Deputy prosecutor general appointed as advocate for business and investor rights

Dilmurod Qosimov has been appointed as the Deputy Prosecutor General of Uzbekistan, tasked with overseeing the protection of entrepreneurs’ and investors’ legal rights and interests. This was announced on March 4 during a meeting chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, which focused on poverty reduction, employment, investments, and export performance.

Since the start of the year, a new system has been implemented to ensure employment opportunities for citizens. Collaboration agreements have been signed between 208 district and city governors and bank heads, while “neighborhood bankers” have been assigned to branches. These initiatives led to the employment of 239,000 people in January and 480,000 in February. Additionally, 14 trillion soums in loans have been directed towards small and medium-sized businesses, including 2 trillion soums under entrepreneurship programs.

Citizens are being introduced to income-generating opportunities and ready-to-implement business projects. Those who secure jobs are being registered with the tax committee, and the progress of assigned responsibilities is under review.

During the meeting, progress was reported across regions. Jizzakh, Samarkand, Bukhara, and Navoi regions, along with National Bank, Asakabank, Microcreditbank, and the Business Development Bank, were noted for strong performance. However, results in Sirdaryo region and 24 districts and cities were less satisfactory, leading to disciplinary actions against 30 officials who failed to fulfill their duties effectively.

To build on these efforts, there is a focus on directing the unemployed towards vocational training and productive work in the upcoming months. Farmers are instructed to ensure full utilization of plots for spring sowing, with monitoring conducted through the online-mahalla.uz platform.

In the first two months of the year, Uzbekistan attracted over $6 billion in foreign investments and loans. Projects worth $574 million have been implemented, creating more than 17,000 new jobs. Exports of goods and services reached $2.8 billion, with significant growth observed in jewelry (7x), chemicals (1.7x), electrical goods, and food (1.2x), as well as tourism services (1.6x).

Additionally, international standards have been introduced at 132 enterprises, while 521 companies entered foreign markets for the first time, collectively exporting an additional $183 million in February alone.

President Mirziyoyev’s meeting also addressed sectors and regions with low investment performance, discussing the reasons and solutions. As part of the updates, Dilmurod Qosimov’s role in protecting entrepreneurs’ and investors’ interests was emphasized. Prosecution bodies will now play a critical role in creating a favorable legal environment for businesses.

Officials also reported plans to absorb over $8 billion in foreign investments by the end of the first quarter and explored additional export opportunities.