Address by President of Uzbekistan H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Oliy Majlis

We are living in a rapidly changing world where global conflicts of interests and competition are growing, and the international situation is being aggravated. In the face of such harsh situation on the international arena, we need to plan practical actions for the year ahead by highlighting clearly and precisely the priority directions of our development, said the president.

The year 2018 was themed ‘The Year of Support of Active Entreprenuership, Innovative Ideas and Technologies’. In line with this theme, the government implemented 76 thousand projects worth of 21 trillion soums during the past year. We are now witnessing the outcomes of actions initiated last year, with tangible achievements having been reached in the fields of industry, agriculture, major construction, transport, communications and services.

Thanks to the open, pragmatic and active foreign policy pursued in international relations our country’s international reputation to be reliable partner also increased during the past year. In 2018 we exchanged 18 official inter-state visits and signed agreements on 1.080 projects worth US$52 billion.

The investment portfolio of partnerships with the World Bank, EBRD, IDB, ADB and other international finance institutions comprised $8.5 billion in 2018. Meanwhile, the country implemented 456 projects with foreign investments worth of $23 billion.

On the eve of the New Year, I would like to discuss and come to a common decision on what theme we should give to the year 2019.

The international experience demonstrates that those countries, which pursue active investment policy, succeed in steady growth of their economies. Investments bring modern technologies, advanced experiences and skilled expertise to different fields and regions, facilitate development of businesses.

The main aim of investments and developments is to ensure that every signle individual living in our country, irrespective of ethnicity, language and religion, lives free, peaceful and wealthy life, being satisfied of today’s life.

However, prosperity of our country and well being of our people are closely linked with the success of our social reforms. We need to provide worthy education to our youth, bring to reality their endeavors for education and science. In this view, we need to develop pre-school education system, we must radically improve material and technical base of secondary and higher education institutions, the quality of education and academic process.

Improving health of our people and building up healthy life-style are also vital tasks for us. I would like to re-iterate, if we ensure peace and health, all the rest is achievable.

In addition, supporting and helping people with disabilities, with lost breadwinners, lone elderly, in general, all those who need help, are a priority goal for us.

In the forthcoming year, we still need to do a lot to build up even more enabling business and investment environment, creating new jobs, increasing livelihoods of our population, improving pension support.

Considering all of the above, to make logical follow-up of activities launched in 2018 and raise it to higher level, I propose to name the New Year 2019, ‘The Year of Active Investment and Social Development’.

We can achieve sustainable development of our economy only through active attraction of investments, launch of new production capacities, even as positive achievements in the economy will create the foundation to find system solution to problems accumulated in the social field. We need to deeply realize this and need to organize our work in this context.

All of us have to work hard to turn these plans and programs to real results.

There is a great power that gives us confidence and inspiration, zeal and perseverance on this path, and we rely on it and rely on our goals. That power is our people who are tempered with life tests, firm in their words, smart, hardworking, brave and courageous.

We are working hard today, trusting our people, and our youth which are our hope and future. If nation’s purposes are great, its work would be great, life and future would be bright and prosperous. We will not abandon the path of democratic reforms. No matter how difficult it may seem, we will only move forward new and high.

Remember, contributing to the development of a new Uzbekistan is a historic opportunity that our Creator has given to us.