BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 9. Samarkand has emerged as a platform through which Uzbekistan is translating its domestic reforms into regional initiatives.
At the 59th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan presented a package of initiatives supported by a new partnership program with the bank through 2030, valued at $12.5 billion. The forum, held from May 3–6 under the theme “Crossroads of Progress,” has convened over 3,000 participants representing more than 60 countries.
The agenda emphasizes connectivity, data, and resource mobilization. ADB President Masato Kanda highlighted the acceleration of cross-border integration in energy, digital technologies, and trade as a top priority. By hosting the meeting for the second time since 2010, Uzbekistan is consolidating its position as a regional hub.
The economic foundation underpinning these achievements is reflected in concrete data. Since 2016, Uzbekistan has attracted approximately $150 billion in foreign investment, its GDP has expanded from $50 billion to $147 billion, and exports have tripled. Investments of around $35 billion have been directed to the energy sector, raising electricity production to 87 billion kWh, a 1.5-fold increase. The poverty rate has declined from nearly 35% to 5.8%, while incomes have risen for 8.5 million citizens. In the first quarter of 2026, the economy recorded growth of 8.7%.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev highlighted the rapid pace of change. “In a historically short period, we have navigated a complex path of development together with our hardworking and creative people,” he stated.
He also underscored improvements in the business environment, noting that Uzbekistan climbed 14 positions in the Index of Economic Freedom, entering the category of “moderately free” economies for the first time.
A central focus of the address was the regionalization of reforms through tangible initiatives. The Central Asia Tourism Ring project aims to establish a unified regional tourism space. Over the past decade, the number of foreign visitors to Uzbekistan has increased sixfold, reaching 12 million, with plans to extend this growth across the region.
The Digital Customs and Logistics Alliance initiative seeks to reduce trade barriers in response to rising logistics costs, as freight expenses across Central Asian countries have increased by up to 30% and delivery times have lengthened by several weeks. The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is anticipated to reduce delivery times to 10 days, with an annual capacity of up to 15 million tons.
In the digital economy domain, Uzbekistan has proposed the establishment of an artificial intelligence scaling program under the Asian Development Bank, including the creation of a regional AI hub in Tashkent. Concurrently, the country is joining the Asia-Pacific Digital Highway initiative, which has a projected budget of $20 billion through 2035.
On the climate agenda, the Central Asia Green Belt project is being actively advanced. The national program "Yashyl Makon" envisages the planting of 200 million trees and shrubs annually and has already resulted in the creation of 2 million hectares of forest plantations on the dry bed of the Aral Sea. The overarching goal is to increase regional green coverage to 30% by 2030.
The investment component encompasses the planned listing of 30% of shares in the National Investment Fund, which consolidates assets from 13 strategic enterprises, alongside participation in the Asian Development Bank’s critical minerals program, comprising more than 70 projects valued at $1.6 billion.
Uzbekistan’s total cooperation portfolio with the ADB already exceeds $16 billion. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that the proposals presented at the Samarkand platform are intended to translate into practical projects and mutually beneficial agreements.
Uzbekistan’s initiatives are expected to reduce logistics costs, accelerate trade, expand tourism flows, and attract private investment through public-private partnership mechanisms, while simultaneously advancing the green and digital agendas.
Under an optimistic scenario, the implementation of the Samarkand proposals could enable Uzbekistan to achieve upper-middle-income status. In the event of geopolitical instability, additional measures to diversify the economy may be necessary to avoid over-dependence on the commodity sector. Ultimately, the Samarkand platform confirms that Uzbekistan is increasingly promoting initiatives to significantly contribute to the region's economic connectivity.
