President: The entrepreneurial movement is becoming a powerful force.

At the beginning of the meeting, the head of state delivered a speech outlining the primary goals and achieved results.

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– The development of entrepreneurship is our strategic task. Entrepreneurs are our strongest support and greatest force. Therefore, their support should become a daily responsibility for all leaders – from the center to the very grassroots. Especially at the local level, hokims should engage more frequently with entrepreneurs, visit their enterprises, and understand their concerns. We must cherish and value business representatives who are talented and possess great potential. They are very valuable people to us, – emphasized Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

In this regard, the activities of the Public Council for the Support of Entrepreneurship, established under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, were highlighted. The Council has become a bridge between the state and business, presenting concrete proposals. This year, 5 laws and 101 decrees and resolutions were adopted concerning crucial issues of business support.

By the end of the year, the total volume of issued loans reached 275 trillion sums. By 2025, this figure is expected to exceed 300 trillion sums. Special attention will be given to lending for small businesses: its share will increase from 28 to 40 percent, reaching 120 trillion sums.

To meet the needs of entrepreneurs, banks plan to attract 6 billion dollars from external sources without state guarantees by 2025. Thanks to the expansion of factoring services, these services have been provided this year for a total of 100 million dollars.

For the development of infrastructure – roads, water supply, electricity and gas supply, railways – 35 trillion sums were allocated in 2024, with plans to allocate 43 trillion sums next year.

To ensure stable energy supply for enterprises, electricity production reached 82 billion kilowatt-hours. With the capacities introduced in 2024, production volume is expected to rise to 90 billion kilowatt-hours in 2025. In 2025, additional capacities of 4.8 gigawatts will be created as part of 25 projects with a total cost of 6.4 billion dollars.

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Currently, there are 24 independent electricity producers operating in the country. In 2025, the wholesale online electricity market will operate for the first time. As an experiment, the electricity networks of the Samarkand, Jizzakh, and Syrdarya regions will be transferred to private sector management.

In the tourism sector, entrepreneurs invested 6.5 trillion sums in the construction of hotels with 24,000 beds. By 2025, this number will increase by another 30,000. In addition to the 17 trade and tourism facilities that were put into operation this year, another 25 complexes will be added next year.

To develop trade, a separate company was established that allocated 350 million dollars for export financing. For every dollar invested, entrepreneurs received 6 dollars in export revenue. In 2024, an additional 300 million dollars will be allocated for these purposes.

In 2024, entrepreneurs purchased 3,000 state-owned properties and 4,000 hectares of land for a total cost of 11.5 trillion sums. In 2025, another 4,500 buildings and 6,000 hectares of land will be offered to businesses.

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The involvement of the private sector in the repair and maintenance of roads, which have long been under state monopoly, is expanding. In 2024, 260 km of roads were handed over to entrepreneurs, and this figure will increase to 3,000 km in 2025. With the support of the Asian Development Bank, 841 km of roads will be constructed in 86 districts by local contractors.

In the railway sector, digitalization and increased operational efficiency have reduced cargo transportation times by 40 percent. By extending the free unloading time for goods at stations from 2 hours to 3 days, entrepreneurs saved 57 billion sums over the year.

The President emphasized the importance of maintaining a stable tax policy to support an attractive business environment. The main tax rates will remain unchanged.

The process of Uzbekistan's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) is entering its final stage. Preferences that contradict WTO rules will be abolished. At the same time, all conditions will be created for market participants to operate in a fair competitive environment.

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Transport and logistics infrastructure also remains a focus of attention. The operation of border points "Khanabad," "Mingtepa," "Karasuv," and "Uchkurgan" has been resumed. In 2025, additional corridors will be constructed at the border crossings "Gishtkuprik," "Navoi," "Davut-ota," "Shavat," and "Gulbahor," which will increase their capacity fivefold.

Despite the challenging geopolitical conditions, the country's economy grew by 6.3 percent in 2024, reaching 111 billion dollars. Investments totaling 38 billion dollars have been attracted to industry, agriculture, and services, with exports exceeding 26 billion dollars.

The President noted the key role of entrepreneurs in achieving these results, as they create jobs and reduce poverty, expressing gratitude to them.

Next year, GDP is expected to increase to 120 billion dollars, exports to 30 billion, and investment volume to more than 42 billion dollars.

During the meeting, there was an exchange of views on the necessary steps to achieve these goals.

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In conclusion, the head of state once again reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the initiatives and projects of entrepreneurs.

– The entrepreneurial movement in Uzbekistan is becoming a great force, and this process is irreversible. No matter how high the goals and tasks we set at the state level, we and our people primarily rely on you. The wealthier our entrepreneurs become, the wealthier our people will be, and the more powerful our state will be. The success of the entrepreneur is the success of our entire nation, – emphasized the President.