Mirziyoyev announces seven development programs for Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced seven national programs for the next decade during celebrations marking the 35th anniversary of the country’s independence in New Tashkent. They cover the economy, education, healthcare, the environment, the rule of law, local self-government and foreign policy, Euronews reports.
Uzbekistan declared independence from the USSR on August 31, 1991. The ceremonial event took place several days before the official Independence Day, which is celebrated in the country on September 1. The program featured Uzbek and foreign performers, including Spanish tenor José Carreras, British soprano Sarah Brightman and Italian tenor Alessandro Safina. The event also included 3D projections, lighting effects, robots and a drone show.
Economic and social goals
Mirziyoyev said he intends to attract $450 billion in foreign investment over the next ten years and increase gross domestic product to $300 billion by 2030. The stated goals also include creating two million high-paying industrial jobs and designating startups, venture capital and artificial intelligence as priority areas for development.
In education, Uzbekistan plans to provide preparatory education for all six-year-old children, introduce international standards at technical colleges, train up to one million young people in higher-income professions and ensure that at least ten Uzbek universities enter the global top 1,000.
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Plans also include increasing healthcare spending to 5% of GDP over five years, developing preventive medicine and public health insurance. A separate program addresses water shortages: the government intends to introduce water-saving technologies on all cultivated land within five years.
New Tashkent and foreign policy
The celebrations were held in New Tashkent, a large-scale urban project being built next to the current capital. It covers about 20,000 hectares and has a projected population of two million people. The first phase, covering 6,000 hectares, is designed for 600,000 residents. The development plan includes housing, universities, cultural and scientific institutions, government buildings, business districts and new transport infrastructure.
The president also said that Uzbekistan would continue an open and pragmatic foreign policy, giving priority attention to relations in Central Asia and expanding partnerships with the EU, countries of the Americas, the Asia-Pacific region, Africa, and the Arab and Muslim world. According to Euronews, Uzbekistan will chair the Non-Aligned Movement for the first time in 2027–2029.
