New Uzbek Deputy PM to Coordinate Mahalla Affairs

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan’s new deputy prime minister and chairman of the Association of Mahallas of Uzbekistan, Gafurjon Mirzaev, will coordinate the work of hokims, district agencies, the “mahalla seven” and banks. All issues related to mahallas will be considered at a single weekly meeting.

The matter was discussed on 9 September at an expanded meeting chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on employment and increasing household incomes.

The position of deputy prime minister and chairman of the Association of Mahallas of Uzbekistan was established by a presidential decree dated 5 September. Gafurjon Ganiyevich Mirzaev, who previously served as the president’s adviser on personnel matters, was appointed to the post.

One of the new deputy prime minister’s main responsibilities will be to establish a unified system for coordinating the work of local hokimiyats, district agencies, members of the “mahalla seven” and banks. He has also been tasked with integrating the electronic platforms used by these institutions.

Officials responsible for coordinating the “seven” will no longer hold separate meetings on mahalla-related issues. All matters concerning this area will instead be considered once a week at a joint meeting chaired by the deputy prime minister and attended by all responsible officials.

The meeting also noted that mahallas have active residents and members of older generations who are interested in community affairs. They are expected to be brought together around the mahalla and more actively involved in public and community-building initiatives.

According to the president, involving such residents should help reduce dependency and apathy while increasing public participation in addressing local issues.

Mirziyoyev stressed that ensuring effective work directly at the mahalla level, bringing government policy down to the grassroots and creating sustainable sources of income for every family should become key priorities for officials at all levels.

Under the changes introduced by the 5 September decree, the position of deputy prime minister and chairman of the Association of Mahallas was incorporated into the structure of the Cabinet of Ministers. The number of management personnel in the Cabinet’s executive structure was set at 235.

Kahramon Kuranbayev had headed the Association of Mahallas of Uzbekistan since January 2024. Reports of his resignation emerged earlier, but the reasons for the personnel decision and information about his future position were not specified.