Shavkat Mirziyoyev Announces Creation of 10,000 New Jobs at Termez International Trade Center

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced a major expansion of the Termez International Trade Center. During a meeting on 27 February, the head of state stated that the center’s area will be increased to 1,000 hectares, and its export volume is planned to reach US$1 billion by 2027.

According to Mirziyoyev, the center is already showing significant results. In 2025, it welcomed over 800,000 visitors from Afghanistan, with exports totaling US$320 million.

The President noted that entrepreneurs and investors proposed expanding the center’s operations and establishing large-scale production facilities on its territory, which prompted the decision to enlarge its area.

Responsible agencies have been tasked with increasing the center’s export volume to US$600 million this year and to US$1 billion next year, while also creating an additional 10,000 jobs.

Mirziyoyev emphasized that the implementation of these new projects will lead to a substantial increase in the number of entrepreneurs and visitors coming to trade. To ensure law and order within the center, a dedicated prosecutor’s office and a special law enforcement unit will be established.

Additionally, the sale of goods and provision of services within the center will now be classified as export activity, subject to a zero percent value-added tax rate.

The project dates back to 2021, when the President first announced the construction of the Termez International Trade Center in Surkhandarya region.

In 2024, the center’s free trade zone was authorized to accept payments in US dollars, euros, rubles, and yuan, and visitors could enter via a special corridor without a visa for up to 15 days. In August of the same year, the center officially opened, including retail outlets, hotels such as Hilton Garden Inn, the Akfa Medline medical center, and other facilities.

Statistics show that over the past five years, trade between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan has increased 2.5 times, from US$653 million in 2021 to US$1.68 billion in 2025, with Uzbek exports accounting for US$1.5 billion. The next target is to reach US$5 billion in trade turnover.