President Shavkat Mirziyoyev delivered an address marking the 35th anniversary of the country's independence. The presidential press service released the key quotes from the address.

• "The roots of our great independence trace back to more than three thousand years of statehood traditions and ancient civilization."

• "Independence, above all, restored our honor and dignity, our sacred faith, our native language, and national values that were at risk of being forgotten."

• "We bow in tribute to the memory of our great ancestors and the Jadid reformers who sacrificed their lives for the free life we enjoy today. We honor with deep respect the memory of our first president, the distinguished statesman Islam Karimov."

• "From the very first days of our reforms, we listened to the voice of the people and made it our goal to address their concerns."

• "We have put an end to problems that plagued people for years — forced cotton-picking labor, child labor, currency conversion restrictions and the Soviet-era residency permit system."

• "Over the past decade we searched tirelessly and worked hard to build a society in which every person lives freely and prosperously. We opened Uzbekistan up to the world."

• "We had planned to raise gross domestic product to $160 billion by 2030. We will exceed that target this year alone, moving Uzbekistan into the ranks of upper-middle-income countries."

• "We have cut the poverty rate from 35 percent in 2017 to 4 percent today, improving living standards for 10 million people."

• "Women make up more than half of all students at the country's higher education institutions. Educated girls mean educated families, educated generations and an enlightened society."

• "Alongside education, we consider science, modern technology and innovation to be decisive factors in our development."

• "It is my aspiration that Uzbekistan become a hub offering the world advanced initiatives in technology."

• "Among the most important results of our reforms: average life expectancy has risen from 66.4 years in 1991 to 75.4 years in 2025, while infant and maternal mortality rates have fallen fourfold."

• "Our country is entering an entirely new phase of development. The coming decade will be a period of national ascent for us."

• "In the years ahead, we will implement seven national programs designed to further elevate human dignity."

• "The first national program will make knowledge and skills the primary capital driving our future development."

• "In healthcare, we will shift to a model centered on strengthening preventive care. State medical insurance will be extended to every household in the country."

• "GDP will be raised to $300 billion by 2030."

• "The fourth national program is aimed at fundamentally transforming our approach to water and natural resources."

• "We will firmly continue our reforms to strengthen the legal protections afforded to citizens and entrepreneurs."

• "The mahalla will be made the primary driver of community development."

• "We will continue pursuing a multi-vector, measured and balanced foreign policy to make Uzbekistan a major center of international diplomacy."

• "We are stronger today than we were yesterday. God willing, we will be stronger still tomorrow."

• "When a people and a state unite around a common goal and act with genuine resolve, there is no summit too high to conquer, no force capable of overcoming a nation and state possessed of such great strength."

• "Our resilient, courageous and noble people will undoubtedly achieve the great goals they have set for themselves."

Stay up to date with all the latest news:

Telegram

Facebook