The President: Supporting entrepreneurship – our strategic path

On March 19, 2025, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, signed Decree No. PD-50 “On Measures to Enhance the Role of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses in the Economy”, aimed at implementing a new phase of comprehensive support for entrepreneurship as a key driver of economic growth, employment, and exports.

The document is based on proposals developed following an open dialogue between the President and entrepreneurs held on March 19, 2025.

Target Indicators:

• Increase the share of small and medium-sized businesses in GDP to 55%.
• Ensure the creation of 70 billion USD in added value.
• Increase SME exports from 9 to 12 billion USD.
• Create 1.5 million permanent jobs, raising the employment share in this sector to 75%.
• Increase the number of enterprises with over 100 employees from 2,600 to 4,000.
• Develop 100 new national brands.
• Launch at least 200 startups in promising areas (AI, blockchain, big data, green technologies, energy saving).

Financing and Support Institutions:

The total funding volume is 10 billion USD, including:

• 5 billion USD – from international partners;
• 5 billion USD – from domestic sources (including the state budget, banks, and funds).

Provision of 22 trillion Uzbek soums in concessional resources to encourage the population’s involvement in entrepreneurship:

• 2.5 trillion soums – for youth projects;
• 2.5 trillion soums – for women’s entrepreneurship (with interest rates reduced by 2 percentage points).

Unsecured loans:

• Up to 300 million soums – for microbusinesses;
• Up to 150 million soums – for enterprises that have transitioned to SME status;
• Up to 50 million soums – under family business programs.

Development of the Startup Ecosystem:

Expansion of activities of the venture funds United Ventures and SQB Ventures:

• Total capital – 50 million USD;
• An additional 50 million USD will be raised from abroad.

By the end of 2026 – implementation of at least 200 innovative startups.

Inclusion of innovative products in technical regulations and standards to ensure access to public procurement.

Provision of Production Infrastructure:

Over the past three years, 250,000 new enterprises have been established.

In districts and cities, government institutions will be relocated to high-rise buildings, freeing up 150 administrative facilities, which will be auctioned off for business use.

The measures adopted confirm a systematic and long-term approach to the development of small and medium-sized businesses as one of the main drivers of Uzbekistan’s economy. Decree No. UP-50 sets quantitative benchmarks aimed at boosting employment, increasing exports, and developing the national entrepreneurial ecosystem through access to finance, markets, and infrastructure.

Source: President.uz