Uzbekistan has begun celebrating its 35th anniversary of independence with a large‑scale event in New Tashkent, just days before the official Independence Day on 1 September.
Uzbekistan declared its independence from the Soviet Union on 31 August 1991.
The ceremony gathered Uzbek officials, foreign dignitaries and performers from both Uzbekistan and abroad. International stars such as Spanish tenor José Carreras, British soprano Sarah Brightman and Italian tenor Alessandro Safina shared the stage with local singers and dancers. The programme featured 3‑D projections, sophisticated lighting, robots and a drone display.
New Tashkent, the ambitious urban development flanking the existing capital, was chosen as the venue. Spanning roughly 20 000 hectares, the project is designed for a future population of two million. Its first phase, covering 6 000 hectares, aims to house 600 000 residents and will include residential blocks, universities, cultural and scientific institutions, government offices, business districts and new transport links.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev used the anniversary address to reflect on the nation’s progress since 1991 and to outline priorities for the coming decade.
The reform agenda
He described independence as a rebirth of national identity, honoring the Jadid reformist movement of Central Asian intellectuals and the country’s first president, Islam Karimov. “Independence gave us back our honour and dignity, our mother tongue and our national values,” he said.
Much of the speech highlighted reforms implemented over the past ten years, demonstrating Uzbekistan’s drive to open its economy and strengthen regional and international ties. He noted the eradication of systemic forced and child labour in cotton harvesting, the removal of currency‑conversion restrictions and the easing of residence‑registration rules.
Economic liberalisation was also evident in changes to taxation, customs and investment policy. The president reported that annual foreign investment had risen from roughly $2‑3 bn (€1.7‑2.6 bn) to $40‑50 bn (€34.5‑43.2 bn). He added that the target GDP of $160 bn (€138 bn) by 2030 would now be surpassed as early as 2026.
Poverty, he continued, had dropped dramatically from 35 % in 2017 to just 4 % in the current year.
Seven programmes for the next decade
Mr Mirziyoyev presented the next ten years as a new phase of national development, unveiling seven coordinated programmes covering education, health, the economy, the environment, the rule of law, local governance and foreign policy.
Key economic goals include attracting $450 bn (€388 bn) in foreign investment over the next decade and raising GDP to $300 bn (€259 bn) by 2030. The government also plans to create two million high‑income jobs in industry and to prioritize start‑ups, venture capital and artificial intelligence.
In education, Uzbekistan aims to provide preschool preparation for all six‑year‑olds, adopt international standards in technical colleges, train up to one million young people for higher‑paid professions and place at least ten Uzbek universities within the world’s top 1 000.
Healthcare spending is set to increase to 5 % of GDP within five years, accompanied by an expansion of preventive medicine and a national health‑insurance scheme.
An environmental programme targets water scarcity, committing the government to rollout water‑saving technologies across all cultivated land within five years.
The rule‑of‑law programme will reinforce judicial independence and bolster legal protections for citizens and businesses.
Traditional mahalla neighbourhood systems will gain greater influence, with district budgets, investment plans and infrastructure projects increasingly shaped by local priorities.
A bigger international role
The seventh programme explicitly focuses on Uzbekistan’s global standing. The president pledged to maintain an open, pragmatic foreign policy that deepens ties within Central Asia while expanding partnerships across the European Union, the Americas, Asia‑Pacific, Africa and the Arab and Muslim world.
Uzbekistan is scheduled to chair the Non‑Aligned Movement for the first time from 2027 to 2029, representing more than 120 nations.
Following the speeches, the anniversary festivities transitioned to a spectacular finale. As night fell over New Tashkent, a major concert, elaborate light and visual shows, and drone formations created striking images, concluding the celebrations.
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