Uzbekistan Discusses Privatization and Private Sector Development with WTO

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 4 November 2025, an international seminar on “Supporting Uzbekistan’s Economic Reforms and WTO Accession: Private Sector Development and Redefining the Role of the State” was held at the World Trade Organization (WTO) headquarters in Geneva.

The event took place ahead of the next meeting of the Working Party on Uzbekistan’s WTO accession and brought together representatives from the Agency for Management of State Assets, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and international experts in economics and privatization.

The seminar reviewed the results of Uzbekistan’s sustained and consistent economic reforms.

Alisher Miraliev, Deputy Director of the State Assets Agency, presented an overview of measures taken to simplify and accelerate privatization processes, emphasizing that the sale of state assets is conducted on the principles of full transparency and openness. He highlighted that equal conditions and fair competition have been established for investors.

Since 2021, privatization processes have been carried out in close cooperation with international financial institutions and strategic partners. Laws on “Management of State Property” and “Privatization of State Property” have been adopted, and the legal framework for managing state-involved enterprises has been improved based on best international practices. These measures enhance transparency, accountability, and competitiveness in the economy.

“Our goal is to effectively manage state assets, increase their value, implement successful privatization processes, and thereby reduce the role of the state in the economy, creating new opportunities for the private sector,” Alisher Miraliev stated.

A World Bank representative noted that thanks to reforms initiated in 2017, Uzbekistan has entered a path of sustainable growth and improved competitiveness, becoming one of the world’s most dynamically reforming economies over the past eight years. “Deepening reforms of state-involved enterprises and creating equal opportunities for the private sector are critical for economic growth and successful WTO integration,” the representative added.

Kanokpan Lao-Araya, Director of the Asian Development Bank’s Uzbekistan office, emphasized that the country is steadily transitioning from a state-centered economy to a competitive market economy, and WTO accession will be an important milestone in this process. “Reform of state-involved enterprises lies at the heart of structural transformation. Each privatized enterprise creates new opportunities for entrepreneurship and innovation,” she said.

The seminar also highlighted that under the “Strategy for Management and Reform of State-Involved Enterprises for 2021–2025,” extensive transformations are underway. The number of state-involved enterprises has decreased by 67 percent, reducing the state’s role in the economy and increasing the private sector’s share.

International experts stressed that privatization reforms not only have economic significance but also strengthen institutional resilience, increase investor confidence, and enhance the country’s international standing.