Uzbekistan intends to increase the export of IT services to $ 5 billion by 2030

Uzbekistan plans to significantly increase the volume of exports of information and communication services: by the end of 2025, the country expects to reach $ 1 billion, and by 2030 — to increase this figure to $ 5 billion. This was announced during the forum M360 Eurasiawhich was first held in Tashkent on May 20-21.

The Forum has become a significant event for the entire Eurasian region, bringing together leading experts, government representatives, telecommunications companies and international organizations. The event is organized by the GSM Association (GSMA), which hosts similar summits in various parts of the world — from North Africa to the Asia-Pacific region.

Uzbekistan was represented by Minister of Digital Technologies Sherzod Shermatov at the opening of the forum. In his speech, he stressed that the country is going through an active stage of digital transformation, moving from a closed agricultural model to an open economy format based on technology and innovation. The Minister recalled that back in 2017, the Internet was considered a luxury item available only in certain cities. Today, the country has made significant progress: The Internet covers all schools, medical institutions, kindergartens, and rural localities.

According to the GSMA, mobile broadband Internet covers 99% of localities in Uzbekistan. At the same time, 5G networks have become available in all regional centers. International throughput has reached 4,200 Gbit / s, and this figure continues to grow.

The Government considers digitization of public services to be one of the key tasks. Today, more than 80% of such services are available online. By 2030, Uzbekistan intends to enter the top 30 countries in terms of e-government development, rising from the current 63rd place in the UN EGDI rating.

Support for IT businesses plays a significant role in digital transformation. Uzbekistan has a special tax regime based on the IT park, which provides benefits to companies and employees, as well as assistance in recruitment and training. According to the Minister, in 2017 there were less than ten companies with foreign capital in the IT park. Now more than 30 new companies are joining every month.

Head of VEON Group Kaan Terzioglu noted that Uzbekistan has demonstrated an example of rapid transition from a closed economy to a digital society. In his opinion, digital technologies open up direct access for citizens to the global economy, knowledge and markets.

GSMA Legal Director John Giusti stressed the importance of creating a sustainable regulatory environment that will become the basis for attracting investment and developing the telecom industry. He noted that the Digital Uzbekistan 2030 strategy, institutional reforms, including the adoption of a new law on telecommunications and the creation of an independent regulator, are already showing positive effects.

Additional incentives include tax reforms, lifting the excise tax on mobile services, and reducing duties on imports of telecom equipment. The GSMA estimates that these measures could lead to GDP growth of 1.3% by 2029.

GSMA CEO Vivek Badrinath addressed the topic of digital inequality. In the Eurasian region, about 80 million people do not use mobile Internet, despite the availability of infrastructure. The main barriers are the high cost of devices, lack of digital skills, lack of local content, and cybersecurity issues.

Vivek Badrinath highly appreciated Uzbekistan's efforts to expand digital inclusion, in particular the program IT GAP and TechWomenprojects aimed at involving women and young people in the field of information technology. He stressed that digital transformation requires trust, innovation and joint efforts of business and the state.

Alexey Borodin, Director General of the Regional Commonwealth in the Field of Communications, in turn, drew attention to the need to harmonize tax and customs regimes in Eurasia. He stressed the importance of a unified policy in the field of digital identification, recognition of electronic signatures, development of logistics services and cross-border trade through marketplaces.

Special emphasis was placed on the importance of maintaining a dialogue between the State and the private sector. According to him, coordinated solutions allow us to build an effective digital policy that takes into account the interests of all participants — from users to investors.

Thomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), noted that the Eurasian countries generally demonstrate regulatory maturity at the level of 2-3 out of 5 possible, which indicates the need to strengthen the institutional framework. He also described Uzbekistan as a country with a high start — up potential-thanks to its wide Internet coverage, mobile infrastructure and young population.

However, geographical location remains a constraint: the lack of access to the sea increases the cost of connecting to the global network. Under these conditions, the development of satellite technologies and their integration with mobile networks is becoming a promising direction.

According to forecasts, by 2030, more than 40% of all connections in Eurasia will be made through fifth-generation networks. Preparations for the World Radiocommunication Conference 2027 have already begun — frequency allocation, direct connections and sharing of satellite and terrestrial networks are on the agenda.

Concluding the forum, John Giusti stressed that digital connectivity has already formed the foundation of a new economy, but strategic thinking, coordinated actions and trust between all participants in the process are needed for the sustainable growth of the digital space in the region.