BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 7. Uzbekistan is accelerating the digital transformation of its public administration, startup ecosystem, and telecommunications sector.
This was reflected in the statement published by the press service of the Uzbek president.
According to the statement, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed proposals for the introduction of a unified integrated digital platform for public administration, the development of the national startup ecosystem, and measures to improve the business environment in telecommunications.
The initiatives come as Uzbekistan continues expanding digital government services. The country has moved up 24 positions in the United Nations e-government development ranking, with authorities setting a target of entering the top 30 countries globally by 2030.
The number of digital public services is expected to reach 860 in 2025, with the number of users projected at 15.5 million people, compared with 525 services used by 4 million people in 2024.
“The development of digital public services is becoming one of the key priorities of Uzbekistan’s modernization agenda, aimed at improving convenience for citizens and reducing administrative barriers for businesses,” it was said during the presentation.
The proposed integrated digital governance platform will combine data on regional economies, investments, environmental indicators, security issues, public concerns, mahalla welfare levels, and geospatial information. Using artificial intelligence technologies, the system will analyze data, identify regional challenges in advance, monitor the implementation of government decisions, and improve resource allocation.
President Mirziyoyev instructed authorities to launch the digital management system in Tashkent this year and expand it to all regions starting from 2026.
Another major initiative involves the creation of a unified national classification system for goods and services. Currently, customs, tax, statistical, and other government agencies use separate classification systems, creating additional costs for businesses and complicating data exchange.
The new system is expected to reduce bureaucratic procedures, improve coordination between state institutions, and increase the accuracy of statistical reporting.
Uzbekistan also plans to establish a national navigation system to reduce reliance on foreign platforms. The system will provide standardized geospatial data and support transportation, logistics, emergency services, urban planning, and digital government services.
The country is also targeting significant growth in the IT sector. By 2030, Uzbekistan aims to increase IT service exports to $5 billion, create 5,000 active startups, and attract $2 billion in investment into the sector.
According to the presentation, Uzbekistan improved its position by 31 places in the StartupBlink global ranking, becoming the world’s fastest-growing startup ecosystem. Tashkent ranked first among Central Asian cities, while Samarkand and Fergana entered the global top 1,000 startup cities for the first time.
“Uzbekistan is creating conditions to attract international talent, investors, and technology companies by expanding startup support mechanisms and improving access to global markets,” the government noted.
As part of these efforts, authorities plan to launch the Talent Hub program, allowing foreign specialists and investors to remotely register companies, open bank accounts, and obtain international banking cards. The government also proposed extending tax incentives for IT Park resident companies until 2040 and expanding programs such as IT Visa and Zero Risk.
Additional support measures include partial compensation for IT exporters’ expenses related to employee salaries, relocation of foreign customers and specialists, and international certification costs. More than 20 acceleration programs are also planned in Bukhara and Fergana to help startups enter international markets.
The telecommunications sector remains another focus area of reform. Over recent years, Uzbekistan has increased telecom service coverage from 41 percent to 98 percent, while overall internet capacity has expanded 65 times.
However, authorities noted that telecom businesses remain less attractive for domestic entrepreneurs, particularly in remote areas where fixed internet penetration remains low.
To improve the sector’s investment environment, Uzbekistan plans to merge two types of licenses related to telecommunications network design and construction and reduce the licensing period from 25 to 10 working days.
The government will also introduce requirements for new apartment buildings to include high-speed internet infrastructure during construction, supporting wider access to fiber-optic connectivity.
Young entrepreneurs entering the telecommunications sector will be eligible for preferential loans of up to 530 million soms (about $44 075) for seven years, including a two-year grace period, at an interest rate of 15 percent under the “Kelajak tadbirkori” program.
