Uzbekistan marks more than three decades of independent development. Today, the concept of independence has acquired a new meaning: it is not only political sovereignty, but also economic self-sufficiency, intellectual development of the nation, environmental sustainability, technological progress, food security, and social justice.
The Uzbekistan 2030 Strategy, adopted by the country’s leadership, has set out 100 specific goals in five key areas to build a free, prosperous, and strong New Uzbekistan. This means creating conditions under which every citizen can realize their potential, the economy will become powerful and integrated into the global market, and law, security, and stability will prevail in society. Let us consider the main achievements of the country over the years of independence in the spheres of economy, education, ecology, digitalization, agriculture, and social policy, as well as how the efforts of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev have given a new and inspiring impetus to the idea of independence.
Economy: Sustainable Growth and International Trust
Independence has enabled Uzbekistan to determine its economic course, and the results are impressive. GDP volume is increasing annually, record levels of investment are being attracted, and hundreds of new enterprises are opening. The Uzbekistan 2030 Strategy sets the goal of doubling GDP by 2030 and bringing the country into the group of nations with above-average income levels. Even today, reforms have yielded tangible results: in 2025, for the first time in history, Fitch Ratings upgraded Uzbekistan’s sovereign rating to “BB,” noting macroeconomic stability and the success of reforms – an international recognition of the correctness of the chosen course.
The government is consistently diversifying the economy: in addition to agriculture and mining, machinery manufacturing, construction, tourism, and the services sector are developing at an accelerated pace. Joint automobile plants with global brands are opening, new power plants are being built, and the energy sector is being strengthened through domestic resources. At the same time, green energy capacity is expanding, with large solar and wind power plants being constructed with the participation of investors from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and China.
Foreign trade is also growing, reaching historic highs. Uzbekistan’s exports are becoming increasingly diversified, and products bearing the “Made in Uzbekistan” label are conquering new markets. International financial institutions trust the country: the EBRD, ADB, World Bank, and others are investing billions of dollars in development projects. All this strengthens economic sovereignty and directly improves the well-being of citizens – every family is already feeling the economic upturn.
Education: Focus on Youth and the Third Renaissance
Independent Uzbekistan has made a qualitative leap in the field of education, as only an enlightened nation is capable of progress. Access to knowledge has expanded at all levels. Preschool education: today, more than 70 percent of children attend kindergartens (compared to less than 30 percent in 2016) – a tremendous increase achieved through the construction of thousands of new kindergartens across the country. School education is also undergoing modernization: specialized lyceums and Presidential schools for gifted students have been opened, and curricula have been updated with a focus on practical skills and critical thinking. The prestige of the teaching profession has risen significantly – teachers’ salaries have increased several times, attracting talented young people to this profession and improving the quality of education, especially in remote rural areas.
Higher education has gained a new momentum. At the beginning of independence, there were about 30 universities in the country, whereas today there are more than 200, including branches of leading foreign universities. Higher education has become more accessible: the share of young people entering universities has risen from 9 to 38 percent. The state has significantly expanded the number of state-funded places and grants so that every capable graduate, regardless of financial means, can obtain a degree. Funding for science has been increased, and the innovative activities of students and young scientists are being encouraged. As a result, Uzbekistan has risen by dozens of positions in global education and innovation development indices.
The main goal of these reforms is to nurture a well-rounded, patriotic generation capable of moving the country forward. Even now, young Uzbeks are winning international Olympiads, and young professionals with degrees from prestigious foreign universities are returning to apply their knowledge for the benefit of the Motherland. Such youth are the best guarantee that the ideals of independence and progress will be further strengthened in the future.
Ecology: Towards a Green Uzbekistan
Over the years of independence, the country has embarked on a path of responsible stewardship of nature and resources. Taking into account the environmental lessons of the past (such as the tragedy of the Aral Sea), Uzbekistan is now implementing a green development strategy. Modern technologies are helping to save water in agriculture: drip irrigation is being introduced, canals are being modernized, and new hydraulic facilities are being built to ensure efficient distribution of water between regions.
A large-scale greening of the country has become a true popular movement. At the initiative of the President, the “Yashil Makon” (Green Space) program was launched, aiming to plant 1 billion trees over five years. Hundreds of millions of seedlings have already been planted along roads, in cities, and villages – even arid lands are being covered with a green carpet. Special attention has been given to the Aral Sea region. On the dried seabed, about 1.7 million hectares of saxaul plantations have been created, helping to contain dust storms and form a new microclimate. On Uzbekistan’s initiative, the United Nations has declared the Aral Sea region a zone of ecological innovations and technologies. This unprecedented national project has become the country’s contribution to the global fight against desertification.
Renewable energy is actively expanding. Large solar power plants and wind farms have been built, and the first wind energy capacities have been launched. By 2030, the share of renewable energy in the energy balance is expected to reach 40 percent. In 2023, the country became the first in the region to issue green bonds to finance climate projects, underscoring its commitment to the environmental agenda. At the same time, transportation is being shifted to environmentally friendly solutions: electric buses and gas-powered buses are being purchased, and infrastructure for electric vehicles is being developed.
All these efforts are producing tangible results. Urban air quality is improving, and environmental awareness among the population is growing. Care for nature has become an essential part of the national idea. Independence has taught the value of the homeland’s land – now economic growth is being achieved without harming the environment, in harmony with nature, for the sake of future generations.
Digitalization: A Ticket to the Future
In the modern world, independence is also manifested through technological development. In recent years, Uzbekistan has leaped digital transformation. The comprehensive Digital Uzbekistan 2030 program is being implemented to bring the country into the ranks of advanced digital economies. Today, more than 300 public services are available to citizens online through a single portal, including business registration, certificate issuance, and tax payment. E-government has significantly simplified interaction between people and the state, reduced bureaucracy, and increased transparency. An Electronic Parliament system is being created to enable digital interaction between deputies and citizens, speeding up the legislative process.
Uzbekistan’s pride is the rapid development of its IT sector. Just a decade ago, the share of the IT industry in the economy was negligible, but now the country is confidently becoming a regional IT hub. The establishment of IT parks and technology parks in Tashkent and the regions has given an impetus to the growth of startups: around 2,000 IT companies have already gained resident status, producing software products and services for export. The volume of IT service exports in 2023 reached $344 million, having multiplied in just a few years. Young Uzbek programmers and engineers are successfully working on international projects, and demand for them is growing. The state has set the goal of increasing digital service exports to $5 billion by 2030, for which IT training centers are being opened nationwide and programming courses are being introduced in schools. Hundreds of thousands of new IT specialists are planned to be trained to drive the innovative economy.
Digitalization has also extended to the social sphere. Thanks to electronic platforms, records of low-income families (“Iron Register”, “Women’s Register”, “Youth Register”) are being maintained, enabling targeted assistance to those in need. During the COVID-19 pandemic, digital tools enabled the rapid organization of distance learning for millions of schoolchildren and students. Today, high-speed internet is available even in remote areas, and every village is being connected to the global network. All this reduces the gap between urban and rural areas and provides equal opportunities for all citizens.
Digital independence is the ability to create and apply technologies independently, rather than relying on external developments. Uzbekistan is confidently moving along this path: national IT specialists and technology companies are becoming the country’s new “oil field”, a source of future wealth and influence. Independence, reinforced by digital progress, opens truly unlimited prospects for the people of Uzbekistan.
Agriculture: Food Security and Modern Villages
From the very first days of independence, food self-sufficiency has been a strategic priority. Over the past three decades, Uzbekistan has transformed from a grain importer into a self-sufficient country that meets its needs for essential food products. Harvests of wheat, rice, and other crops have grown to the point where the country fully satisfies domestic demand and is increasing exports. Grain independence – a crucial condition for national security – has been achieved. The state is encouraging farmers to diversify production: in addition to cotton, which dominated agriculture for many years, the cultivation of vegetables, fruits, and fodder crops has significantly expanded. This has improved the population’s diet and increased the export of fruit and vegetable products, renowned for their quality and taste.
A key reform in recent years has been the creation of agricultural clusters. Farms are joining with processing enterprises to produce finished goods with high added value. For example, cotton-textile clusters now enable the domestic processing of almost 100 percent of harvested cotton. Whereas previously a significant share of the “white gold” was exported as raw material, it is now turned into yarn, fabrics, and finished garments within the country, creating jobs and generating income domestically. Thanks to this and labor reforms in rural areas, tectonic changes have taken place: forced labor in cotton fields has been completely eradicated.
In 2022, the International Labour Organization recognized Uzbek cotton as free from child and forced labor – a historic achievement of independence that has opened the way for Uzbek textiles to enter global markets. Now, international brands are once again actively cooperating with Uzbekistan, investing in modern textile production.
Innovation has also reached the farmers’ fields. Modern agricultural technologies, such as drip irrigation systems and energy-efficient machinery, are being widely introduced. With the support of the World Bank and other partners, farmers are being trained in advanced farming methods and gaining access to preferential financing to modernize their operations. Land reclamation is improving, and logistics centers for storing and transporting crops are being built. The result is increased productivity and higher incomes for rural residents. Today, Uzbekistan’s farmers not only feed the country but also export record volumes of fruits, vegetables, and melons. Retail chains in Europe, the CIS, and the Middle East are increasingly purchasing Uzbek produce – for example, in 2023, fruit and vegetable exports exceeded $1.5 billion.
Care for rural areas also includes the comprehensive development of rural territories. The “Obod Qishloq” (“Prosperous Village”) program has transformed thousands of villages: clean water and gas have been supplied, roads have been built, schools have been renovated, and new medical centers and service facilities have been opened. Life in rural areas has become more comfortable, helping to curb the outflow of young people to cities. Today, rural workers feel supported by the state and proudly call themselves masters of their land. Uzbekistan’s agricultural independence means that every family’s table has affordable and high-quality domestic products, and rural regions develop in parallel with the cities.
Social Sphere: Equal Opportunities and National Unity
The achievements of independence are measured not only by economic indicators but also by people’s quality of life, the degree of social justice, and the unity of society. In recent years, Uzbekistan has implemented large-scale social reforms aimed at improving the well-being of every citizen. For the first time, an official poverty line has been introduced, and programs to reduce it have been launched. The goal is to cut the poverty rate by at least half by 2030. To this end, the state is encouraging job creation, providing preferential loans for starting businesses, and organizing free training in in-demand professions. In 2022-2023 alone, the government helped establish tens of thousands of family enterprises and startups, enabling many families to escape poverty.
Great attention is also given to providing housing for the population. Over the past few years, hundreds of new residential buildings have been constructed and settled across the country. Young families and low-income citizens are gaining access to housing through preferential mortgage programs. The large-scale “New Uzbekistan” residential development initiative envisions the construction of 1 million modern apartments and private houses by 2030. Already, tens of thousands of families have celebrated housewarming, noting that independence has allowed them to improve their living conditions.
Independent Uzbekistan has become a country of equal opportunities for men and women, and for people of all nationalities and faiths. A law on guarantees of gender equality has been adopted, and today women hold 30 percent of seats in parliament, lead central ministries, and companies. For the first time in history, a woman has become Chairperson of the Senate – a symbol of progress in the political sphere. The state firmly combats domestic violence: penalties for domestic abuse have been toughened, and crisis centers offering assistance to women operate across the country. The rights of persons with disabilities are also protected by a new law: a barrier-free environment is being created, and inclusive standards are being introduced in education and employment. City streets now have more ramps and tactile paths, public transport has designated spaces, and in the information sphere, people with special needs no longer feel forgotten.
Interethnic and interfaith harmony is another pillar of independence. More than 130 nationalities live peacefully in Uzbekistan, and over the years of sovereignty, the country has preserved an atmosphere of friendship and tolerance. Cultural centers and weekend schools for various ethnic communities operate, and the state supports the study of national languages and the celebration of traditional holidays. Across the country, both mosques and temples of different faiths are being built – freedom of religion is guaranteed to all. It is no coincidence that the principle “Uzbekistan is our common home” has become a popular motto, reflecting the unity of society.
A new image of Uzbekistan on the world stage
In conclusion, it can be confidently stated that independence has enabled the country to transform and take its rightful place in the world. The era of reforms under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has strengthened the economy, improved the lives of the people, and elevated the country’s international standing. Today, Uzbekistan is a reliable partner and an initiator of many regional and global initiatives. In the spring of 2025, Samarkand hosted for the first time the “Central Asia – European Union” summit, attended by all five presidents of the region and the EU leadership. This historic forum became mainly possible thanks to Tashkent’s open policy of cooperation with its neighbors: Uzbekistan was the first to extend a hand of trust to its closest partners, resolving long-standing differences and uniting the countries of Central Asia around the ideas of development and mutual support.
The world highly values Uzbekistan’s contribution to strengthening stability. A vivid example is that in August 2025, the heads of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan were nominated for the Leo Tolstoy International Peace Prize. This recognition was awarded for the historic agreements reached at the first trilateral summit in Khujand, where the leaders signed a treaty on the junction point of borders and a declaration of eternal friendship between their peoples. Thanks to the efforts of Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the voice of Central Asia is being heard in a unified spirit for the first time in many years. UN Secretary-General António Guterres praised Uzbekistan’s “constructive and peace-loving policy” in the region, particularly highlighting Tashkent’s role in promoting peaceful dialogue on Afghanistan and other pressing issues.
Today, Uzbekistan is no longer a terra incognita on the world map, but an active contributor to the creation of a new architecture of cooperation. The country is invited to take part in discussions on global issues – from climate change to energy security. At the same time, bold transformations continue within the country, making society more just and prosperous. This New Uzbekistan inspires genuine admiration and respect from the international community.
What has been achieved over the years of independence is a solid foundation for future generations. The people of the country look to the future with confidence and pride. The ideals of independence – freedom, creativity, and unity – are now embodied in tangible actions and accomplishments. Thanks to wise leadership and the energy of its people, Uzbekistan is rightly called a new phenomenon of development and diplomacy in the modern world. May independence remains an inexhaustible source of inspiration and progress for our country in the years to come! ( Courtesy: UzA )
