Mirziyoyev Orders Faster Privatization in Uzbekistan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 6 April 2026,  President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed proposals to reduce the state’s presence in the economy and accelerate privatization processes. The meeting was conducted in a critical tone: alongside achieved results, systemic problems requiring urgent resolution were identified.

According to data presented at the meeting, the state’s share in the country’s economy currently stands at 42 percent, while the number of enterprises with state participation reaches 1,685. Over the past five years, the number of state-owned enterprises has decreased by 60 percent as a result of privatization. Last year, state assets worth nearly 30 trillion soums were sold, generating more than 10 trillion soums in budget revenues.

The volume of land sales reached 6 trillion soums. State-owned enterprises transferred 49 trillion soums to the budget in the form of dividends. Thanks to the introduced system of financial incentives for privatization, 2.6 trillion soums remained at the disposal of regions, and 7 billion soums at the mahalla level.

At the same time, a number of serious shortcomings were noted. The number of loss-making state enterprises remains significant: if in 2024 the losses of 451 enterprises with difficult financial conditions amounted to 14 trillion soums, then in 2025, 362 enterprises recorded total losses of 4 trillion soums. Insufficient use of digital tools and artificial intelligence technologies in analyzing the performance of state-owned enterprises was also criticized. Following the discussion, it was decided to conduct an in-depth audit of their activities, introduce a new mechanism for assessing financial sustainability, and establish early detection of problems.

A fundamental change in the approach to privatization will be the transition to a sector-based principle: each sector of the economy will be analyzed separately, with an assessment of socio-economic consequences, the state of the competitive environment, and the preparation of targeted proposals.

A separate part of the meeting was devoted to the efficiency of the use of state property. It was proposed to gradually create a unified system for managing state-owned assets in the regions and to reduce the average space per employee from the current 27 to 12–15 square meters. The implementation of this measure will make it possible to bring 4.9 million square meters of space into economic circulation, put unused buildings up for sale or lease, and reduce maintenance and utility costs.

Inefficient use of land plots allocated to entrepreneurs was identified as a serious problem. Of the 11,400 hectares allocated between 2022 and 2025, full economic activity has not been established on 3,100 hectares. As a solution, it was proposed to introduce online monitoring of the actual condition of such land through the integration of the information systems “E-auksion,” “Yerelektron,” the systems of the Uzbekcosmos agency, “Shaffof qurilish,” and “UzKAD.” In the future, land plots for entrepreneurial purposes will be put up for auction together with ready-made project documentation and permits. Local authorities have been instructed to intensify efforts to bring idle land into economic use.

The meeting also presented a report on preparations for the privatization of major state assets, including UzAuto Motors and its affiliated enterprises, as well as NavoiAzot and a number of thermal power plants.

To improve transparency and efficiency in the management of state assets, it was proposed to establish a digital technology project office within the профильное agency. Its functions will include online monitoring of all privatization processes, the introduction of artificial intelligence elements into the financial analysis of state-owned enterprises, and the automation of the distribution of budget revenues.

Following the meeting, the president instructed responsible officials to consistently reduce the state’s share in the economy, ensure effective management of remaining assets, and accelerate privatization based on modern analytical and digital approaches.