Tashkent, Uzbekistan – This past week, from June 9 to 12, Tashkent welcomed over 8,000 participants from 97 countries for the fourth Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF). The event convened senior government officials, business leaders, and executives from global corporations, revealing Uzbekistan’s growing role in international investment and regional economic cooperation.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev opened the proceedings by presenting economic data that reflected steady progress. Over the past eight years, Uzbekistan has doubled its gross domestic product. During the same period, trade with neighboring countries increased by 3.5 times. These developments reflect policy shifts aimed at enhancing market access, improving regional connectivity, and modernizing core industries.
This year’s forum attracted more attendees and generated more business activity than any previous edition. In 2024, the gathering hosted 2,500 participants and resulted in $26 billion worth of agreements. In 2025, more than 3,000 international guests joined officials and private sector stakeholders. Attendees included President Rumen Radev of Bulgaria, Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovakia, and Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov of Kazakhstan.
Agreements totaling $30.5 billion were signed during the four-day event. The deals cut across multiple sectors, including renewable energy, manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, telecommunications, and digital services. Participants engaged in structured meetings designed to support contract negotiation, joint ventures, and investment facilitation.
The Uzbekistan–U.S. Business Forum, a key segment within the broader event, drew executives from Boeing, Visa, Coca-Cola, Morgan Stanley, and NASDAQ. Over 150 participants engaged in direct conversations about market entry, supply chain integration, and trade facilitation. Bilateral trade between Uzbekistan and the United States reached $881.7 million in 2024, a 15 percent year-on-year increase. The presence of major U.S. firms pointed to a rising interest in Central Asian markets.
Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev briefed American investors on recent policy actions. He described legal protections for foreign capital, simplified registration procedures, and digital auctions for land allocation. Uzbekistan’s GDP rose by 6.5 percent in 2024. Foreign direct investment exceeded $6 billion. Industrial production grew at an average rate of 8 percent annually. These figures outlined a business environment shaped by a series of practical reforms.
Uzbekistan’s demographics present additional prospects. About 60 percent of the population is under the age of 30. Higher education enrollment has increased from 9 percent to 42 percent in recent years. The creation of 62 new universities, including 23 affiliated with international institutions, supports the development of domestic talent.
Carolyn Lamm, Chair of the American-Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce, described a business climate that has changed through a mix of anti-corruption enforcement, regulatory reforms, and public-private partnerships. There are now 314 U.S.-affiliated firms operating in Uzbekistan. Of those, 167 are fully owned by American stakeholders. This figure points to growing confidence in long-term commercial operations.
Alongside the policy sessions and investment briefings, the forum featured an industrial exhibition covering 12,000 square meters. One hundred Uzbek manufacturers displayed capabilities across industries such as pharmaceuticals, engineering, construction materials, and consumer goods. The exhibition recorded over 2,000 daily visitors and supported more than 500 business-to-business and business-to-government meetings.
President Mirziyoyev introduced a concept aimed at aligning investment policies across Central Asia. The proposed regional framework seeks to harmonize financial tools, facilitate cross-border projects, and improve infrastructure coordination. This approach reflects efforts to improve investor access to a regional market of more than 75 million people.
Uzbekistan also presented new measures targeting the extraction and processing of strategic minerals. The government plans to build “Metals of the Future” techno parks in the Tashkent and Samarkand regions. Investors with full-cycle projects — from geological research to production — will receive a ten-year rent tax refund. The goal is to move beyond raw material exports by encouraging high-value manufacturing.
Green energy and digital transformation received dedicated attention. New projects in solar and wind power are being prepared, aligned with growing global interest in sustainability. The government also announced plans to implement 100 artificial intelligence models by 2030 and launch high-performance computing laboratories within major universities.
The forum coincided with a national milestone in sport. Uzbekistan’s national football team secured its first-ever qualification for the FIFA World Cup following a 3-0 win over Qatar. President Mirziyoyev and visiting heads of state attended the match. The achievement captured local attention and occurred as the country positioned itself for deeper global engagement.
Media representation reflected the forum’s global reach. Journalists from CNN, Euronews, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, and others reported on the event. A total of 114 accredited media professionals from 31 countries covered sessions, interviews, and contract signings. Broad exposure increased visibility for Uzbekistan’s investment agenda and its reform strategy.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the New Development Bank participated in discussions. EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso and NDB President Dilma Rousseff addressed financing models for large-scale infrastructure and regional integration. Their presence signaled strong interest from development finance institutions in long-term project viability within Uzbekistan.
Sector-specific discussions ran in parallel throughout the event. Sessions addressed agriculture, food processing, health services, pharmaceuticals, digital infrastructure, and financial services. Each panel examined current challenges, policy frameworks, and private sector opportunities.
The 2025 forum featured 36 sessions and more than 150 speakers. Discussions were structured to allow targeted interaction while maintaining the forum’s wide scope. Participants chose from technical briefings, executive roundtables, and closed-door meetings tailored to their commercial interests.
Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov concluded the event by stating that future editions would continue to adopt modern formats and new approaches. He called for ongoing innovation in how investment forums are delivered and committed to expanding engagement with a broader range of international stakeholders.
Global investors continue to reassess risk and opportunity. With traditional markets facing constraints, many are shifting their focus to emerging economies with growth potential and responsive policy environments. Uzbekistan fits this profile. Its geographic position at the intersection of major trade routes, combined with its reform programs, has generated increased interest in both portfolio and direct investments.
The investment agreements signed during the 2025 forum will be evaluated over time based on execution. While the total value of contracts is noteworthy, the forum’s structure focused on actionable outcomes. Organizers prioritized follow-up mechanisms and concrete deliverables.
The event allowed participants to form partnerships, gather market intelligence, and assess the viability of operating in Uzbekistan and its neighboring economies. Tashkent, through this forum, has positioned itself as a destination where global capital and regional development strategies converge.
Central Asia continues to attract new interest from institutional investors, multinational companies, and development institutions. The 2025 Tashkent International Investment Forum provided a clear view into this evolving landscape and showed that Uzbekistan remains central to these emerging dynamics.
