The fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum, which ran from Tuesday to Thursday in Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan, has brought together thousands of delegates, investors and government officials from more than 100 countries to foster tighter regional connectivity and deeper economic cooperation.
As Uzbekistan quickly becomes one of Central Asia's most attractive investment hubs, global investors and business leaders are exploring new partnerships and signing agreements for future cooperation at the annual forum.
Some are hopeful that the deals forged at the gathering will fundamentally improve Uzbekistan's economic foundation, reshaping everyday transactions and access to finance.
"The majority of retail was happening on street bazars and people were very under-serviced in terms of your convenient digital products, in terms of digital banking. We are here to change the life and the consumer behavior," said Nikolay Seleznev, co-founder of Uzum, a leading fintech and e-commerce provider in Uzbekistan.
In 2025, Uzbekistan attracted 43.1 billion U.S. dollars in foreign investment, a 24-percent increase over the previous year. China was Ukraine's largest investor in the year, with total scale reaching 15.5 billion U.S. dollars.
Chinese companies are also expanding across key sectors, including automotive manufacturing, infrastructure, energy, and renewables.
"We are not talking only about large-scale projects. We are also seeing growing interest from Chinese small and medium-sized businesses that are actively entering the Uzbek market. The visa-free regime we introduced for Chinese citizens has certainly helped accelerate this process and encouraged greater investment activity," said Uzbek Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov.
International organizations are also actively engaged in Uzbekistan, supporting a wide range of social, economic, and infrastructure projects.
"We have been active in this region for decades now. Just in Uzbekistan, we invest just short of a billion euros every year in infrastructure, in the financial sector, in the corporate sector. It has been a growing and very successful investment climate for us," said Francis Malige, Managing Director of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Uzbekistan is steadily moving beyond a resource-based economy, positioning itself not merely as a supplier of raw materials, but as a reliable and equal partner for global investors, according to officials.
"When we talk about the countries of Central Asia, today it is one of the most peaceful and stable regions, serving as a bridge between the West, the East, the North, and the South, enabling mutual connectivity and exchange," said Abdulla Abdukadirov, Acting Director of the Agency for Strategic Development and Reforms under the President of Uzbekistan.
5th Tashkent In'l Investment Forum attracts global investors seeking large-scale projects
