The Agency for Industrial Cooperation and Public Procurement of Uzbekistan organized another open meeting on August 14, 2026, with representatives of local businesses and producers. The event took place in Tashkent and focused on increasing the participation of domestic producers in public procurement, developing industrial cooperation, and identifying systemic difficulties faced by entrepreneurs.
During this open dialogue, participants discussed specific business proposals and potential practical ways to resolve them. About 200 entrepreneurs and local producers attended the event: 70 people were present in person in Tashkent, and more than 120 regional representatives joined online. The meeting was also attended by agency leadership, operators of electronic public procurement systems, representatives of international organizations, the expert community, supervisory bodies, as well as ministries and departments.
Participants reviewed current reforms in the field of public procurement and industrial cooperation, examined opportunities created for local producers, ways to expand their participation in public procurement, the use of e-commerce platforms, and practical problems faced by businesses.
This latest meeting continued the agency's work on organizing systematic interaction with the business community. To date, open meetings with entrepreneurs have been held in all regions of the republic, covering 208 districts and cities, with a total of 2710 entrepreneurs participating.
Additionally, specialized open dialogues were organized in the sectors of agriculture and food processing, light industry, and pharmaceuticals to study business problems and proposals in these industries in more detail. These events attracted 450 entrepreneurs who raised 30 issues, 20 of which were resolved on the spot.
The open meetings allowed for a systematic study of entrepreneurs' problems, proposals, and initiatives in various regions and sectors as part of preparations for the Sixth Open Dialogue of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan with Entrepreneurs. During the regional meetings, 447 problems and proposals were voiced. Of these, 155 issues were resolved immediately, 75 received legal and practical clarifications for entrepreneurs, and corresponding measures were determined for the remaining 214 issues with subsequent monitoring.
Most appeals concerned product placement and moderation on electronic platforms, certification and licensing requirements, specific demands made by public customers, delays in payment of contractual obligations, promotion of domestic products in the public procurement system, and the use of electronic procurement systems.
According to Presidential Decree No. UP-17 dated February 4, 2026, a new system for supporting local production, expanding industrial cooperation, and effectively utilizing domestic demand was introduced to develop national industry. Within this system, additional advantages and opportunities were created for local producers to actively participate in public procurement.
Specifically, when local producers compete with foreign suppliers in budget-funded public procurements, they are provided with a mechanism for price preferences ranging from 8 to 15 percent, depending on the number of local producers involved. Producers with high and medium sustainability ratings receive a 50 percent discount on intermediary commission for participating in procurement, as well as the option to waive additional collateral.
Furthermore, budgetary customers and local producers can conduct tenders in the format of a 'local auction'. Advance payments proportional to the localization level are permitted for supplies with a localization level of 30 percent or higher. At the meeting, entrepreneurs were also provided with explanations on how to effectively utilize these opportunities, increase demand for domestic products, establish connections with public customers, and increase the participation of local producers in public procurement.
In the first half of 2026, the volume of public procurement in Uzbekistan reached 188.4 trillion soms. Competitive procurement accounted for about 113 trillion soms, and thanks to procurement procedures, an amount of 7.8 trillion soms was saved. Nevertheless, these figures indicate significant potential for further attracting entrepreneurs to public procurement.
Currently, there are over 646,000 enterprises operating in the country. About 344,000 of them are registered in electronic public procurement systems. However, only about 126,000 entrepreneurs actually participate in public procurement, and approximately 36,000 enterprises sign contracts based on procurement procedures. Therefore, special attention during the open dialogue was paid to expanding the participation of small and medium-sized businesses, local producers, and women entrepreneurs in public procurement.
Participants discussed the need to improve entrepreneurs' qualifications in working with electronic platforms, expanding their participation in competitive tenders, and more effectively using existing mechanisms to bring domestic products to the public procurement market.
As a result of the open dialogue, an agreement was reached on joint work to solve entrepreneurs' problems and proposals with the participation of responsible organizations, as well as on defining specific deadlines and subsequent practical steps. The Agency will systematize the appeals received from entrepreneurs in the regions and during today's meeting by sector and directly according to relevant areas.
Joint systemic measures will be developed aimed at eliminating existing barriers and further expanding opportunities for business, together with interested ministries and departments to resolve the identified issues. Proposals requiring changes to current legislation will undergo separate analysis, and appropriate suggestions will be prepared in the established manner.
The open dialogue with local producers served as another platform for direct interaction between the government and business, which allowed not only to identify existing problems but also to determine specific practical mechanisms for their resolution.
Islam Abdurakhmonov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of JSC "O'zbekgidroenergo", organized an open meeting with entrepreneurs on August 11, 2026, at the UzHydroPower reservoir located in the Bostanlyk district of Tashkent region, Uzbekistan.
The main goal of the event was to promote the development of hydropower, expand the construction of small and micro-hydroelectric power plants (SHPPs), and increase private sector participation through public-private partnerships.
The meeting gathered senior executives from JSC "Gidroproyekt" and other subsidiaries of "O'zbekgidroenergo", representatives of AOB Turonbank, as well as about twenty entrepreneurs. At the beginning of the session, participants were presented with detailed information about current projects of "O'zbekgidroenergo", plans for the construction of small and micro SHPPs, opportunities for local production, and new prospects for private investors.
Discussions covered practical aspects of project implementation, including selecting optimal construction sites, preparing design documentation, determining technical solutions, sourcing equipment for hydropower, carrying out installation work, and commissioning facilities. Entrepreneurs asked industry specialists questions regarding design, cost estimation, compliance with technical requirements, equipment procurement, construction logistics, commissioning, and project financing.
Representatives of Turonbank provided information on preferential lending conditions, financing mechanisms, and procedural requirements for developers. "O'zbekgidroenergo" confirmed its readiness to support private sector initiatives at all stages—from initial design to operation launch—with an emphasis on promptly resolving emerging issues directly at the site.
During the event, attendees visited the production workshops of UzHydroPower, which operates as a joint venture with the Chinese company Zhejiang Jinlun Electromechanic Co., Ltd. This plant produces hydro-generators, turbines, generators, pumping equipment, and metal structures for reservoirs ranging from 1 kW to 40 MW. The enterprise's production capacity is aimed at supporting small and micro SHPP projects using localized competitive equipment.
After the dialogue concluded, officials reviewed the proposals submitted by entrepreneurs, identified practical solutions, and assigned specific tasks to responsible employees to accelerate the development of private SHPPs.
The Ministry of Mining and Geology of Uzbekistan reported that representatives from Uzbekistan and PwC Consulting held discussions on prospects for joint work.
The areas of cooperation under discussion include geology, critical minerals, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence. The meeting took place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
The First Deputy Minister of Mining and Geology, Feruza Khamidova, held the meeting with PwC Consulting representative David Goginashvili. The parties discussed the possibility of developing a partnership in the listed fields and implementing joint projects.
Participants expressed readiness for further expansion and continuation of cooperation between the parties.
The Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan, Bakhtiyor Saidov, held a one-on-one meeting with the Foreign Minister of India, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, in New Delhi on August 3.
During the talks, both ministers reviewed important issues concerning the further development of strategic partnership and multifaceted cooperation between Uzbekistan and India.
The sides noted the active expansion of practical interaction, which aligns with agreements reached at the highest level, and emphasized the need to continue substantive dialogue at various levels of participation.
Furthermore, the ministers exchanged views regarding the schedule of upcoming bilateral meetings and high-level events.
