Shavkat Mirziyoyev sets 2026 targets to eradicate unemployment and poverty in Andijan

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on February 12 chaired a meeting on the socio-economic development of Andijan region and outlined priority tasks for 2026, including the ambitious goal of eliminating unemployment and poverty in selected districts and the regional capital.

Photo: Presidential Press Service

Andijan region, the most densely populated area of the country, is home to more than 3.5 million people, with around 80,000 children born annually. Given limited land resources, regional authorities were instructed to ensure that every hectare of land, every project and every investment generates high added value and creates sustainable jobs.

According to official data, the region’s gross regional product expanded by 6.8 percent in 2025, reaching UZS 107.7 trillion. Industrial output grew by 7.2 percent, services by 15.1 percent and agriculture by 4.7 percent.

For 2026, authorities aim to accelerate economic and industrial growth to 8 percent, expand the services sector by 16.3 percent and increase agricultural output by 5.9 percent. Foreign investment is expected to rise from $2.5 billion last year to $3.5 billion in 2026, while exports are projected to grow from $1.3 billion to $1.5 billion.

While 383,000 jobs were created in 2025, the region plans to provide employment for 489,500 residents in 2026. The unemployment rate is targeted to decline to 3.6 percent, and the poverty rate to 2.4 percent.

Authorities were specifically tasked with turning Asaka, Altinkul, Khojaabad and Shahrixon districts, as well as the city of Andijan, into territories free of unemployment and poverty. In districts facing more challenging socio-economic conditions, including Bustan, Pakhtaabad and Ulugnor, poverty levels are to be reduced by at least half.

Projects worth $798 million are scheduled for launch in the region this year. In particular, three micro industrial centers will be established in Asaka, Bulakbashi and Shahrikhon districts, specializing in leather and footwear production, construction materials and equipment manufacturing.

In addition, 110 rural settlements and 26 border and remote neighborhoods will see the implementation of projects focused on agricultural processing, the creation of small cold storage facilities and the development of micro production.

During the meeting, attention was also drawn to the inefficient use of more than 100 hectares of vacant land in the Free Economic Zone Ipak Yuli in Andijan district. Given the scarcity of land resources, officials emphasized the need to fully utilize plots with ready infrastructure for high value added projects capable of creating thousands of jobs.