Uzbekistan’s GDP growth accelerated to 8.7% in the first quarter of the year, president Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced during the government meeting today. This marks a significant jump of 1.9 percentage points compared to the 6.8% growth recorded during the same period in 2025.
According to Shavkat Mirziyoyev, key sectors also saw robust expansion: industry grew by 8% (up from 6.5%), services surged by 16.1% (up from 7%), and agriculture rose by 5.1% (up from 3.8%).
President Mirziyoyev noted that the country is maintaining steady economic growth fueled by high business activity. He pointed out that this momentum is backed by the International Monetary Fund’s latest report and Uzbekistan's rising standing in international rankings. Notably, Uzbekistan climbed 14 spots in the Index of Economic Freedom to 86th place. With a score of 60.3—surpassing the global average of 59.9—the country has entered the "moderately free" category for the first time.
However, he cautioned that a strong first quarter does not guarantee smooth sailing for the rest of the year.
"I repeat: in an era of escalating global conflicts, contradictions, and power struggles, the world will no longer be as 'stable' as it once was," he stated. "In this environment, every leader must completely overhaul their traditional work methods, approaches, and, if necessary, their entire mindset."
Mirziyoyev noted that in 2026, 140 trillion soums are being channeled through banks to support small and medium-sized businesses. However, the efficiency of these funds varies significantly from one region to another.
For instance, while every 1 billion soums in credit generates 20 permanent jobs in Shirin, 17 in Uchkuduk, 14 in Khanabad and Sokh, and 13 in Tomdi district, the same investment yields an average of only 3 jobs in the Uchkuprik, Pskent, Bostanlyk, Karmana, and Kurgantepa districts.
To address this, the meeting set a goal to integrate Artificial Intelligence into project selection and credit allocation processes. The president criticized the slow pace of training regional and district bankers in AI technologies. He ordered immediate training sessions and the launch of an "AI Advisor" platform within the banking system.
This platform is intended to help entrepreneurs analyze project parameters, risks, and market demand, providing ready-made solutions to secure financing.
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