Uzbekistan Outlines Priorities for Sustainable Development Goals

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan outlined its key achievements and future targets for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during a seminar held at the Institute for Macroeconomic and Regional Studies (IMRS) under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Participants gathered to evaluate national progress across major SDG indicators and identify sectors requiring further action, according to the institute.

One of the most notable outcomes highlighted at the seminar was a sharp decline in the national poverty rate, which dropped from 17 percent in 2021 to 5.8 percent by 2025. Over the same period, the total number of people living in poverty decreased from 6 million to 2.2 million. Officials attributed the decline to targeted social policy, job creation, entrepreneurship support, human capital development, and local community-level outreach conducted under the "mahalla" system.

Progress was also reported in expanding access to preschool and higher education and advancing gender equality. However, challenges persist regarding labor market participation among women, which stands at 43 to 45 percent compared to roughly 70 percent for men. According to International Labour Organization estimates cited at the event, the gender pay gap in the country remains between 25 and 35 percent.

Youth employment formed a major focus of the discussions, as approximately 600,000 young individuals enter Uzbekistan's labor market each year. The youth unemployment rate stood at 8 percent in 2024, while the share of young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET) fell from 25.3 percent in 2005 to 13.7 percent in 2025.

A lack of practical work experience continues to hamper young professionals entering the workforce. An analysis of resumes on the Mehnat.uz portal revealed that 69.1 percent of young job seekers lack prior experience. In a survey conducted by IMRS, 27.2 percent of respondents identified job hunting as their most urgent challenge, while 25 percent highlighted foreign language acquisition.

Uzbekistan also recorded advances in the digital economy and artificial intelligence. The country improved its standing on the AI Readiness Index, moving from 95th position in 2020 to 62nd place in 2025. Seminar participants noted that expanding computing power and technological infrastructure remains the next priority for the sector.

In the energy sector, total installed power generation capacity nearly doubled between 2016 and 2025, reaching 26.9 GW. Solar and wind power generation accounted for 7.6 GW, or 28.2 percent, of the total capacity. The sector attracted approximately US$23 billion in foreign investment in recent years.

Participants pointed out a lag between international statistics and on-the-ground developments. Specifically, Uzbekistan's indicator for the share of renewable energy in final energy consumption featured in the Sustainable Development Report 2026 relies on data from 2022. As a result, recent developments in the energy sector, including newly commissioned generation capacity, have not yet been fully reflected in certain global SDG metrics.

Event participants emphasized that further progress toward the SDGs will require expanding scientific research, improving the quality and timeliness of statistical data, making evidence-based decisions, and regularly evaluating the effectiveness of implemented measures.