Uzbekistan unveiled an ambitious investment and reform agenda at the Fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum, bringing together more than 8,300 participants from 100 countries, including heads of state, government officials, global corporations and international financial institutions.
Addressing the plenary session, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev outlined six priorities for Uzbekistan’s next phase of development: strengthening investor protections, expanding capital markets, attracting investment into strategic industries, accelerating green energy and artificial intelligence projects, improving transport connectivity, and advancing large-scale urban development.
Among the headline announcements was the creation of the Tashkent International Financial Centre, which will operate under a special legal regime based on English law and offer significant tax incentives to investors.
Plans were also unveiled to issue sovereign Islamic bonds, expand privatisation programmes and attract greater investment into critical minerals, renewable energy, digital technologies and infrastructure.
The forum comes as Uzbekistan continues to post robust economic growth and attract record levels of foreign capital.
According to President Mirziyoyev, the country has attracted more than $150 billion in foreign investment in recent years, including $123 billion over the past five years alone.
Last year, GDP grew by 7.7%, while $43 billion in foreign investment was attracted into the economy. International reserves exceeded $70 billion.
Uzbekistan’s economy is expected to exceed $180 billion this year, significantly surpassing the $100 billion target originally set for 2026.
The forum attracted an unprecedented level of political representation, including Albanian President Bayram Begaj, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Belarusian Prime Minister Alexander Turchin, Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov, Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, Kyrgyz Prime Minister Adylbek Kasymaliev and Tajik Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda.
On the sidelines of the event, President Mirziyoyev held talks with the leadership of the U.S. Export-Import Bank and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). Discussions focused on financing strategic projects in infrastructure, critical minerals, energy, artificial intelligence and digitalisation.
The two sides agreed to prepare a joint roadmap to advance investment initiatives, including energy modernisation, digital infrastructure, logistics facilities and healthcare projects.
The meetings come amid growing economic ties between Uzbekistan and the United States. Bilateral trade exceeded $1 billion in 2025, while cooperation has expanded across critical minerals, energy, infrastructure and advanced technologies.
President Mirziyoyev also welcomed a new initiative by the Asian Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to establish a regional alliance of investment councils across Central Asia and the Caucasus.
“When the markets are larger and the rules are more harmonised, the flow of investments to the countries of the region will be greater,” he said, expressing confidence that the initiative could become the first step towards creating a common regional investment space.
The President reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s commitment to remaining open to international investors, describing investment as more than a source of capital.
“For us, investment is far more than a source of capital. It is a catalyst for advanced technologies, modern knowledge and expertise, new jobs and development,” he said.
The Tashkent International Investment Forum has become Central Asia’s leading investment platform since its launch in 2022. Last year’s edition concluded with the signing of investment and trade agreements worth $30.5 billion, and organisers expect this year’s forum to generate another wave of major investment commitments for Uzbekistan and the wider region.
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