In recent years, the country has been implementing a number of consistent, irreversible reforms aimed at creating an open, competitive economy, investment and industrial development, expanding foreign trade relations, and creating an attractive business environment for local and foreign investors.
As experts note, the effectiveness of the ongoing reforms is ensured by the symbiosis of the advanced experience of developed countries, the capabilities of the national economy and the political will of the country’s leadership to radically renew and improve the living standards of the population.
One of the best global practices for accelerating the development of production and export potential, as well as attracting investment, is the creation of special economic and industrial zones.
As of January 1, 2024, 766 industrial zones have been created in the country, including 24 special economic zones, 532 small industrial zones and 210 youth industrial and entrepreneurial zones.
According to the master plans of these objects, a total of 11,952.1 hectares are allocated for investment projects. Thanks to the work carried out under the coordination of MIPT, today investment projects are located on an area of 6,382.3 hectares of industrial zones. 4,123.5 hectares of land are put up for sale through auction, including 3,304.8 hectares in special economic zones, 666 hectares in small industrial zones and 152.7 hectares in youth industrial and entrepreneurial zones. In January of this year alone, more than 100 hectares of land were put up for auction.
The scale of work in industrial zones is increasing every year. In 2024, 841 projects are planned to be launched in industrial zones. This is 124 units less than the figure for 2023 (965 projects), which is due to the consolidation of newly created production facilities and the organization of a much larger number of jobs. Thus, if the total cost of projects implemented in industrial zones in 2023 amounted to 9.7 trillion soums, then in 2024 13.3 trillion soums will be raised for these purposes. The situation is similar with jobs – 20.7 thousand in 2023 versus 27.7 thousand in the current year.
“The bull was taken by the horns” from the first days of this year. Despite the usual “winter lull”, already in January 2024, 14 projects worth 56.6 billion soums were commissioned, resulting in the creation of 300 new jobs. Of these, 12 projects worth 54.1 billion soums were launched in small industrial zones and 2 projects worth 2.5 billion soums in youth industrial and entrepreneurial zones.
As always, the results are important. In addition to the jobs being created, which make it possible to provide employment to residents of settlements close to industrial zones, there has been an increase in production and exports. In 2023, enterprises located in industrial zones produced products totaling 53.4 trillion soums and exported $972 million. In January of this year alone, goods worth 4.4 trillion soums were produced, and $61.3 million were exported.
Uzbekistan is confidently and gradually developing industrial zones. Thus, all other things being equal, the results of this work will exceed expectations and will make a worthy contribution to the achievement of the strategic goals set by the Head of State for the gradual economic development of the country.
Source: Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan