By: Eldor Aripov
The President’s annual address represents a strategic pivot for Uzbekistan, transitioning from rapid reform to institutionalised, sustainable growth, according to a leading policy analyst.
Eldor Aripov, Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies (ISRS), stated that President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s recent Address to the Oliy Majlis is a “strategic policy document” marking a “qualitatively new stage of development.” He described the speech as the blueprint for “the institutional consolidation of reforms and the formation of a sustainable growth model oriented toward the long term.”
Aripov’s analysis highlighted a decade of profound economic transformation. The nation’s nominal GDP has more than doubled, from approximately $60-65 billion in the mid-2010s to $145 billion today. This growth, averaging 6% annually, has proven resilient through global shocks including the pandemic and supply chain disruptions.
“The republic has reached a stage at which further progress is determined less by the sheer size of the economy than by its quality,” Aripov noted, pointing to the Address’s emphasis on labour productivity, technological modernisation, and deeper industrialisation.
The structural shift in the economy is pronounced. Industrial output has doubled, with manufacturing and processing now exceeding 80% of GDP. Exports have also more than doubled, surpassing $24 billion, driven by a move from raw materials to finished goods like textiles—where exports have tripled to over $3 billion.
Concurrently, Uzbekistan has recorded dramatic social progress. The poverty rate has plummeted from about 35% in 2017-18 to 8.9% in 2024, with a projected drop to 5.8% in 2025—surpassing government targets. The Address sets a strategic goal to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030.
Aripov underscored that the policy priorities directly mirror citizen concerns gathered through surveys and appeals, focusing on employment, service quality, and governance. “The state demonstrates the ability to listen to its citizens and translate public expectations into elements of strategic policy,” he said.
The analyst credited President Mirziyoyev’s consistent political will and leadership as the decisive factor in synchronising macroeconomic stability with social and institutional reforms. The Address, Aripov concluded, is not merely an agenda but a “strategic framework” that defines Uzbekistan’s long-term competitiveness and strengthens both domestic consensus and international confidence.
