President Highlights Syrdarya’s Achievements and Sets Goals for 2026

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — An extraordinary session of the Council of People’s Deputies of Syrdarya Region was held with the participation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

“The results of our reforms, carried out under the noble motto ‘For the Honor and Dignity of Every Person,’ are clearly visible in the major transformations taking place in Syrdarya, alongside other regions.

Where this region was once primarily agricultural, industry, services, and tourism have now developed from scratch, the business environment has improved, and a layer of advanced entrepreneurs has emerged,” the President said.

Over the past eight years, Syrdarya has attracted US$4 billion in investments. During this period, 187 major production facilities were launched, creating 120,000 jobs. Around 50 new types of products were introduced, and the region’s industrial output grew from 4 trillion to 25 trillion soums.

Thanks to the establishment of thousands of trade and service facilities, the volume of services increased from 1.5 trillion to 12 trillion soums.

Cities such as Gulistan and Yangiyer, as well as the Boyaut, Mirzaabad, Saykhunabad, Syrdarya, and Khovos districts — previously receiving subsidies — have now achieved self-sufficiency.

Next year, in Syrdarya District, a US$122 million automobile production project will be launched in cooperation with Chinese partners.

Recently, in collaboration with Kazakhstan, the International Center for Industrial Cooperation of Central Asia was established in Syrdarya District. In the first quarter of next year, 14 enterprises worth US$300 million will begin operations in the industrial zone of the Center, with an additional 40 projects totaling US$720 million planned for 2026.

Last year, a new system to increase household incomes through efficient use of land plots, development of small industries, and service sectors was launched in Saykhunabad District.

In 13,000 households, incomes rose significantly through the rational use of land plots. A total of 1,800 greenhouses (5–6 sotoks) and 622 smaller greenhouses (2–3 sotoks) were built in local communities.

Over a year and a half, 700 new entrepreneurs started their businesses, 15,000 unemployed people obtained stable income, and 1,500 families escaped poverty.

“It turns out that results can be achieved! You can see for yourselves how life and the mood of people in Saykhunabad, once considered one of the most challenging districts, have changed,” the President said.

Positive changes have also occurred in Syrdarya’s provision of kindergartens, schools, medical facilities, as well as electricity, water supply, sewage, and road infrastructure.

This year alone, US$100 million was allocated to improve living conditions in the region.

As a result, 47 schools, 45 kindergartens, 31 medical facilities, and 5 sports and cultural facilities were renovated and equipped.

Additionally, 22,000 households in Gulistan received access to clean drinking water through the construction of 87 km of new pipelines. By the end of the year, another 9 km of pipelines will provide reliable drinking water to 12,000 households in the Mirzaabad, Sardoba, Boyaut, Khovos districts, and the city of Yangiyer.

Work will continue, and in 2026, an additional US$100 million will be allocated to address electricity, roads, water supply, sewage, and other infrastructure needs in the region.

“We are doing everything to ensure that our people live better, that children receive modern education and acquire professional skills, and that incomes continue to grow. I am confident that if we continue to work with full dedication for another one or two years, Syrdarya will achieve significant growth and development.

To organize such work in the region, we need a decisive, demanding, and, most importantly, capable leader who can promptly address the issues that concern the population and entrepreneurs,” emphasized the Head of State.

During the session, an organizational matter was discussed.

The President noted that, having studied the opinions of the population and entrepreneurs, he had decided to recommend the Acting Hokim, Erkin Turdimov, for the position of Hokim of Syrdarya Region.

Following a discussion with the regional leadership, the appointment was put to a vote. As a result, Erkin Turdimov was confirmed in the position of Hokim of the region.

The Hokim was instructed that, in order to implement plans for the development of Syrdarya, improve the living standards of the population, and make the region one of the leading areas in the country next year, it is necessary to attract US$3 billion in investments, increase exports to US$500 million, and ensure employment for 185,000 people.

The session also addressed the further development of industry, the services sector, and agriculture in Syrdarya, as well as infrastructure improvements. Particular attention is being given to introducing innovations and modern technologies into the regional economy.

In recent years, in cooperation with Chinese investors, 31 enterprises with a total value of US$500 million have been launched in the region, providing high-income jobs for 5,000 residents.

Together with Chinese partners, 40 additional projects worth US$700 million are actively being implemented.

Through the territories of the cities of Yangiyer, Gulistan, and Shirin, as well as the districts of Syrdarya, Bayaut, Gulistan, Mirzaabad, Okoltin, and Khovas, the area of the Syrdarya free industrial zone has been expanded by 1,080 hectares.

It was emphasized that only projects with high added value should be located on each plot within the industrial zone.

Regional and district hokims are expected to implement projects worth at least US$4 billion on the allocated 1,000 hectares.

For this purpose, efficiency calculations for the projects are to be conducted, and a delegation of hokims from the Syrdarya, Bayaut, Gulistan, Mirzaabad, Okoltin, Khovas districts, as well as the cities of Yangiyer, Gulistan, and Shirin, will visit China to present the projects to investors.

A task has been set to establish direct cooperation with Chinese provinces and cities: Jiangsu, Shandong, and Guangdong for construction materials; Tianjin for the chemical industry; Fujian and Hong Kong for electrical engineering; Shandong and Xinjiang for light industry; and Shanghai and Xi’an for pharmaceuticals.

In addition, it was instructed to carefully study the incentives, mechanisms of their application, and projects implemented in the “China – SCO” pilot special economic zone in Qingdao, and to create an “Uzbekistan – SCO” trade and industrial zone in Gulistan, generating at least 5,000 jobs.

Facilities in this zone will be provided to entrepreneurs as ready-to-use projects under industrial mortgage or leasing conditions.

It was noted that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region possesses significant investment and financial potential.

The responsible authorities were instructed to prepare proposals for inviting major Hong Kong companies to Syrdarya, holding an investment forum, and establishing partnership ties between the region and Hong Kong.

Industrial enterprises in Tashkent are being gradually relocated outside the capital.

Many of these enterprises are looking for locations with lower land and property taxes, available labor, and developed infrastructure.

It was highlighted that the Syrdarya Free Economic Zone offers substantial opportunities for relocating Tashkent’s industrial capacities onto available land.

Therefore, entrepreneurs wishing to move their enterprises from Tashkent to Syrdarya will be offered plots in the industrial zone through a simplified procedure and at a discounted rate.

They will also be provided with preferential loans of up to 10 billion soums, as well as reduced railway tariffs for transporting raw materials.

Out of 1,140 industrial enterprises operating in the region, 129 function at low capacity.

This is due to the fact that they purchase components and spare parts from other regions or abroad, which prevents them from competing on cost.

It was noted that if local production of components is established and cooperative networks are created, production costs could be reduced by at least 10%.

In this regard, the proposal to organize component production on 200 hectares adjacent to the Farovon small industrial zone was supported.

Since the territory is located along the railway and connected to the electricity network, no additional infrastructure investment will be required.

The regional administration was instructed to initiate localization projects here worth US$800 million.

Most medium and large enterprises in the region are located in Syrdarya, Gulistan, Saykhunabad, Mirzaabad, and the city of Gulistan.

Entrepreneurs expressed readiness to implement additional projects worth US$200 million, provided that the capacity of the Faruz substation, which supplies their electricity, is increased.

The responsible authorities were instructed to install two 250 MW transformers at the substation and increase its capacity.

Overall, it was noted that by utilizing the industrial potential, the region should create 25,000 high-income jobs, achieve at least 7% industrial growth, and increase the industrial output to 30 trillion soums.

During the session, issues concerning the development of entrepreneurship and service infrastructure were discussed.

In 2026, it is planned to allocate 1.5 trillion soums for improving regional infrastructure and 10 trillion soums for entrepreneurial projects.

Of this amount, 753 billion soums will be allocated directly to regional and district budgets for the first time to improve conditions in local neighborhoods (mahallas).

These funds must now be directed to infrastructure projects in each district and mahalla, which will form a solid foundation for entrepreneurship development, job creation, and increased household income.

The organization of such work was illustrated using the example of the Tinchlik, Elobod, Dustlik, Ulugbek, and Kamolot mahallas of the Syrdarya district.

The passage of 241 kilometers of international highways through seven districts of Syrdarya creates significant opportunities for the development of services and logistics.

A directive was issued to begin reconstructing 74 kilometers of road connecting Syrdarya, Saykhunabad, Gulistan, and Bayaut with Bekabad. This will open the way for hundreds of commercial and service facilities, cafes, restaurants, and recreation areas.

The construction of a large shopping and entertainment complex on 67 hectares along the Dustlik Canal, which passes through the city of Gulistan, was announced.

In addition, large ecotourism complexes totaling 360 hectares will be created in the Sohilobod and Akhillik mahallas of the Gulistan district, as well as in the Kamolot mahalla of the Syrdarya district.

“It is extremely important to continuously seek, study, and implement new approaches and effective solutions to ensure employment for the population and reduce poverty,” the President emphasized.

In this regard, it was instructed to organize internships for the First Deputy Hokims of 11 districts at the International Center for Poverty Alleviation in Beijing.

It was also noted that 50 young residents of Syrdarya should be sent to Beijing to undertake courses in automobile maintenance.

A professional training center will be established at Gulistan University as part of the Chinese “Lu Ban Workshop” program. At the Syrdarya Medical College, a higher education institution specializing in pharmaceutical technologies will be founded in cooperation with China.

Syrdarya region has 287,000 hectares of irrigated land and 16,500 hectares of pastures and forested areas.

This year, 16,000 hectares of desert land were brought into circulation in Mirzaabad, Khavas, and Sardoba, half of which were planted with cotton using new technologies, yielding up to 60 centners per hectare.

Chinese investors have begun developing an additional 12,000 hectares of fallow land that had been unused for 30–40 years, using drip irrigation financed with US$50 million in Bayaut, Gulistan, Okoltin, Khavas, and Syrdarya. Next year, cotton is expected to be cultivated on these lands, with a projected yield of no less than 60,000 tons.

As a result, some low-yield cotton and grain fields will be reduced, and the vacated areas will be allowed for forage crops.

In cooperation with the Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University of China and the Yanling High-Tech Zone, a scientific and innovative center for crop seed production will be established in Syrdarya.

This year, rice was cultivated as the main crop on 10,000 hectares in the region, yielding 53,000 tons.

It was noted that despite good results, attention must be paid to water conservation.

A farmer in Bayaut, implementing drip irrigation, replanted 23 hectares of freed-up land: 8 hectares with rice and 15 hectares with cotton, achieving 5–6 tons per hectare. The most important result was a tenfold reduction in water consumption.

Therefore, hokims of the eight districts where rice is grown were instructed to annually convert at least 2,000 hectares of rice fields to drip irrigation.

To improve irrigation for sowing areas next year, the construction of the “Sultonhovuz” reservoir with a capacity of 100 million cubic meters will begin in Bayaut.

This will allow for two harvests per year on 110,000 hectares in Bayaut, Gulistan, Saykhunobod, Syrdarya, and Mirzaabad.

To maintain the reclamation state of the lands, a phased cleaning of 16,000 kilometers of drainage canals in the region has been tasked.

Nearly 200,000 hectares of agricultural land are subject to severe and moderate salinization. A pilot project for improving the condition of saline lands in Syrdarya was instructed, with a subsequent three-year program for improving land reclamation planned based on the results.

It was noted that Syrdarya should become a model region in water resource management.

The Hungarian company “Bonafarm” has begun creating a poultry cluster in Bayaut, Khavas, Mirzaabad, and Yangier.

If implemented, this project will fully meet the region’s demand for poultry meat and eggs.

In the Khavas district, with the allocation of 50 hectares of land, Hungarian entrepreneurs plan to create a technopark and invest US$300 million.

The regional hokim was instructed to visit Hungary, present the opportunities of Syrdarya, and develop a project package.

From the Hungarian side, it was proposed to implement the “Smart Village” program in two mahallas of Khavas. Under this program, transparency in fund allocation, support for needy families, availability of jobs, and opportunities for entrepreneurs will be publicly displayed for residents through a unified open system.

The regional hokim and the Agency for Management Efficiency were instructed to jointly begin implementing this new experience with Hungarian partners.

The President noted initiatives aimed at simplifying the lives of the population and entrepreneurs of Syrdarya by reducing distances and facilitating problem-solving.

The 37-kilometer section of the A-373 road through Saykhunobod and Gulistan districts is in poor condition, forcing traffic to move through the city.

A directive was issued to start reconstructing this road with expansion to six lanes.

In cooperation with the Asian Development Bank, a project for the construction of internal roads is underway. Under this program, 67 kilometers of roads in 18 mahallas of Bayaut, Gulistan, Khavas, Mirzaabad, Syrdarya, and Saykhunobod will be converted to cement concrete.

Since the 5-kilometer section of the Dustlik Canal passing through the city of Gulistan has been reconstructed, recreational zones have been created along its banks.

Next year, it is planned to convert the remaining 3.5 kilometers of the canal to a concrete cover.

Given that approximately 10,000 new families appear in Syrdarya each year, to meet housing needs, 3,100 apartments in multi-story buildings are scheduled to be commissioned by the end of this year, and in 2026, an additional 80 buildings with 3,500 apartments will be constructed.

Two days ago, a gas cylinder exploded at a food outlet within the household goods market in the Tarakkiyot district of Gulistan city, injuring 29 people.

Unfortunately, there were casualties. The President expressed his deep condolences to the families of the deceased.

Within three days, each family of the deceased will receive financial assistance of 100 million soms.

Under the directive of the Director of the Republican Emergency Medical Center, ten qualified doctors are providing the victims with free, high-quality medical and psychological assistance.

The responsible authorities were instructed to promptly determine the causes of the incident and ensure the rule of law.

It was noted that this tragedy must serve as an important lesson for the emergency management system. During the winter months, all responsible parties must operate on a 24/7 schedule to prevent similar incidents.

“Today, together with you, we have defined major plans and goals for the further development of the region, for improving the lives of the population and entrepreneurs, for reducing distances, and for simplifying problem-solving.

Undoubtedly, relying on the constructive, initiative-driven, and selfless qualities of the residents of Syrdarya, we will surely achieve these goals.

In conclusion, I want to express my deep respect and admiration to the elderly fathers and mothers, hardworking entrepreneurs and farmers, energetic youth, and the entire population of Syrdarya,” the President said at the end of the session.

During the session, reports from responsible officials were heard, as well as the opinions and proposals of the participants.