Uzbek Parliament Reviews Cabinet Report for First Half of 2026
Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis reviewed a report from the Cabinet of Ministers on the execution of the State Program for the "Uzbekistan – 2030" Strategy during the first half of 2026, designated as the "Year of Development of the Mahalla and Society as a Whole," according to parliamentary reports. The performance report was delivered by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Jamshid Kuchkarov, after which lawmakers adopted a corresponding decision on the filing.
During the first six months of 2026, Uzbekistan's real gross domestic product growth reached 8.5 percent, bringing total GDP to 1,072.7 trillion soums. Sectoral growth rates included 8 percent in industry, 9.2 percent in services, 13.7 percent in construction, and 4.7 percent in agriculture. State budget expenditure totaled 205.6 trillion soums, with 105.8 trillion soums allocated toward social development.
Foreign investment utilization reached US$28.1 billion in the first half of 2026, marking a 34 percent increase compared to the same period in 2025. Foreign direct investments and loans accounted for US$26 billion of that total, while national exports reached US$15.9 billion.
In terms of social indicators, 506,000 citizens secured permanent employment during the reporting period, incomes increased for more than 2.61 million individuals, and 546,000 informal workers had their employment legalized. Local authorities launched 104,000 micro-projects across local neighborhoods (mahallas), generating employment for 246,000 people. Consequently, the national unemployment rate fell from 4.8 percent at the start of the year to 4.5 percent, while the overall poverty rate dropped to 4.5 percent as 2,756 mahallas were designated as poverty-free areas. Social assistance services were provided 300,000 times to 227,000 low-income families listed in the "Social Register."
Entrepreneurship support measures contributed to the creation of approximately 37,800 new small business entities, while local branches of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry delivered around 70,000 business support services. Following discussions, deputies called for strict oversight on delayed tasks, systematic regional monitoring, and regular assessments to gauge the long-term impact of local job creation and micro-projects on household living standards.
