President Mirziyoyev sets $240bn economy goal, outlines green growth vision at ADB meeting in Samarkand

The president noted that $150 billion in foreign investment has been attracted in recent years, leading to the launch of thousands of modern enterprises. "Through investment projects worth $35 billion in the energy sector alone, we have increased electricity production by 1.5 times, bringing it to 87 billion kilowatt–hours. During this period, exports of goods and services tripled, and the volume of our economy grew from $50 billion to $147 billion,” the presidential press service quoted Mirziyoyev as saying.

Uzbekistan’s international standing has also improved, with sovereign credit ratings rising since 2020. In the 2026 Index of Economic Freedom, the country climbed 14 places to enter the “moderately free” category for the first time. Despite global instability, the economy expanded by 8.7% in the first quarter of the year.

The government aims to transition all sectors to an innovation-driven growth model by 2030, expanding the economy to over $240 billion. “In the near future, 30% of the shares in the National Investment Fund, comprising the assets of 13 major strategic enterprises, will be placed on the international capital market,” Mirziyoyev added.

The president emphasized the role of the ADB, noting that joint projects worth nearly $16 billion are currently under implementation, alongside a newly signed $12 billion cooperation program. Addressing technological shifts, he cited WTO projections that artificial intelligence (AI) could increase global trade by 40% by 2040. Uzbekistan has already launched over 200 AI-related projects and is developing an AI hub, including the “Five Million AI Leaders” training initiative.

On the environmental and logistics front, renewable energy now accounts for 30% of the country’s capacity, with a target of 54% by 2030. Mirziyoyev also highlighted the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project, which is expected to handle up to 15 million tonnes of cargo annually and reduce delivery times to 10 days. Finally, the president noted that tourism reforms have helped increase foreign arrivals sixfold over the last decade, reaching 12 million visitors annually.