On the eve of the New Year, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev made an impressive, visionary statement—one that more than just restated a policy, it was a blueprint for change. This was done in a speech under the theme, “From Economic Growth to Societal Development”, which was a masterful summary of remarkable what’s been achieved and an ambitious call to go deeper on making people-centred progress. President Mirziyoyev’s proclamation of 2026 as the “Year of Mahalla Development and Development of Society as a Whole” points to a dramatic shift in Uzbekistan’s development approach, which has prioritized significant macroeconomic achievements to improve its citizens’ lives, bolster communities, and encourage the active participation of civil society.
2025 highlights the success of Uzbekistan’s ongoing reform efforts despite the economic downturn and geopolitical uncertainties of that period. For the first time in the history of the country, the GDP has crossed the threshold of $145 billion, exports grew by 23 percent to $33.4 billion and foreign exchange and gold reserves reached more than $60 billion. Strong investment of $43.1 billion supported key projects in industry, energy and infrastructure sectors. The milestones attracted international attention, as the main rating agencies gave Uzbekistan a BB rating for sovereign credit rating, thus giving more opportunities to access the international financial markets. These numbers are more than just statistics; they are a reflection of the real momentum, jobs created, and a solid foundation for future growth.
As remarkable is the degree of social progress achieved through these economic achievements. The use of proactive employment policies has led to a reduction in the unemployment rate from 5.5% to 4.9%, with stable incomes for approximately five million citizens. The poverty rate dropped significantly, from 8.9% to 5.8%, and helped to pull around 1.5 million individuals out of poverty. The state’s assistance is more focused and effective through targeted social support, better access to services and responsive welfare mechanisms. The results are correct and bring to the fore a growing reform programme, with economic resilience directly contributing to social advancement, as President Mirziyoyev noted.
The President’s speech also highlighted Uzbekistan’s development as a leading player on the international arena. It has built a pragmatic, open and balanced foreign policy, which has strengthened the country’s economic ties both locally and internationally, improved regional cooperation and raised the nation’s international profile. The pro-active stance is oriented at the outside and is based on mutual benefit and mutual respect, which makes Uzbekistan an ever more prominent player in Central Asia and the world, oriented on stability and shared prosperity.
Domestically, the speech highlighted key institutional changes that will shape the next few years. The focus of the public procurement system improvement is to increase transparency, competition and efficiency of the procurement process, which are essential for the WTO accession of Uzbekistan and are important measures to ensure. At the same time, the non-negotiable struggle against corruption was brought to the fore. The President said digitalization, transparency and public surveillance are powerful tools that should be deployed to combat this scourge in 2026, a year he termed “extraordinary measures.” His determination to say “no” to corruption – “Allowing corruption is a betrayal of our reforms” – reflects his strong desire to establish institutions that are both trusted and accountable by citizens and partners.
Environmental stewardship was rightly highlighted as one of the important aspects of long-term security and modernization. The upcoming Assembly of the Global Environment Facility and Central Asian International Environmental Exhibition in Samarkand in 2026 reflect Uzbekistan’s proactive role in green development, resource efficiency and environmental cooperation in the region. These efforts offer benefits for the environment as well as opportunities for new income through sustainable partnerships and technologies.
The core of the address is a visionary focus on the mahalla, the traditional neighborhood institution, with a history of mutual support, responsibility and communal harmony. President Mirziyoyev spoke eloquently about the mahalla as the foundation of stability in society: “Order and trust in the mahalla is order and trust in society as a whole.” The leadership turns its focus on developing the mahalla and society in general in the upcoming year. This shift will bring more precise social assistance, more effective local solutions for employment, education, family support and youth development, and foster civic engagement and dialogue between citizens and authorities.
A great message from the President: “A modern, successful state requires that citizens be active and responsible, that they feel they are engaged in the nation’s destiny. The provision of education, culture and sports at the mahalla level is considered well to be an investment in human capital and moral values. “Environment created for our children today is the future of Uzbekistan,” he said, an encouraging message to those whose future is the betterment of the world—both physical and spiritual.
President Mirziyoyev’s speech was a shining example of a well-rounded and balanced leadership. It recognizes economic achievements that it has earned and has not stalled or stagnated, but built on those achievements to create greater social togetherness, institutional strength and citizen participation. Uzbekistan is a country that is developing in a way that is rooted in the living traditions of the mahalla, and is based on the active role of the people, such that the dynamism of the economic sphere, social justice and cultural continuity reinforce each other.
With this positive and promising new political cycle, the Uzbekistan message is loud and clear: the country is not just growing, but also maturing toward a more inclusive, resilient and harmonious society. With the continuous leadership of President Mirziyoyev, the country is destined to make new strides toward prosperity and human progress and to serve as an inspiring model of thoughtful and people-centric governance in the 21st century. The Year of Mahalla Development will be a turning point, one that will help advance the foundation of Uzbek society for generations.
President “The Gulf Observer Research Forum” and the Editor-In-Chief, https://thegulfobserver.com
