Tashkent International Investment Forum Announcements
During the Fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan announced significant initiatives to attract foreign investment and advance technological sectors.
Tax-Free Zones and Investment Opportunities
- Tax-Free Zones: Special zones for artificial intelligence projects and data centers have been established in Karakalpakstan.
- Investors are exempt from all types of taxes and duties until 2040.
- State-funded infrastructure for roads, electricity, and water.
- Preferential electricity tariff set at 5 cents per kilowatt-hour.
- Metals of the Future Technoparks: Initiatives to attract investment in rare mineral mining.
- Open digital geological database of minerals, including rare minerals.
- Quadrupled number of deposits to be auctioned.
- Technoparks being established in Tashkent and Samarkand regions.
Investment and Economic Development
- Uzbekistan has attracted over $150 billion in foreign investment, with $123 billion secured in the last five years.
- The strategic focus includes developing regional transport and logistics connectivity.
- Projects include the strategic railway with China and Kyrgyzstan, and the Trans-Afghan Corridor project for southern seaport access.
- Middle Corridor transport route through the Caspian Sea is under development.
International Cooperation and Strategic Goals
- The forum saw participation from leaders of countries like Albania, Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
- Uzbekistan is collaborating with India and other Central Asian countries for joint exploration of rare earths and critical minerals.
The initiatives underline Uzbekistan’s strategic priorities in technology and minerals, aiming to bolster its position as a key player in regional and international markets, especially amidst global concerns over supply chain dependencies on China for rare earth materials.
