Our People > Sadokat Jalolova

Sadokat Jalolova

Journalist

Jalolova has worked as a reporter for some time in local newspapers and websites in Uzbekistan, and has enriched her knowledge in the field of journalism through courses at the University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Amsterdam on the Coursera platform.

Articles

Chinese Investment

Chinese Investment in Uzbekistan Surpasses $8 Billion This Year

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with a delegation of leading Chinese companies and financial institutions on the sidelines of the Tashkent International Investment Forum. The meeting focused on new investment projects in energy, mining, infrastructure, and finance. The Chinese delegation was led by Wang Hongzhi, head of China’s National Energy Administration. It included executives from China Energy Engineering Corporation, China Datang, Sinoma Energy Conservation, China Southern Power Grid, China CAMC Engineering, China National Nuclear Corporation, and State Nuclear Uranium Resource Development. Representatives of the Export-Import Bank of China and Bank of China also attended. According to Uzbekistan’s presidential press service, the talks focused on high-tech projects in the energy and geological sectors, as well as cooperation in banking and finance. Mirziyoyev welcomed the rapid growth of Uzbekistan-China economic ties. Since the beginning of the year, bilateral trade has exceeded $6 billion, while direct Chinese investment in Uzbekistan has surpassed $8 billion. Nearly 6,000 joint ventures involving Chinese partners are operating in the country. Renewable energy projects formed a major part of the discussion. Chinese companies are already involved in building solar and wind power plants, as well as energy storage systems, across Uzbekistan. Participants supported plans to accelerate ongoing projects and launch new initiatives. These include expanding photovoltaic power generation capacity, introducing agrivoltaic technologies that combine agriculture and solar energy production, and building new transmission lines. The meeting also covered cooperation in waste-to-energy generation and advanced technological solutions, including modern data centers. In mining and geology, officials discussed joint exploration and development of mineral deposits. They also reviewed long-term partnerships in the supply of critical raw materials. Financial cooperation was another key topic. Participants reviewed opportunities for Chinese banks to support infrastructure projects, irrigation modernization, high-speed road construction, hydropower development, agricultural machinery supplies, and financing for small and medium-sized businesses. Earlier this year, the third Uzbekistan-China Interregional Forum in Xi’an resulted in more than $3.5 billion in investment and export agreements, including $3.35 billion in investment projects and $156 million in export contracts. Officials said the agreements would support infrastructure modernization, transport development, environmental services, and industrial production. Speakers at the Xi’an forum said bilateral trade reached nearly $18 billion last year, while accumulated Chinese investment in Uzbekistan totaled $17 billion.

3 months ago

Tashkent International Investment Forum

Digital Diplomacy and Soft Power at TIIF 2026

At the Tashkent International Investment Forum 2026, a panel on “Digital Diplomacy and Soft Power” examined how governments use online platforms, artificial intelligence and direct public communication to shape their international reputation and attract investment. Vladimir Norov, Uzbekistan’s former foreign minister, former secretary-general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and current chairman of the Central Asian Association for Artificial Intelligence, said diplomacy had changed sharply since he entered the profession in the 1990s. Governments that once had time to verify information and prepare formal responses now face pressure to communicate within minutes. “When I was appointed ambassador to Germany in 1998, we had no website,” Norov recalled. “We prepared one ourselves. At that time, communication was very different.” According to Norov, diplomacy has shifted to a model of permanent connectivity. Information spreads globally within minutes, often before governments have had time to verify facts or coordinate responses. For Norov, the today's challenge is "balancing speed with wisdom ... We must communicate promptly while ensuring accuracy and preserving dialogue." At the same time, he warned that governments also face serious challenges such misinformation campaigns, cyber threats, and the growing influence of large technology companies in shaping public narratives. Norov recalled that in previous years many government institutions were reluctant to communicate publicly. When he became director of Uzbekistan’s Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies in 2018, he discovered that the institution lacked a website and social media presence. “It was a challenge to convince people,” he said. “Many believed the information should remain internal.” [caption id="attachment_50731" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Image: TCA[/caption] The discussion at TIIF extended beyond diplomacy to the broader question of how countries communicate economic reforms and investment opportunities. Abdulla Abdukadirov, acting director of the Agency for Strategic Development and Reforms, argued that one of the biggest challenges in attracting investment is the gap between ambitious promises and practical implementation. “Every investor’s main motivation is to make money, but the expectations of the hosting country are more to bring value,” he said. According to Abdukadirov, governments must avoid creating unrealistic expectations and should focus on commitments within their operational control. He stressed a shift in how Uzbekistan presents itself internationally. “We are not considering Uzbekistan as one unique country, but as a whole region, Central Asia,” he said. [caption id="attachment_50733" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Image: TCA[/caption] The role of communication in shaping investor perceptions was also highlighted by Oybek Shaykhov, founder of EUROUZ and East-West Group. Drawing on his experience working with European businesses, Shaykhov argued that communication quality remains a critical factor in attracting long-term investment. He suggested that governments must respond more proactively to investor inquiries. “When a decision is taken, we have to give some reason why exactly this decision is taken,” Shaykhov said. Leandro Slovinski, editor-in-chief of The Investor, compared national investment promotion to the customer-service strategies used by luxury brands. According to Slovinski, governments should focus on highly targeted engagement with specific investors. “We should stop addressing foreign investors as a whole,” Slovinski said, stressing that investors often...

3 months ago

Tashkent International Investment Forum

Women in Enterprise Panel Highlights Uzbekistan’s Push for Female Entrepreneurship

The “Women in Enterprise” panel at the fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF) 2026 put female entrepreneurship and gender-inclusive growth at the center of Uzbekistan’s investment agenda. Held on June 16, the session, formally titled Women in Enterprise: The Economic Case for Gender-Inclusive Growth, examined how greater female participation in business could support Uzbekistan’s wider economic reforms. The panel took place as Uzbekistan has improved its position in the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law index by 43 places, ranking it 48th out of 190 economies. Speaking on the panel, Deputy Prime Minister Zulaykho Makhkamova, who also chairs Uzbekistan’s Committee on Family and Women, highlighted how rapidly women’s participation has expanded beyond traditionally female-dominated professions. “Women’s participation in the digital economy is approaching 40%,” Makhkamova said. “Thousands of women are participating in new programs related to artificial intelligence and the One Million Coders initiative.” Despite these advances, access to capital, market opportunities, training, and leadership positions continues to lag behind. According to Kanokpan Lao-Araya, country director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Uzbekistan, women account for roughly 40% of entrepreneurs in the country – about 2.1 million people in 2024, according to UNDP figures. However, their access to financing remains disproportionately low. “Credit going to women is only 14%,” Lao-Araya said. “Access to finance is the end goal. In order to reach that, we have to focus on the ecosystem.” The ADB has been working with the Uzbek government on SME development strategies that include gender components, while also supporting local banks through dedicated credit lines aimed at increasing lending to women entrepreneurs. The institution has established targets requiring participating banks to allocate at least 30% of borrowers to women-led businesses. “Instead of only focusing on participation, we need to look at the next stage of growth and scale,” Lao-Araya said. That argument was echoed by Momina Aijazuddin, regional industry director at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), who presented figures illustrating the scale of the challenge globally. According to IFC data, only $19 out of every $100 invested in emerging-market portfolios reaches women. Women-owned MSMEs in emerging and developing markets face an estimated $1.9 trillion financing gap. “If women started and scaled businesses at the same rate as men, it would increase the global economy by almost $6 trillion,” Aijazuddin said. “I come from Pakistan, where a man is five times more likely to have a bank account than a woman." [caption id="attachment_50652" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Image: TCA[/caption] Aijazuddin argued that international financial institutions are increasingly treating women’s entrepreneurship as an investment opportunity rather than a charitable cause. IFC’s Banking on Women program has already mobilized nearly $13 billion aimed at women entrepreneurs and women-led small and medium-sized enterprises. The organization is also experimenting with innovative financial instruments designed to attract larger pools of capital. Among the examples she cited was IFC’s $100 million investment in Akbank’s digitally issued gender bond, with proceeds directed toward women-owned SMEs and mortgage loans for women in Turkey. “What we’re trying to do...

3 months ago

Tashkent International Investment Forum

Uzbekistan Moves Toward Investment Destination Status at Tashkent International Investment Forum

Uzbekistan’s capital markets are moving from promise to execution, and the National Investment Fund of the Republic of Uzbekistan (UzNIF) has become the clearest deal to show that shift. At the 5th Tashkent International Investment Forum, global investors, bankers, development finance institutions, and export credit agencies gathered gathered around one recurring message: Uzbekistan is no longer trying to convince the world that it is open for business. The challenge now is ensuring that investment momentum becomes sustainable and led by the private sector. During a panel discussion on political risk and blended finance, government officials and international investors debated how frontier markets can attract larger volumes of private capital while reducing reliance on public financing and multilateral support mechanisms. While the discussion focused on frontier markets, Uzbekistan was at the center of nearly every exchange. Jasur Karshibaev, advisor to the Minister of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan, opened the session by outlining the government’s long-term ambitions. According to Karshibaev, Uzbekistan aims to double the size of its economy and reach upper-middle-income status by 2030. He argued that recent economic indicators suggest the country is moving in that direction despite a difficult global environment. [caption id="attachment_50612" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Image: TCA[/caption] “The reforms under the leadership of the President of Uzbekistan are already bearing results,” he said, pointing to strong first-quarter economic growth and declining inflation. Karshibaev highlighted recent developments in the country’s sovereign credit profile. In June, Fitch Ratings affirmed Uzbekistan’s sovereign rating at BB and revised the outlook to positive. Yet despite this progress, he stressed that the government’s focus is shifting from public investment toward private capital mobilization. “We cannot base our success on fiscal intervention,” Karshibaev said. “It should be private-sector-led growth.” For Uzbekistan, attracting private investment is becoming more important as the economy expands faster than domestic savings can support. The country continues to seek foreign capital, but officials are increasingly focused on reducing the cost of accessing it. Karshibaev argued that one of the main challenges lies in the gap between perceptions of risk and economic realities. He noted that sovereign bond spreads have narrowed significantly and are approaching levels typically associated with investment-grade economies. However, some institutional risk assessments and country-risk classifications continue to reflect older perceptions. “International investors who vote with their cash are expecting a very positive credit trajectory,” he said. According to Karshibaev, risk assessments need to reflect economic fundamentals more accurately because inflated risk perceptions can raise financing costs and make blended finance instruments less competitive than commercial funding alternatives. He said the government is working closely with international financial institutions, including the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank, while pursuing reforms aimed at achieving investment-grade status before the end of the decade. [caption id="attachment_50614" align="aligncenter" width="1774"] Image: TCA[/caption] Investors also examined how frontier markets are evaluated in practice. Francis Malige, managing director and head of the Financial Institutions Business Group at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, argued that one of the biggest misconceptions about frontier markets stems...

3 months ago

Bilateral Relations

Uzbekistan Mahallasi Opens in Turkey’s Earthquake-Hit Hatay

A residential complex built by Uzbekistan in Turkey’s Hatay Province has officially become the center of a new neighborhood named “Uzbekistan Mahallasi,” marking another milestone in the growing partnership between the two countries. According to Uzbekistan’s Dunyo Information Agency, an opening ceremony was held in the Arsuz district of Hatay. Officials also inaugurated Shavkat Mirziyoyev Boulevard, along with Tashkent and Samarkand Streets. The event brought together senior officials from both countries, including Nuriddin Ismoilov, Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of Uzbekistan’s Oliy Majlis; Jurabek Rakhimov, governor of Khorezm Region; Numan Kurtulmuş, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey; Hatay Governor Mustafa Masatlı; and representatives of local authorities and residents. The housing development is part of Uzbekistan’s assistance to Turkey following the devastating earthquakes that struck southern Turkey on February 6, 2023, causing widespread destruction across Hatay and several neighboring provinces. Speaking at the ceremony, Kurtulmuş described the project as a symbol of gratitude to the Uzbek people for their support during one of Turkey’s most difficult periods. “Today, it is a source of special pride for us to immortalize names in Arsuz that reflect the great historical and cultural heritage of Uzbekistan,” Kurtulmuş said. “This step symbolizes the respect and appreciation for the Uzbek people, who stood by us and extended their support during our most difficult days.” Kurtulmuş also described Uzbekistan as one of the important centers of Islamic civilization and the Turkic world. He highlighted reforms being implemented under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and praised the country’s “New Renaissance” development agenda. Hatay Governor Mustafa Masatlı highlighted the practical significance of Uzbekistan’s contribution to the province’s recovery. He said naming the residential area “Uzbekistan Mahallasi” would serve as a lasting symbol of friendship between the two nations. “On behalf of the residents of Hatay, I express my profound gratitude to the friendly and fraternal people of Uzbekistan,” Masatlı said. The ceremony concluded with a ribbon-cutting for the newly named boulevard and streets, which honor Uzbekistan’s president and two of the country’s historic cities. The opening follows the completion of the housing project earlier this year. In January, Presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan took part in a ceremony to open the Uzbekistan residential complex and handed apartment keys to local residents. The complex consists of 24 apartment buildings with more than 300 fully equipped apartments and modern infrastructure. It was built by Uzbekistan in the Arsuz district, one of the areas affected by the 2023 earthquakes.

3 months ago

Tashkent International Investment Forum

Data, Minerals, and the New Tashkent: Uzbekistan Pitches Its Next Growth Phase at Investment Forum

Uzbekistan used the opening of this year’s Tashkent International Investment Forum to make a broader pitch than investment alone: the country is presenting itself as a platform for data-driven governance, value-added mineral processing, and large-scale urban development. The fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum is being held in the Uzbek capital from June 16-18, bringing together government officials, international financial institutions, business leaders, and investors as Uzbekistan seeks to reinforce its position as one of Central Asia’s leading investment destinations. Held under the theme “Investment Resilience: New Frontiers, New Partnerships,” TIIF 2026 comes as Uzbekistan continues to promote reforms aimed at attracting capital, expanding industrial production, developing digital infrastructure, and moving higher up global value chains. Mirziyoyev Sets Out Investment Priorities Addressing the forum on June 17, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev presented Uzbekistan’s recent economic performance as evidence of growing investor confidence. He said the country had attracted more than $150 billion in foreign investment in recent years, including $123 billion over the past five years. According to the president, nearly 4,000 foreign guests from more than 100 countries are attending this year’s forum, reflecting its expanding international profile. The event brought together heads of state, prime ministers, representatives of international financial institutions, and business executives from around the world. Mirziyoyev said Uzbekistan remained committed to creating a favorable investment environment through reforms designed to protect investors’ rights and broaden economic opportunities. He said GDP grew by 7.7% in 2025, foreign investment reached $43 billion, international reserves exceeded $70 billion, and Uzbekistan rose 14 places in the Index of Economic Freedom, joining the group of economies classified as “moderately free.” He also emphasized the pace of economic growth. Four years ago, he said, Uzbekistan set a target of reaching a $100 billion economy by the end of 2026; now, he said, GDP is expected to exceed $180 billion this year. Mirziyoyev also announced plans to establish the Tashkent International Financial Center, a tax- and customs-free zone operating under a special legal regime based on English common law principles. He said the center would offer zero rates on profit tax, value-added tax, property tax, and customs duties, while guaranteeing free capital movement and payments in any currency. Delta Y: A Data Infrastructure Startup Looks to Uzbekistan One of the companies drawing attention at the forum was Delta Y, a Lisbon-based data infrastructure startup seeking to help governments and cities turn fragmented information into practical decision-making tools. Founded in 2025, Delta Y describes itself as a “data infrastructure layer” for governments, institutions, and advisory firms. Its goal is to use data engineering and artificial intelligence to turn disconnected datasets into usable analysis. Co-founder Afonso Carvas said the idea emerged from his experience working with data teams in technology companies and from a broader question: whether governments and cities could gain access to the same quality of data infrastructure used by leading global companies. That question eventually led the company to Uzbekistan. Why Uzbekistan? Carvas said Delta Y first began looking at Uzbekistan after a...

3 months ago

Recycling

Uzbekistan Draft Proposes Annual Fee for Vehicles Over 30 Years Old

A draft government resolution in Uzbekistan has proposed annual environmental compensation payments for owners of vehicles manufactured 30 or more years ago, as part of a wider plan to regulate end-of-life transport and expand vehicle recycling. The proposal has not yet been adopted. The draft document, titled “On Organizing the Utilization of Vehicles with Expired Service Life and Recycling of Their Components,” was released through official public consultation channels and outlines a phased approach to introducing scrappage and recycling mechanisms across the country. According to the proposal, from January 1, 2027, owners of passenger vehicles manufactured 30 or more years ago would be required to pay an annual environmental compensation fee equal to 30 times the base calculation value. At the current rate, that would amount to about 12.36 million Uzbek som, or approximately $1,033. The payment is described as a mechanism intended to offset environmental damage caused by older vehicles. The draft was prepared under Uzbekistan’s broader environmental and waste-management reforms, led by the National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change, which is responsible for policy coordination in the environmental sector. The initiative also involves the planned creation of a national system for collecting, evaluating, and recycling vehicles that have reached the end of their operational life. The recycling system would be introduced in stages. From 2026, it would cover M1 category vehicles, primarily passenger cars. From 2027, it would extend to M2, M3, N1, N2, and N3 categories, covering minibuses, buses, and freight vehicles. By 2030, the framework is expected to cover all types of wheeled transport. The proposed environmental compensation fee for vehicles 30 or more years old would begin separately on January 1, 2027. The draft also proposes restrictions on vehicles deemed environmentally harmful. From 2027, vehicles classified as environmentally harmful could face restrictions on re-registration and continued use, with exceptions for antique vehicles recognized under existing regulations. A central component of the proposal is the creation of a unified digital system to manage the process. The platform would be developed under the coordination of the Ministry of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan together with the national waste-management and circular economy agency. The system is expected to integrate data from tax, customs, and public-service databases through Uzbekistan’s e-government infrastructure. Technical implementation support is planned to involve Uzinfocom, the state IT integrator responsible for digital government platforms. Under the proposed model, vehicle owners would first undergo a technical inspection and valuation process before transferring their vehicles for recycling. Operators and assessment companies would be selected through competitive tenders. Once approved, they would handle vehicle acceptance, dismantling, and material recovery, including metals, plastics, batteries, and glass components. Owners of scrapped vehicles could receive compensation in several forms, including direct cash payments, electronic vouchers for purchasing new vehicles at discounted prices, or other mechanisms defined under national legislation. The value of compensation would depend on the technical assessment of the vehicle. The draft also introduces incentives for recycling operators through a “green subsidy” system financed by recycling-related fees. These subsidies...

3 months ago

Central Asia + Japan

Japan Extends $229 Million Loan to Boost Energy Efficiency in Uzbekistan

Japan will lend Uzbekistan 36.8 billion yen, roughly $229 million, to cut energy waste in public buildings and industry, targeting two sectors that place heavy pressure on the country’s fuel and electricity systems. The financing was formalized on June 10 in Tashkent, where Japanese Ambassador Kenji Hirata and Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Jamshid Kuchkarov signed exchange notes for two projects under Japan’s yen-loan program, according to the Embassy of Japan in Uzbekistan. The larger of the two projects, Energy Efficiency Improvement in Public Buildings, has a maximum value of 21.788 billion yen, about $136 million. A second project, Energy Efficiency Improvement in the Industrial Sector, is valued at up to 14.969 billion yen, about $93.4 million. Both loans carry an annual interest rate of 2.4% on the principal and 0.8% for consulting services. They will be repaid over 25 years, including a seven-year grace period. The financing is being provided on concessional and untied terms, allowing greater flexibility in procurement. The projects are aimed at lowering demand rather than adding new generating capacity. In practical terms, that means modernizing equipment and introducing energy-saving technologies in industrial and commercial operations, as well as in public buildings. The public-buildings component addresses one of the weaker points in Uzbekistan’s energy system. The country’s schools, preschools, hospitals and other state facilities are often expensive to heat and difficult to cool, particularly in buildings constructed during the Soviet period with little regard for energy efficiency. Previous World Bank work on Uzbekistan has identified public buildings from the 1970s and 1980s as poorly insulated and reliant on old boilers and water-heating systems with high energy intensity. The problem is visible in the country’s air as well as its energy bills. In winter, inefficient heating systems increase demand for fuel, while coal- and fuel-oil-based heating contributes to smog in cities such as Tashkent, alongside dust, traffic and industrial emissions. Energy-efficiency upgrades can reduce the fuel demand that worsens urban air pollution during cold weather. Uzbekistan remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels for its energy supply. The Japanese Embassy noted that the country’s energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions per unit of gross domestic product remain higher than global averages, making improvements in energy efficiency a national priority. The industrial component addresses another pressure point. Uzbekistan is trying to expand manufacturing and exports, but that ambition depends on a power system still dominated by fossil fuels and burdened by aging infrastructure. For Tashkent, cutting the energy used by factories and commercial enterprises is part of the same energy-security challenge as building new power plants or adding renewable capacity. The agreement also gives practical form to one of the priorities in the Tokyo Declaration adopted at the first Central Asia-Japan Summit in December 2025. The declaration identified “Green and Resilience” as one of three major areas for future cooperation between Japan and the five Central Asian states. The loans follow President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s visit to Japan late last year, when Uzbek and Japanese...

3 months ago

Cancer Treatment

Uzbekistan Cancer Care Reforms to be Launched in 2027

Uzbekistan plans to overhaul cancer care from 2027, with reforms aimed at detecting tumors earlier and expanding palliative support for patients outside the country’s main medical centers. The National Cancer Control Program, developed with the participation of the World Health Organization and international experts, aims to bring oncology services closer to international standards while improving access to care in the regions. The proposals point to one of the central weaknesses in cancer care across much of the region: patients are often diagnosed late and forced to travel to major cities for specialist treatment. Two key metrics for the plan are firstly to increase targeted screening coverage for common cancers is to 60%, while the five-year survival rate among cancer patients is expected to increase from the current 35% to at least 45%. To achieve these goals, primary healthcare workers will receive additional training to identify early signs of cancer and ensure timely referrals to specialized medical institutions. That would put family doctors and local clinics at the center of the reform, rather than leaving patients to navigate the system only after symptoms have become harder to treat. The focus on primary care also fits a wider shift in Uzbekistan’s health policy. There is already a major effort to move more treatment and prevention work out of hospitals and into local clinics, with early intervention presented as a way to reduce pressure on specialist facilities. Officials also plan to establish rapid diagnostic pathways to shorten the time between initial examinations and confirmed diagnoses. Radiation therapy services will be also be modernized, with aging cobalt therapy equipment gradually replaced with modern linear accelerators. The equipment upgrades follow other recent moves to expand Uzbekistan’s specialist cancer infrastructure. TCA reported earlier this year that a Nuclear Medicine Center under construction in Tashkent is expected to be equipped with PET/CT scanners, a cyclotron, a radiopharmaceutical laboratory, and Gamma Knife and CyberKnife systems. A significant part of the reform package concerns palliative and hospice care. Beginning September 1, 2026, Uzbekistan plans to establish a unified nationwide system by integrating medical and social services. Mobile palliative care teams providing home-based medical and social services will be created, with every region of the country getting its own hospice institutions. A children’s palliative care center for patients with severe and incurable illnesses is also planned in the Samarkand region. The palliative-care proposals address one of the more visible gaps in Uzbekistan’s cancer system. Uzbekistan’s first children’s oncology hospice opened in Tashkent in August 2022, while plans for an adult hospice in the capital had been delayed for years. Authorities expect palliative and hospice care coverage to reach at least 80% by 2030. Patients requiring home care will receive specialized equipment, including functional beds and mattresses, through a voucher system. Family members will also be able to access a new “Family Support” service. The proposals additionally include social support measures for employees of state healthcare institutions. These include partial compensation of university tuition fees for the children of medical workers with...

3 months ago

Drug Trafficking

Uzbekistan Toughens Anti-Drug Laws as Synthetic Narcotics and Online Trafficking Rise

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has approved tougher measures against drug trafficking and endorsed reforms aimed at protecting public health, particularly among young people, as authorities respond to the growing spread of synthetic drugs and internet-based narcotics sales. According to the presidential press service, Mirziyoyev reviewed proposed legislative changes aimed at protecting public health and the nation’s gene pool from drug abuse. The review also covered road safety concerns. Officials outlined the significance of a recently adopted law that increases criminal liability for the illegal circulation of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues, and other potent substances. The legislation, which had already been passed by parliament, introduces a new chapter in Uzbekistan’s Criminal Code titled “Crimes Against Public Health and the Nation’s Gene Pool.” Mirziyoyev signed the law following the presentation. The new provisions increase penalties for a range of offenses considered particularly dangerous to public health. They also introduce separate criminal liability for organizing illegal drug laboratories, facilitating drug trafficking operations, and running premises used for the illegal distribution or consumption of narcotics. More than 10 categories of drug-related crimes will face tougher punishment under the law. Officials told the president that Uzbekistan’s drug situation has changed significantly in recent years. Traditional narcotics are increasingly being replaced by synthetic drugs, while trafficking methods have shifted toward online platforms and contactless delivery systems. The emergence of clandestine drug laboratories inside the country has also highlighted the need for updated legal and institutional responses. A separate draft law, “On Narcotic Drugs and Potent Substances,” prepared by an interagency working group, was also presented. The proposed legislation identifies seven priority areas of state policy. These include raising public awareness, particularly among women and young people, preventing drug-related crimes committed online, and improving systems for early prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and social rehabilitation of people suffering from addiction. The draft law would also clearly define the responsibilities of 14 government agencies involved in combating drug trafficking and drug-related crime. Authorities plan to tighten oversight of the legal circulation of controlled substances through a digital monitoring system that would track them from import and production to distribution and sale. The presentation also addressed road safety. Officials noted that some traffic accidents resulting in serious injuries or fatalities had involved minors driving vehicles unlawfully. In response, proposals were discussed to improve enforcement mechanisms and increase accountability for such violations. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Mirziyoyev dismissed several senior officials from the Interior Ministry in January, as well as from the National Guard and Emergency Situations Ministry. Among those removed was the head of the Agency for Control of Narcotics and Illegal Firearms, who was criticized for failing to effectively combat the illegal trafficking and use of drugs.

3 months ago

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