Development strategy of the new Uzbekistan

On November 6, in Tashkent, at a joint meeting of the chambers of the Oliy Majlis, a solemn ceremony of inauguration of the elected President of the Republic of Uzbekistan took place.

In accordance with Article 92 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the President took the oath: “I solemnly swear to faithfully serve the people of Uzbekistan, strictly follow the Constitution and laws of the republic, guarantee the rights and freedoms of citizens, and in good faith fulfil the duties assigned to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.”

After taking the oath, the head of state made a speech on the directions of development of our country, which will be a priority for the next five years.

“We have developed a Strategy for the Development of New Uzbekistan and widely discussed it together with the people during the election campaign,” the head of state said. – In this important conceptual document, in order to ensure the consistency and continuity of our transformations, the main idea is “From an Action Strategy to a Development Strategy”.

It is noted that this strategy consists of seven directions.

First, large-scale reforms will be raised to a new level aimed at building a state that cares about the dignity, ensuring the legitimate interests and well-being of each of its citizens, regardless of their nationality, language and religion, based on the further development of a free civil society.

In this regard, we will pay special attention to the implementation of the idea of “New Uzbekistan – a people’s and humane state”. To this end, we will increase the role and responsibility of local governments in solving local problems. In the future, most of the functions of the state will be transferred from the centre to the regions.

In order to interconnect the mahalla system, which is the backbone of the management of society and reflects the results of the reforms, and the khokimiyats, the position of assistant khokim will be introduced in each mahalla. He will be responsible for job creation and poverty reduction. The responsibility of the mahalla chairman will include the implementation of spiritual and educational work, the formation of a healthy atmosphere in families and mahalla.

Representatives of the Agency for Youth Affairs will also operate in the mahallas, who will deal with youth issues on an ongoing basis.

Along with this, in order to expand the financial capabilities of khokimiyats and mahallas, funds from additional sources will come to the district budget, separate funds will be formed for each mahalla.

Another important task is to create a compact and effective management system focused on the needs of citizens by transforming central departments. For this, first of all, a specific procedure for the formation and abolition of ministries and departments will be developed, criteria delimiting their powers, requirements for their structure and staffing. Offices with duplicate functions will be optimized.

We will abandon outdated bureaucratic methods by introducing new approaches to the interaction of central departments with their territorial structures. At the same time, the powers of ministries and departments will be expanded to independently and promptly resolve socio-economic issues in the regions.

A system of reporting by managers on the implementation of programs adopted for each industry and region will be established.

Along with this, it is necessary to create additional legal foundations for the transformation of the People’s Receptions into a structure that expresses the opinion of society.

At the same time, new, modern approaches to the selection and placement of personnel will be applied. Personnel will be recruited to the civil service on a competitive basis, criteria for continuous professional development, performance evaluation and promotion will be determined for them.

Henceforth, the development of each region, sphere and industry will be assessed depending on how well the rights and legitimate interests of citizens are ensured in the relevant area of ​​work.

In this regard, I would like to add the following basic principle “It is not the people who serve the state bodies, but the state bodies must serve the people”: “Leaders must serve not only the state but above all the person and his family, ensuring their legitimate interests.”

Therefore, every official is obliged to know everything, to the smallest detail, about the life of the mahalla and the region. As our ancestors said, a leader should not be a burden for the people, but, on the contrary, make their life easier. Today our people, life itself, will no longer accept a leader who is unable to understand such an urgent requirement of the times.

A particularly important role in the implementation of the Development Strategy of New Uzbekistan belongs to senators and deputies, who are people’s representatives.

Priority attention will be paid to the development and implementation of the concept of lawmaking, which will further improve the work of the Oliy Majlis, accelerate the development of New Uzbekistan, as the people expect from us, democratize the lawmaking process and strengthen parliamentary control over the implementation of legislation.

In this regard, it is advisable for the parliament to take control of the work with citizens’ appeals on a national scale, as well as hear the reports of the heads of local executive authorities with the adoption of effective measures based on the results.

Based on the experience of developed democratic countries, public and state government should be carried out not on the basis of the subjective opinion of individual leaders, in other words, their preferences and moods, but on the contrary, through the activities of institutions with a solid legal basis.

I think the time has come to start solving another important issue facing us, namely, to legislatively define the specific powers of local Kengashes of people’s deputies and khokims.

The focus of our attention will be on the creation of the necessary conditions for the free activity of civil society institutions, their active participation in public and state administration, further improvement of the mechanisms of their state support. To this end, the work on the organization of the Public Chamber will be accelerated.

It is necessary to solve urgent tasks to strengthen the participation of civil society institutions in the implementation of public control and the implementation of social projects.

To further deepen democratic transformations in our country, important measures are being taken to ensure freedom of speech and the press, the right of citizens to receive and disseminate information, and the free expression of their opinions and views.

Yes, it is possible that some officials, who think of outdated stereotypes, do not like to work in conditions of openness and publicity, to learn to correctly perceive criticism of their activities. And yet, in spite of everything, we will consistently continue this course, which we consider to be one of the most important directions of state policy.

To this end, it is envisaged to strengthen the liability of officials of state bodies and organizations established by law for committing actions that impede the work of the media, the establishment of censorship, illegal interference in their activities, pressure on editorial staff, illegal confiscation of materials and necessary technical means from them.

In a word, all journalists and bloggers acting in accordance with the law will continue to be protected by the law and the President.

Secondly, the fundamental and necessary condition for building a people’s state, respecting the honour and dignity of a person is to ensure justice and the rule of law.

Over the past period, significant work has been done in Uzbekistan in this direction. Today we are faced with a number of tasks to ensure the true independence and openness of the justice system, improve the activities of law enforcement agencies, strengthen the role of the institution of the legal profession, and digitalize this entire area.

Appropriate measures will be taken to improve the activities of administrative courts based on international standards.

We must create a system in which the court, restoring the rights of citizens and entrepreneurs, stands on the protection of private property, obliges the executive bodies to act within the framework of the law, which contributes to the development of society, primarily its economic progress.

We fully support the rights of entrepreneurs and property owners, who play a decisive role in the development of our country and improving the well-being of the population. We regard the violation of the law in relation to them as an absolutely unacceptable emergency situation.

In this regard, the priority of private property in our laws will be defined as the main principle. Conditions will be created under which it will be impossible to violate the rights of persons acquiring property, trusting the information of state departments.

Another important issue is the fight against corruption, which has been raised to the level of state policy over the past five years. Thus, the National Council for Combating Corruption was created, headed by the Chairman of the Senate. In addition, the Anti-Corruption Agency is actively functioning.

We will continue to direct all the forces and means of the state and society to eradicate such a negative phenomenon that hinders our development.

Activities in this direction should not be limited to bringing the perpetrators to justice. It is necessary to eliminate not only the consequences of cooperation but also the causes that cause it, using effective preventive measures.

However, we all well understand that it is impossible to fight corruption only by legal measures. Here, the formation in the minds of the entire population, especially young people, of an irreconcilable attitude to this vice, the unification of all healthy forces of society is of decisive importance.

In building a strong civil society and state, it is very important to raise the legal consciousness and culture of the population, to bring to the general public the essence and significance of the laws and regulations being adopted.

Therefore, the formation of citizens’ respect for the law and law-abidingness should be a priority task for all educational institutions, from kindergartens and schools to higher educational institutions, as well as every family.

 

Dear participants of the meeting!

During the pre-election meetings of all candidates, representatives of the electorate put forward another important proposal, which is demanded by life itself and dictated by the logic of our transformations. This is the implementation of constitutional reform in the country.

As world practice shows, constitutional reforms were carried out in many states during the period of cardinal changes. Therefore, having once again consulted with senators and deputies, the general public, the people, having studied the world experience of constitutional construction, we must carefully consider the issue of improving the Basic Law that determines the current and future development of the country.

Thirdly, the priority task is to develop the national economy and increase its growth rates.

We have set ourselves the goal of further increasing the gross domestic product per capita by mobilizing the resources and opportunities available in the country for this. As a result, by 2030 Uzbekistan should join a number of states with per capita incomes above the average level. It is planned to achieve this goal primarily by stimulating the private sector and increasing its share, as well as attracting foreign direct investment. For example, on the basis of the principle “from raw materials to finished products”, we will develop a cluster system in the driver industries.

To achieve high rates of economic growth, priority measures will be taken to ensure macroeconomic stability and reduce inflation to 5 percent.

We also attach paramount importance to ensuring the stability of the budget and external debt, expanding the capabilities of local budgets.

We will resolutely continue the initiated reforms to further support entrepreneurship, reduce the tax burden, create a level playing field for all businesses and the necessary infrastructure.

Accelerating the transformation and privatization of state-owned enterprises remains one of the priority tasks of economic reform.

By creating a market based on free competition, guaranteed supply of the population and entrepreneurs with energy resources will be achieved.

By 2026, it is planned to reduce poverty by 2 times through ensuring employment of the population, training youth and unemployed citizens in demanded professions at the expense of the state, developing family entrepreneurship, and targeted support of socially vulnerable segments of the population.

At the same time, the quality and scale of the provision of social services will increase by reforming the social protection management system.

Another important task will be at the center of our attention – solving the housing issue, creating a comfortable living environment for the population. Over the past five years, based on the programs we have adopted, including the construction of affordable housing, more than 140,000 new apartments and individual houses have been commissioned. This is 10 times more than was built in the previous five-year period.

We will expand the scale of this work and build in the region “New Uzbekistan” massifs with all amenities and social infrastructure for more than 1 million people. The implementation of the programs “Obod Mahalla” and “Obod Kishlok” will be consistently continued.

At the same time, large projects are planned to provide the population with clean drinking water, lay modern roads and communication networks, improve the operation of public transport, as well as regular road, rail and air communication between the regions.

Accelerated development, radical efficiency improvement and diversification of agriculture as a strategic industry are extremely important for us. An urgent task in this area is the processing of agricultural products on the basis of clusters and ensuring food security.

One of the main directions of our reforms is to improve the quality and standard of living of the rural population. To this end, we will create the necessary conditions to double the income of farmers and dehkans, and bring the annual growth rate of agriculture to at least 5 percent.

Fourth, we will continue to focus on the implementation of a fair social policy, ensuring quality education and upbringing as the most important factor in the development of human capital.

To form the foundation of the Third Renaissance in our country, we need modern knowledge and education. I repeat, knowledge and education. We need highly qualified teachers and mentors, professors and teachers, real intelligentsia, capable of taking responsibility for our current and tomorrow’s development, the fate of youth.

We must openly admit that we are all indebted to these hardworking and selfless people. In this regard, no matter how difficult it may be, we use all our strengths and opportunities to adequately stimulate the work of teachers and professors. Measures will be taken to bring the monthly salary of teachers of the highest category to 1 thousand dollars in equivalent by 2025.

In this direction, we will, first of all, improve the preparation of children for school by harmonizing the systems of preschool and school education. Dozens of new preschool educational institutions will be built in all regions of the country. For example, every year kindergartens will be provided with 2 million copies of modern educational literature.

Improving the professional training and skills of kindergarten workers is also important. For this purpose, the qualifications of more than 160 thousand teaching staff will be improved.

Taking into account the growing number of children, it is necessary to develop a National Education Program aimed at building new and strengthening the material and technical base of existing schools, ensuring continuous communication between all parts of the education system.

The priority task for us will be to bring the level of coverage of preschool education from 62 percent to at least 80 percent, higher education – up to 50 percent, improving the quality and content of the educational process in schools.

Along with the creation of new higher educational institutions, we will rapidly continue the work begun on providing students with places to live during their studies.

The main task of the Development Strategy will be to ensure the health of the population. Over the next five years, it is planned to double allocations in this area, including bringing the wages of doctors of the highest category to an equivalent of $ 1,000.

Our goal is to turn national health care into a highly effective system that contributes to the qualitative improvement of public health.

Special attention will be paid to medical prevention carried out by primary health care, increasing the role of family doctors. In particular, measures will be taken to early detection of diseases that are most common among the population and are the main cause of premature death, to carry out targeted screening activities, to provide free special preventive drugs and to widely promote a healthy lifestyle.

At the same time, the fundamental task will be through the introduction of information technologies to prevent corruption in the field, most importantly, to increase the availability of medical services to the population.

The coverage of specialized medical care in regions, districts and cities will expand. It is planned to introduce a system of state medical insurance, funds will be allocated with reference to a specific patient.

The development of physical culture and sports, the formation of a healthy lifestyle will remain important areas for us. Speaking about the establishment of a healthy lifestyle, we mean the creation of a system for the widespread involvement of the population in sports, which will serve primarily to improve people’s health.

To this end, special attention will be paid to the development of mass sports in all cities and regions, in particular, the construction of appropriate infrastructure – sports grounds, pedestrian and bicycle paths, eco-parks, sports halls in educational institutions. We will increase the number of sports schools and build new sports facilities for the development of the Olympic and Paralympic movement. In this direction, comprehensive programs will be implemented to develop and popularize each sport included in the program of the Olympic Games.

 

Dear friends!

Providing care and attention, honouring the representatives of the older generation is an integral part of the spiritual values ​​of our people. It is our sacred duty to preserve these good traditions, to bring up children in their spirit.

It is no secret that in the current era of globalization, difficult conditions of a pandemic and an economic crisis, older people in some regions of the world are left alone with their problems. Taking this into account, we should strengthen the work begun on creating decent conditions for the older generation, strengthening their health, filling their lives with even deeper meaning and content. Our respected veterans must constantly feel that they occupy an honourable place in their families and are in demand by society.

In this regard, it is important to expand the practice of conducting spiritual and educational events, such as the “Meeting of Three Generations” and “Week of the Elderly”, which raise their spirits and mood, as well as to develop and implement in each district separate programs to support veterans.

The further establishment of an atmosphere of kindness, mercy and spiritual generosity in our society will be facilitated by ensuring the rights and legitimate interests of persons with disabilities, we will pay special attention to this. Most importantly, this system should work in such a way that people in this category feel like full members of society.

Based on world experience, in order to guarantee the provision of persons with disabilities with jobs and sources of income, the current legislation will be amended to establish a specific quota for them.

As you know, our country pays serious attention to supporting children left without parental care and in need of care, their education and upbringing, vocational training and housing, so that they can take a worthy place in society.

Our common duty is to organize the upbringing of children living in Mehribonlik homes and special boarding schools in a family-like environment, educated, with a profession, for this purpose, to consistently continue the work begun on the basis of the “charity notebooks”.

I would like to cite one example that testifies to the effectiveness of our work in this direction. Over the past three months, dozens of children raised in such institutions have been adopted and adopted by noble and generous people. It is noteworthy that due to this, three houses “Mehribonlik” and one “Children’s Town” ceased their activities.

On behalf of our people and on my own behalf, I express my deep gratitude to the kind and child-loving compatriots who demonstrate the high human qualities inherent in our mentality, as well as to entrepreneurs, intellectuals and employees of the National Guard, who have taken orphanages under their care and take care of their pupils.

Our dear women, who illuminate life with the light of love and warmth, make a worthy contribution to the upbringing of children with harmoniously developed personalities, today become active participants in all the reforms carried out in the country. Continuous attention and care for our respected mothers and lovely sisters remain an integral part of government policy. In order to ensure the employment of women, further enhance their role and status in state and public administration, expand the conditions for realizing their potential, bring work to a new level in the field of gender equality, family protection, motherhood and childhood, a corresponding National Program will be adopted.

The formation of a healthy and comprehensively developed young generation, especially girls, the realization of their abilities and talent, education in the spirit of love and devotion to the Motherland, respect for national and universal values ​​will remain at the centre of our attention.

Additional measures will be taken to support and socially protect compatriots studying or working abroad, as well as their family members in their homeland. In particular, through the public fund “Vatandoshlar” the ties of our citizens living abroad with their families will be strengthened. Systematic work will continue to unite our citizens abroad on the basis of their native language, national culture and customs, as well as the effective use of their knowledge and potential in order to develop their native country.

Fifth, along with social, economic and political transformations in the Development Strategy of New Uzbekistan, extremely important is attached to the reforms in the spiritual and educational sphere.

We understand well: if the economy is an organism that provides the vital activity of society, then spirituality is its heart and soul. In building the future, we rely on these two important factors, that is, on a strong economy based on market principles, and a strong spirituality, which is based on the rich historical heritage of our people, national and human values.

To this end, the concept of “New Uzbekistan – an enlightened society” will be implemented.

Tasks related to the further development of national values, increasing the role and significance of the Uzbek language as a state language, as well as the development of culture and art are always relevant to us.

Particular attention will be paid to the promotion of the humanistic essence of our sacred religion – Islam, the spiritual and moral education of young people, the formation of her strong position in life and healthy beliefs based on the principle of “Enlightenment against ignorance”.

You are well aware that Uzbekistan is a country of great opportunities and enormous wealth. I think you all will agree that our greatest wealth is peace and stability, friendship and harmony between representatives of different nations, nationalities and confessions.

It is gratifying that today representatives of more than 130 nations and nationalities live in our country as a united and friendly family and, with their selfless work, make a worthy contribution to the prosperity of their native Uzbekistan.

We are justly proud of this property and will direct all the forces and capabilities of the state and society to further strengthen the atmosphere of friendship and harmony in the country.

As the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, I want to especially emphasize: in our state policy, we will continue to give priority attention to strengthening and developing the national identity of representatives of different nations and nationalities living in the republic, their language and culture, religion, customs and traditions.

Sixth, today humanity is faced with global problems, and their solution is of extreme urgency.

We live in a challenging time of increasing globalization and rapid change. Today, such threats and challenges to humanity as climate change, environmental problems, radicalism, extremism and terrorism, human trafficking, drug trafficking are relevant for our country as well.

It is necessary to consolidate all forces and capabilities to solve such problems. This, in turn, requires the development of appropriate solutions at the national and regional levels.

The negative impact of environmental threats is increasing in the country, which was once again confirmed by the dust storm observed yesterday.

The situation associated with the drying up of the Aral Sea is becoming more and more acute. In this direction, we need to take systemic and comprehensive measures to implement the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on declaring the Aral Sea region a zone of environmental innovations and technologies. It is also important to intensify our efforts to develop a World Environmental Charter aimed at shaping a new UN environmental policy.

Together with international partners, we are implementing the necessary measures for the consistent implementation of decisions and documents adopted at the conference “Central and South Asia: Regional Interconnectedness. Challenges and Opportunities ”.

Seventh, our priority task is to further increase the power of the Republic’s Armed Forces, which serve as a reliable guarantor of ensuring peace and security in the country.

In today’s complex and alarming situation in the world and the region, strengthening the combat readiness, physical and moral training of brave servicemen who are the pride of our people, who have devoted their lives to the honourable cause of defending the Motherland, is our urgent task.

We will take all the necessary measures to support servicemen and veterans, their family members, improve material security and housing conditions, create opportunities for their children to receive modern knowledge and professions.

We will continue to develop our pragmatic and balanced foreign policy and economic diplomacy.

Our main task remains to further strengthen good-neighbourliness and strategic partnership, primarily with the countries of Central Asia.

We will provide all possible assistance to Afghanistan, which is our neighbour and an integral part of the region, in restoring peace and stability, preventing an economic and humanitarian crisis in this country. We are interested in implementing large transport and communication projects jointly with Afghanistan.

We will pay special attention to expanding mutually beneficial and multifaceted relations with Russia, China, the United States of America, Turkey, India, Pakistan, Germany, France, South Korea, Japan, the United Arab Emirates and our partners in all regions of the world.

We will fill relations with the United Nations and its specialized structures, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, international financial institutions and regional organizations, including the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Islamic Cooperation Organization, the Turkic Council, the Economic Cooperation Organization, with new practical content.

We must be open to the world, and the world must be open to us. This is the requirement of the time, of modern development. We will turn this decisive principle into a rule of our life.

 

Dear compatriots!

Over the past five years, which have become a period of difficult tests, we have accumulated a lot of experience. No matter how difficult it was, we learned to live and work, setting high standards for ourselves. Naturally, people with great goals should have a broad step and significant achievements.

Based on the experience we gained on the path of national development, in the Strategy for the Development of New Uzbekistan, we set ourselves even more serious tasks for each area and industry, each region, district and mahalla.

We all see that the time today is changing very quickly, rapidly. Therefore, in no case should we slow down the pace of our reforms, but on the contrary, go only forward, rationally use every hour, every day. As the great thinker, Bahouddin Naqshband said, “He who loses time, loses life itself.”

We must never forget this truth.

In these exciting moments, I want to especially emphasize: as President, I consider the meaning of my life to be devoted to serving our people, fully devoting myself to ensuring the peace and well-being of my native country and its development. For me, there is no other, higher goal and greater happiness.

Dear compatriots, your sincere support, the blessing of the older generation, the trust showed by the youth, give me new strength and energy.

Together with you, together with our people, we will undoubtedly reach high levels – said Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the end of his speech.

At this, the joint meeting of the Legislative Chamber and the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan ended.

 

https://president.uz/uz/lists/view/4743