Bukhara draws strength from its rich history as it enters a new era of development

During his visit to Bukhara region, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended a ceremony marking the commissioning of new facilities and the launch of construction on promising projects.

For centuries, Bukhara has been a center of science, culture and craftsmanship. Today, the traditions of development and innovation inherited from previous generations are being carried forward through the establishment of modern production facilities and the growth of entrepreneurship and tourism.

The President noted that over the past nine years, the region has attracted $9.5 billion in foreign investment, established more than 6,000 new production facilities and created 120,000 permanent jobs. These achievements are reflected in rising employment and household incomes, as well as the expansion of export markets for local businesses.

“Today, drawing on its rich historical heritage, Bukhara is rapidly entering a new era of development and large-scale projects”, the President said.

A program comprising 145 projects worth $7.8 billion has been developed. The projects span petrochemicals, textiles, construction materials, mechanical engineering, energy, mining, pharmaceuticals, digital technologies, logistics, agriculture, food processing, housing construction, infrastructure, services, and tourism. Of these, 55 projects worth $654 million are being commissioned, while construction is beginning on another 90 projects valued at $7.1 billion.

The projects involve investors from the United States, Canada, Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, China, Vietnam, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Russia and India, as well as the Asian Development Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and domestic entrepreneurs.

According to forecasts, implementing these projects will create more than 14,000 jobs, generate annual production valued at 22 trillion UZS, and ensure exports valued at $510 million.

“Our goal is clear: to manufacture products that can replace imports and meet demand in international markets”, the President said.

The region is also actively expanding its energy capacity. In recent years, $2 billion has been invested in green energy. Wind and solar power plants with capacities of 1,000 megawatts and 750 megawatts, respectively, have been commissioned, along with energy storage systems totaling 63 megawatts. A total of 601 kilometers of high-voltage transmission lines have been installed.

Construction of the 300-megawatt Bosh 2 wind farm is underway in Gijduvan district, with ACWA’s participation. In Jondor and Peshku districts, Toyota Corporation and Sinoma are building wind farms with a combined capacity of 1,000 megawatts. In addition, a $165 million waste-to-energy project is planned in Kogon district in cooperation with Chinese partners. A $150 million project is also set to be launched with the German company Leman to ensure the reliable operation of pumping stations along the Amu-Bukhara Canal.

Building on the region’s experience producing high-quality cotton, Bukhara is developing modern textile clusters. In Bukhara, a textile complex under the Kurt Baver brand is planned, with an annual production capacity of 62,000 tons. In Romitan district, a cotton-textile cluster worth $400 million is being established with participation from Chinese investors. As part of these projects, the investors have also proposed developing 9,000 hectares of land. This will increase the share of high-value-added products to 65 percent and create additional export opportunities worth $100 million.

Tourism is another important aspect of Bukhara’s development.

“The combination of ancient monuments, cultural heritage, and modern infrastructure makes Bukhara one of tourists’ favorite destinations. The new Bukhara tourism center, where today’s event is taking place, is intended to support this noble goal”, the President said.

The center will feature the “Boqiy Bukhoro” cultural and ethnographic park, an exhibition hall, modern hotels, and cultural and entertainment facilities. In addition, hotels under the international brands Indigo, Holiday Inn, and Hilton are planned in the city of Bukhara.

“Overall, we will launch 19 major projects in Bukhara worth a total of $3 billion. If we organize this work systematically, we will be able to generate $5 billion in tourism service exports in Bukhara alone”, the President emphasized.

Over the next five years, plans call for providing all residents of Bukhara region with drinking water and equipping major cities and district centers with sewerage networks. Two major projects, worth a combined $633 million, are already underway in cooperation with international partners. These projects will improve the water supply for 2 million residents and provide drinking water for the first time to 781,000 people.

In addition, seven road projects worth $565 million are planned to triple the region’s transit capacity.

The President symbolically pressed a button to commission the new facilities and to launch construction of upcoming projects. He also met with foreign investors.

During the event, the President was briefed on preparations for the infrastructure needed to host the summits scheduled to take place in Bukhara in 2027 and issued relevant instructions.