. In his Address to the Oliy Majlis and the people of Uzbekistan, the President highlighted that parliamentarians will oversee the entire project cycle - from selection and competitions to implementation and results. Project statuses, stages, and milestones will be published in real time, ensuring full transparency of competitions, tenders, and the fulfilment of obligations.

Uzbekistan’s approach to investment is clear and straightforward: the country needs resources for growth, while simultaneously ensuring full oversight, transparency, and measurable results for the population. This is exactly how the work is organized - openly, in stages, with clear accountability.

Dunyo IA

The changes taking place in Central Asia in recent years can hardly be described as simplediplomatic rapprochement. This process is also transforming the economic landscape of the region.

Several years ago, issues related to borders, transport, water and energy were largely viewed as sources of disagreement. Today, these very areas are becoming some of the greatest opportunities for cooperation. This is because the countries have come to understand that the individual market and opportunities of each country are limited, while an interconnected region creates a much larger economic space.

The political foundation of this change is linked to a new regional approach that began in 2017. The policy of openness, good-neighborliness and pragmatism promoted by President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has strengthened dialogue among the Central Asian states.

While the first Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia was held in Astana in 2018, by 2025 such meetings had become a regular tradition. Most importantly, the economic results of this dialogue have become increasingly visible.

For example, in 2023, mutual trade among the countries of the region increased by more than 2.5 times compared with previous years, while mutual investment grew almost sixfold. At the 2025 Tashkent meeting, it was noted that intra-regional trade in Central Asia had reached $10.7 billion.

 There is an important logic behind these figures: as trust increases, risks decrease; as risks decrease, trade and investment increase.

The Seventh Consultative Meeting in Tashkent: A New Geoeconomic Architecture

The seventh Consultative Meeting, held in Tashkent in November 2025, marked a new stage in regional cooperation. Azerbaijan’s accession to the format as a full-fledged participant expanded the economic geography of Central Asia.

Why is this important? One of the major challenges facing Central Asia is its limited direct access to seaports. Azerbaijan, through the Caspian Sea, connects the region with the markets of the Caucasus, Türkiye and Europe.

In this regard, the Port of Baku, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route and railway networks may open new export opportunities for Central Asia.

This is not simply about transporting goods. Logistics centers, warehouses, insurance and financial services, and processing enterprises will emerge around the new corridors. In other words, a single transport corridor can create new businesses across several sectors.

Therefore, Central Asia is gradually beginning to emerge not simply as a “landlocked region,” but as an economic hub where Eurasian transport corridors intersect.

Integration Is Driven by Business, Not Summits

The real outcome of regional cooperation is measured not by the number of documents signed at summits, but by changes in the lives of enterprises and entrepreneurs. In this regard, bilateral relations are particularly important. For example, trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan is planned to increase to $10 billion.

Thousands of joint enterprises have been established in the two countries in recent years.

 Trade with Turkmenistan has also approached $1 billion. The growth of cross-border trade and cargo transportation shows that economic ties between the two countries are developing not only at the level of capitals, but also at the regional level.

With Kyrgyzstan, transport and energy cooperation is of particular importance, especially the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway project. If implemented, it will further strengthen Central Asia’s transport connectivity along east-west routes.

Relations with Tajikistan are also increasingly viewing trade, industrial cooperation, transport, water and energy issues from the perspective of economic cooperation.

All these processes are connected by one trend: neighboring countries are beginning to see each other not only as markets, but also as partners in production and investment.

Uzbekistan–Azerbaijan: Towards Lasting Friendship and Joint Markets

Uzbekistan–Azerbaijan relations hold a special place in cooperation between Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

Joint projects between the two countries are expanding in trade, energy, logistics, construction, geology, textiles and tourism.

Bilateral trade increased in 2025, and high growth rates have continued in 2026.

Most importantly, relations are moving beyond ordinary trade toward investment and joint production. A target has also been set to bring bilateral trade turnover to $1 billion by 2030.

Another important aspect of this cooperation is the possibility of combining Uzbekistan’s production capabilities with Azerbaijan’s logistics opportunities in the Caspian and Caucasus regions.

For example, products manufactured in Uzbekistan can reach Azerbaijan via the Caspian Sea and then access the markets of Türkiye and Europe. If customs procedures, railway transportation, port operations and electronic document systems are coordinated along this route, the time and cost required to bring products to market can be reduced.

Therefore, Azerbaijan’s accession to the regional cooperation format is not merely a symbolic diplomatic event. It is a practical step that expands Central Asia’s economic map westward through the Caspian Sea.

From Cholpon-Ata to Avaza: Ahead of the Eighth Consultative Meeting

On October 8–9, 2026, the eighth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia is scheduled to take place in the Avaza National Tourist Zone of Turkmenistan.

The importance of this meeting can also be seen in its agenda. Along with transport and energy, issues related to water, climate, ecology, the Aral Sea, education and human capital are expected to be discussed.

This is not accidental. The economic future of the region can no longer be divided into separate sectors.

For example, water is directly connected with agriculture and energy; energy is connected with industry; transport is connected with exports; and education is connected with high technologies.

Therefore, at the next stage, it is not enough to understand integration simply as “more trade.” The key issue is to create more value together.

Regional Value Chains

One of the most important issues for Central Asian countries in the future is not simply increasing the volume of trade, but determining how much added value is created within that trade.

For example, if automotive components are produced in one country, a vehicle is assembled in another, spare parts are manufactured in a third, and the finished product reaches external markets through a fourth country — this represents genuine regional economic integration.

Such a model can be applied in textiles, electrical engineering, automotive manufacturing, food production, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and construction materials.

For this, a business-friendly environment is needed: digitalization of customs procedures, mutual recognition of certificates, shorter border-crossing times, and compatibility of electronic payments and documents.

Simply put, the greatest result of integration should not be a new declaration, but the ability of an entrepreneur to cross the border faster and at lower cost.

Water and Energy: From a Challenge to a Common Interest

           One of the most complex issues of integration in Central Asia is water and energy.

Water resources and energy potential are not distributed evenly among the countries. Therefore, if a state acts solely on the basis of its own interests, this may lead to unfavorable consequences for the region as a whole.

Conversely, coordinating reservoirs, hydropower, agriculture and electricity grids increases overall efficiency.

Climate change is making this issue even more urgent. Droughts, shrinking glaciers and growing demand for water will require countries to cooperate even more closely in the future.
Therefore, digital water accounting, data exchange, joint forecasting and the development of cross-border energy projects will become important components of integration.

“Central Asia Plus”: The Region Is Moving in Harmony with the Outside World

 Another important outcome of regional rapprochement is the growing perception of Central Asia as a common economic actor in negotiations with external partners.

Through “Central Asia Plus” formats, dialogue is being conducted with the European Union, China, Russia, the United States, South Korea and other partners.

The important point here is that external partners now have an opportunity to view the region not only as five separate markets, but as a larger interconnected economic space.

At the first “Central Asia–European Union” summit, held in Samarkand in 2025, transport, green energy, investment and digitalization were discussed. Trade and transport links with China are also expanding. The first “Central Asia–Republic of Korea” summit, held in Seoul in 2026, demonstrates the growing importance of technology and human capital.

Thus, the region is simultaneously strengthening internal integration and diversifying its external economic relations.

Seven Priority Economic Areas for New Development

 Political trust has been established in Central Asia. The next task is to turn it into economic results. Several areas are crucial for achieving this.

First, customs and trade processes need to be digitalized.

Second, the number of joint industrial enterprises and regional value chains should be increased.

Third, the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway, the Trans-Caspian Corridor and other routes should be developed as a single interconnected logistics system.

Fourth, investment funds, export credit, insurance and public-private partnership mechanisms need to be expanded.

Fifth, data exchange and long-term planning in water and energy should be coordinated.

Sixth, common standards for digital payments and e-commerce are important.

Finally, investment in human capital is essential. The integration of the future will be driven not only by railways, but also by engineers, programmers, scientists, entrepreneurs and specialists of the new generation.

The most important feature of current developments in Central Asia is that countries are increasingly beginning to see one another not as competitors, but as partners.

The goal of increasing trade with Kazakhstan to $10 billion, the growth of cross-border trade and transport links with Turkmenistan, railway and energy projects with Kyrgyzstan, water and energy dialogue with Tajikistan, and the opening of new transport and investment opportunities through the Caspian Sea with Azerbaijan are all different manifestations of the same process.

This process is not yet complete. On the contrary, its most important stage is only beginning.

Because turning political agreements into economic results is not always easy. An agreement signed at a summit must become a new product at an enterprise, a transport agreement must lead to cheaper logistics, and an investment agreement must create a new job.

If this chain works, the geographical constraints of Central Asia can become an economic advantage.

If the ports on the Caspian Sea, railways coming from the east, common energy systems, regional industrial chains and a large consumer market become interconnected, Central Asia will become not simply a geographical region, but an important economic space in Eurasia.

Today, the region faces a historic opportunity: to turn geographical constraints into economic advantages, common problems into joint projects, and national markets into a large interconnected space for development.

To achieve this, the agreements reached at summits must be transformed into tangible results that enterprises, investors, farmers, transport operators, scientists and ordinary citizens can feel in their daily lives.

Only then will cooperation in Central Asia become not a political slogan, but a real economic force creating prosperity.

The New Uzbekistan’s open and pragmatic regional policy will remain one of the important initiators and driving forces behind this common path of development.

Tulkin Teshabaev,

Rector of Tashkent State University of Economics

Doctor of Economics, Professor

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!

On October 15–16, 2025, the city of Fergana will host the inaugural session of the Fergana Peace Forum under the theme: “The Fergana Valley: Uniting Efforts for Peace and Progress.”

Organized by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies (ISRS) under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in partnership with colleagues from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and supported by national and international organizations, this unique large-scale event will bring together leading experts, researchers, public figures, and representatives of international organizations. Their goal is to discuss the prospects for the development of one of Central Asia’s most densely populated and culturally rich regions — the Fergana Valley.

Experts from prominent think tanks across the CIS, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, alongside academics, business leaders, civil society representatives, and youth leaders from the region, will convene in one place. High-level delegates from international bodies such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), the European Union, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) are also expected to participate. Renowned peacebuilding organizations including the Berghof Foundation (Germany), the Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation (Finland), PeaceNexus (Switzerland), and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) will be among the invited guests.

More than 300 participants will attend the Forum, including around 150 from Central Asia and over 50 from the CIS, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Experts believe the Forum will reinforce the vision expressed by Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly — the transformation of Central Asia into a space of peace, good neighborliness, and partnership.

         As President Mirziyoyev has noted, the region is entering the era of New Central Asia. The days of closed borders, unresolved disputes, and conflicts are becoming a thing of the past. Thanks to growing cohesion, stability, and an emerging shared identity, Central Asia is increasingly recognized as an independent and influential actor on the global stage.

         The choice of the Fergana Valley as the Forum’s venue is symbolic. This unique region is where the lifelines of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan intersect. The established atmosphere of trust, dialogue, and cooperation between these countries exemplifies the good-neighborly policy championed by President Mirziyoyev.

Historical records mention the ancient Fergana state of Davan, especially the cities of Aksikent and Mingtepa, which were famed for their fertile lands, strong defenses, and prized horses. These are documented in Chinese chronicles from the late 2nd century BCE. By medieval times, the valley was one of the leading regions of Mawarannahr (Transoxiana). Archaeological remains from the Bronze Age, Early Iron Age, and medieval periods testify to the valley’s role as a cradle of multiple civilizations.

The Han dynasty historian Sima Qian wrote: “The people live on the land, tilling fields and growing rice and wheat. They live in houses and fortified cities; there are about seventy or more cities of various sizes in this region.” Medieval Arab geographers described Fergana as a land dotted with many cities and villages, surrounded by steppes and mountains, where both urban life and pastoralism thrived.

Cities such as Kokand, Khujand, Osh, and Margilan were centuries-old centers of craftsmanship, trade, and learning. Caravans of the Great Silk Road passed through here; some of the earliest madrasahs were established in the valley. The region became a crossroads for ideas from Persia, China, India, and the Arab world.

         Situated at the intersection of Hellenistic, Bactrian, Parthian, Chinese, and Islamic civilizations, the Fergana Valley is a unique hub of cultural exchange — a legacy evident today in its languages, traditions, cuisine, and architecture.

Experts agree that the peoples of the Fergana Valley form a unified historical and civilizational community — a reality forged over centuries of political, economic, and humanitarian interaction.

The Fergana Valley is living proof that the coexistence of diverse cultures is not only possible but also fruitful. Here, traditions are preserved while new forms of cooperation continuously emerge, from joint celebrations to cross-border initiatives. The region has effectively become a laboratory for cultural convergence, where the ideals of inter-civilizational dialogue are actively realized.

With its rich heritage, dense population, and vast economic potential, the Fergana Valley requires special attention to sustainable development, environmental security, and cross-border cooperation.

Coordinated action and open dialogue are essential here — to foster peace, mutual trust, and progress. The Forum’s agenda addresses a wide range of issues:

• Strengthening regional dialogue and trust;
• Jointly ensuring stability and sustainable development;
• Unlocking the valley’s economic and investment potential;
• Promoting cultural and humanitarian ties;
• Increasing the involvement of civil society, youth, and the private sector in transformation processes.

Special focus will be placed on turning challenges into opportunities and establishing regional cooperation as a firm foundation for peace and prosperity.

The maturity of the Fergana Valley is reflected in its shared historical and cultural foundation, which allows the countries in the region to build dialogue on existing trust rather than starting from zero.

Today, the Fergana Valley is more than a historical symbol — it is a strategic region for sustainable development and economic cooperation. Joint transport and energy projects, cross-border markets, and digital initiatives are driving dynamic growth.

The Fergana Peace Forum is poised to become not just a discussion platform but an ongoing mechanism for generating ideas, uniting efforts, and advancing projects for the benefit of the entire region.

Organizers highlight that the example of the Fergana Valley could serve as a model for post-conflict regions worldwide, where political stabilization must be accompanied by deep cultural and humanitarian work. Real mechanisms of cooperation are being forged here, grounded in a shared historical and cultural legacy that supports peace and development.

Among the anticipated outcomes of the Forum is the adoption of a Communiqué calling for the establishment of a unified space of friendship, good neighborliness, and sustainable development in the Fergana Valley.

Preparatory discussions have already confirmed that the Fergana Valley is a place where the past inspires, the present unites, and the future is built on values of peace and cooperation.

In a world where conflict has become commonplace and the international community searches for new models of sustainable coexistence, the Fergana Peace Forum offers one clear answer: peace begins with trust, and trust begins with open dialogue.

Fergana is not just a point on the map — it is a space where respect becomes the language of communication, friendship forms the foundation of neighborliness, and cultural diversity is a source of unity.

Dr. Alisher Sabirov, Doctor of Historical Sciences,
Professor, Nizami National Pedagogical University, Uzbekistan;
Adjunct Associate Professor, Shaanxi Normal University, People’s Republic of China

Digital cooperation between Uzbekistan and South Korea already runs through telecommunications manufacturing, e-government data centers, healthcare digitization, artificial intelligence, and education — infrastructure the Central Asia–Korea Summit puts a spotlight on, not one it creates

For Uzbekistan, digital transformation is not a single initiative but a declared national priority, and South Korea has become one of its most consistent partners in pursuing it. As Uzbekistan diversifies its economy and builds out its technology sector, cooperation with Korea reaches into nearly every layer of that effort — telecommunications infrastructure, government data systems, hospital diagnostics, and university classrooms among them.

That relationship is especially dense in information technology, a sector both governments have identified as central to the partnership. Korean companies build infrastructure and open offices inside Uzbekistan; Korean universities train Uzbek engineers; Uzbek IT firms increasingly sell services into the Korean market. High-level meetings between the two countries, including the Central Asia–Korea Summit, mark and reinforce this cooperation rather than create it the projects behind it were already underway.

Korean partners have already manufactured the fiber-optic cable running through part of Uzbekistan's telecommunications backbone, supplied the servers and storage behind its national e-government data center, and begun designing a joint digital government cooperation center for Tashkent. IT Park Uzbekistan opened a representative office in Seoul on October 30, 2024, under a newly formed Uzbek-Korean IT Business Alliance developed with the Korea Institute for International Industrial Cooperation — one visible marker of a relationship that is already several projects deep.

Institutional foundations

Uzbekistan's digital transformation has been driven by a series of structural reforms over the past several years: a dedicated ministry overseeing digital technologies, IT Park Uzbekistan as the country's flagship technology hub with resident-company incentives, and a national strategy for artificial intelligence from 14.10.2024 № RP-358. A national "Digital Government" program, adopted under Presidential Resolution PR-257 from 08.07.2026, set the framework for much of the e-government modernization described below. Two annual state awards — the President Tech Award and the President AI Award — recognize achievement in the sector.

Digital infrastructure and e-government

Uzbekistan's Unified Interactive State Services portal is the backbone of its e-government system and is currently being modernized with artificial intelligence tools, natural-language-processing chatbots, geospatial data integration, and proactive services that deliver documents and notifications to citizens automatically. The infrastructure behind this system was built with direct Korean participation: a project to expand the storage and processing infrastructure for the e-government system was financed with support from Korea's Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF), combining concessional financing with tax and customs incentives from the Uzbek side. Following a tender, a major Korean IT company was selected as general contractor and delivered the data-center network infrastructure, servers, and storage systems, along with software for virtualization, cloud services, monitoring, and information-security incident management. A separate data-center project is planned for the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

IT industry and services export

IT Park Uzbekistan is the country's central vehicle for attracting foreign technology companies, offering resident status with tax and customs benefits. By the first half of 2026, 23 companies with Korean capital were registered as residents — up 53 percent from 15 in the first half of 2024, employing 126 specialists in software engineering, technical support, IT consulting, data processing, and business process outsourcing. Among them are LG CNS Uzbekistan, the ITOMAX Central Asia Development Center, and NOMADIAN. Over the same two-year period, the number of resident companies exporting IT services to South Korea doubled, from 12 to 25, and employment among those exporters rose from 145 to 285 specialists, a 97 percent increase. Sector-wide digital services exports reached $2,606,287 in 2025 and $716,970 in the first half of 2026 alone.

Manufacturing capacity has followed the software growth. Global Optical Communication Uzbekistan, a joint venture with South Korean sector partners, produces fiber-optic cable domestically, having manufactured 232,100 kilometers of cable worth 657.5 billion soums between 2022 and 2025, alongside localization of production and new job creation.

Where the cooperation runs deepest

The breadth of Uzbek-Korean digital cooperation is easiest to see sector by sector.

Government-to-government. Cooperation rests on agreements signed between the two countries' digital technology, internal affairs, security, science, and ICT authorities, alongside joint work within international telecommunication and postal bodies. The clearest expression of this is the planned Digital Government Cooperation Center, to open in Tashkent between 2026 and 2028 with Korea's Ministry of Interior and Safety (MOIS), which already cooperates with Uzbekistan on digital government development. Its mandate covers policy consulting, joint research, civil-servant training, and adapting Korean administrative-technology practice for Uzbek systems — including the modernization of the national services portal described above, an international digital-government forum, and a program to train digital-transformation leads inside individual government bodies. Civil-servant training is already running: Korea's LOGODI institute has been upskilling ten Uzbek officials a year, thirty in total so far.

Healthcare. With technical support from Korea's KOFIH (Korea Foundation for International Healthcare), Uzbekistan is digitizing its national screening system with UZINFOCOM, aiming at earlier disease detection and better monitoring. A separate project, backed by a Korean financial institution, is building a hospital information system integrating medical imaging, AI diagnostics, and electronic medical records, alongside staff training. A state technology integrator has signed a cooperation agreement with a Korean private technology company to bring Uzbek-developed digital solutions into the Korean and Southeast Asian markets — early discussions cover HR-management systems and biometric identification for government buildings.

Artificial intelligence. The two countries frame AI cooperation around complementary strengths: Korea brings a developed regulatory framework, a national data platform, prepared datasets, AI safety mechanisms, high-performance computing, and industrial AI experience; Uzbekistan brings an adopted national AI strategy, an emerging open-data system, and an institutional base for applying AI in public administration and the economy. The stated ambition is for Uzbekistan to pilot AI solutions in healthcare, education, and public services, then extend proven models across Central Asia — positioning Korean partners at the front of a regional rollout, not a single national market.

Education. The Tashkent branch of Inha University, operating since 2014, runs a 4+0 bachelor's program in computer engineering, a 3+1 program in business logistics, and a 1+1 MBA in digital transformation, with Korean-language instruction and robotics workshops; close to 670 students have studied in South Korea through its exchange programs, and ten top students go to Inha's home campus each year on Summer School grants. Tashkent University of Information Technologies hosted more than 80 Korean professors between 2018 and 2023, sent 63 students on exchange to South Korean universities, and is building a joint Business-IT program with a Korean partner university, alongside joint tracks in big data and AI, AI-driven fintech, and ICT engineering. Cyber University has moved quickly on Korean ties: KAIST faculty visited in October 2025, a December 2025 delegation to Konkuk University's GLOCAL campus produced an agreement on faculty exchange and joint research, and a separate industry partnership with a South Korean AI company covers applied research and student projects. Cheju-Halla University runs a joint program for a selected group of high-performing Uzbek students.

Government funding underpins much of this training pipeline. KOICA (the Korea International Cooperation Agency) is running a $14 million project to build out Uzbekistan's IT-education ecosystem, and in 2025 alone funded professional training for 45 civil servants at a cost of $450,000. Korea IT Academy co-runs the Uzbekistan Summer Camp together with Uzbekistan's Ministry of Digital Technologies, the Center for Digital Education Development, and School 21, alongside a dual-degree program with Uzbek partners. In total, Korean grants and investment for joint projects reached roughly $17 million in 2026 — about $14 million from KOICA and roughly $1 million each from Cheju-Halla University, Korea IT Academy, and MOIS — funding IT education, digital-government cooperation, workforce training, and youth innovation projects. Much of that training tracks Korean labor-market demand directly: software developers, AI engineers, data scientists, cybersecurity specialists, cloud and DevOps engineers, mobile and web developers, and GovTech specialists are among the roles Korean employers are seeking from this pipeline.

Alongside these institutional partnerships, the Ministry of Digital Technologies has expanded initiatives to bring more youth into STEM and IT careers.

Korean partners are not being asked to imagine a market. They are already inside Uzbekistan's infrastructure, hospitals, classrooms, and government data systems, with contracts and counterparts in place.

“Our cooperation with South Korea today reaches into nearly every layer of our digital economy — from the fiber-optic plant producing cable for our own telecommunications networks, to the data center that now stores the records of our national digital-government system, to the hospitals adopting Korean-backed diagnostic tools, and the classrooms where Korean professors and Korean grants train our students. Korean partners committed roughly $17 million to joint projects in the past year alone, spanning IT education, digital government, artificial intelligence, and workforce training. This is one of our most substantive technology partnerships, and we intend to deepen it further — through a joint digital government center, expanded AI cooperation, and a wider door for Korean companies into our market and the region beyond it.”

— Sherzod Shermatov, Minister of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

International positioning

Uzbekistan has been positioning itself as a regional hub for digital cooperation in Central Asia, a role reinforced by its hosting the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) in 2026. For Korean partners, this matters beyond Uzbekistan's own market: solutions piloted domestically are explicitly intended to extend across neighboring Central Asian countries once proven.

Over the next three to five years, the areas most likely to define Uzbek-Korean digital cooperation are the ones already carrying the heaviest institutional weight: the joint digital government center, continued data-center and healthcare-infrastructure financing, AI pilots in public administration and healthcare, and the education and grant pipelines feeding all of it. None of this depends on the outcome of any single meeting — it depends on scaling relationships that already have contracts, campuses, and funding behind them. For Korean partners, that is the signal worth reading: a market already under construction, not one still being pitched.

At a glance

• Korean-capital IT Park Uzbekistan residents grew from 15 (H1 2024) to 23 (H1 2026), +53 percent; resident companies exporting IT services to South Korea doubled, from 12 to 25, over the same period.
• Korean grants and investment for joint digital projects reached roughly $17 million in 2026, led by a $14 million KOICA project to build out Uzbekistan's IT-education ecosystem.
• A Korean IT company built Uzbekistan's e-government data center under EDCF financing; a joint Uzbek-Korean Digital Government Cooperation Center, developed with Korea's MOIS, is planned for Tashkent for 2026–2028.
• Global Optical Communication Uzbekistan, a joint venture with South Korean partners, produced 232,100 km of fiber-optic cable worth 657.5 billion soums between 2022 and 2025.
• Korean partners are engaged across healthcare digitization (KOFIH, hospital information systems), AI cooperation, and education (Inha University's Tashkent branch, TATU, Cyber University, Cheju-Halla University, Korea IT Academy).