Eleven projects worth $592 million have been launched in Uzbekistan's Karakalpakstan, and construction has begun on another 47 projects with a total value of $7 billion. According to the press service of the President of Uzbekistan, the implementation of initiatives involving foreign partners will create 8,000 high-paying jobs.
These projects cover sectors such as energy, digital economy, industry, transport, healthcare, and services. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev participated in the opening ceremony of facilities and the start of construction work during his visit to the region.
In recent years, conditions for attracting investment and entrepreneurship have improved in Karakalpakstan. The republic's gross regional product increased from 8.5 trillion soums in 2016 to over 54 trillion soums by early 2026. The share of the private sector in production reached 66%, and the number of operating business entities increased by 2.5 times to 26,500.
Over the past nine years, more than $5 billion in investments have been attracted to the region to create high-income jobs. It is expected that the volume of foreign investment will reach $2.5 billion in 2026. The number of foreign and joint ventures has increased by 2.2 times compared to 2018, reaching 271.
Two wind power plants with a total capacity of 300 MW and an energy storage system with a capacity of 100 MW have been commissioned in the Karauzyak district. In the Kungrad district, active construction has begun on a wind power plant with a capacity of 1.5 GW valued at $2.6 billion. This project is being implemented jointly with the Saudi company Acwa and includes the construction of 1,500 km of high-voltage transmission lines, three 500 kV substations, and the modernization of two others.
The Sheikh Khalifa Hospital has started operating in Nukus, built in cooperation with the UAE. This facility costs $27 million, has 100 beds, and has created 80 jobs. Additionally, the Karakalpakstan Scientific and Practical Medical Academy will be used to improve healthcare quality and specialist training.
In the Takhiyatas district, the first stage of a modular intelligent computing center managed by Linkwise, worth $150 million, has been launched. Projects for producing digital currency and creating artificial intelligence data centers are being implemented in the Kungrad and Takhiyatas districts with Chinese partners, totaling $2.281 billion. Another data center will be built in the Takhtakupyr district.
For the development of public transport in Nukus, the SAPSAN TRANS NO‘KIS project worth $20 million has been launched. Twenty-five buses and electric buses have already been delivered, and another 75 electric buses are expected by the end of the year. The project will create 200 jobs.
In the transport sector, construction has begun on a 92-kilometer section of the A-380 Guzar-Bukhara-Nukus-Beyneu highway in cooperation with the Asian Development Bank. The cost of this project is $233 million. Furthermore, with the participation of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the purchase of 112 electric buses for Nukus and the construction of a bus fleet are planned.
In the Chimbay district, a project has been launched to produce 3 million cubic meters of biogas annually by processing straw root in collaboration with Korean investors. In the Karauzyak district, a gold mining enterprise worth $20 million will be established at the Zengibobo deposit, and a shopping center worth $15 million will be built in the Amudarya district.
In the social sector, a university of medical sciences and a hospital for high-tech medical care are being established in partnership with Indian partners based on public-private partnerships. In Nukus, on the bank of the Dustlik channel, a shopping and entertainment center worth $103 million with recreational areas will be built with the participation of Turkish partners.
A concept for the New Uzbekistan residential area in Nukus was also presented at the ceremony. 270 hectares of land have been allocated for its construction, and the preparation of design documentation has begun. The development is planned to include multi-story residential buildings for 30,000 residents, as well as business, retail, service, and entertainment facilities.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev called on representatives of the older generation, scientists, and the public to monitor the implementation of each project. In his opinion, this approach should contribute to improving family welfare, creating opportunities for youth, and building a sustainable economic foundation for the Aral Sea region.
