Previously, when discussing the industry of Navoi region, reference was mainly made to large sectoral enterprises such as Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Company, Navoiyuran, Navoiyazot, and Qizilqumcement. Investments, jobs, and economic growth were directly linked to these enterprises’ activities.
As a result of ongoing efforts to comprehensively develop territories, diversify the economy, and identify new growth points, the volume of regional investment unrelated to large sectoral enterprises reached $1.4 billion in 2025. A target has been set to increase this figure to $2 billion in 2026.
At the same time, the region’s macroeconomic stability was ensured last year. The gross regional product grew by 7.7 percent, reaching 168 trillion UZS. Industrial output increased by 8.3 percent, agriculture by 4.7 percent, and the services sector by 13.7 percent. A total of 161,000 new jobs were created, and the unemployment and poverty rates declined to 4.2 percent.
The President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, particularly emphasized the need to develop each district and city based on their comparative advantages.
In particular, Nurata and Gazgan have strong potential in decorative stone production and tourism, Tamdy and Uchquduq in mining, Navbahor in the textile industry and horticulture, Kanimekh in pasture-based livestock farming, Zarafshan in jewelry production and IT, Karmana in the chemical industry and cultural tourism, and the city of Navoi in mechanical engineering and the services sector.
At the same time, it was stressed that industrial development across districts remains uneven. Although industrial output per capita in the region is 177 million UZS, this indicator remains below the national average in the districts of Tamdy, Nurata, Khatyrchi, Navbahor, and Qiziltepa. Meanwhile, Tamdy and Nurata are rich in natural resources, including marble, quartz, and basalt.
In this regard, proposals were approved to establish an industrial granite park, a granite processing cluster, and a decorative stone market on 50 hectares in Nurata district, as well as to create a small industrial zone on 50 hectares in Khatyrchi district and to locate high-yield projects there worth $100 million. A task was also set to significantly increase the production of decorative stones.
To provide these facilities with qualified personnel, a training center for specialists in the mining and chemical industries will be established at the Navoi Digital Technologies Technical School.
The importance of attracting $4.2 billion in foreign investment to the region this year and increasing export volumes to $1.5 billion was also emphasized.
The need to support small and medium-sized enterprises in Navoi region and to expand their participation in localization processes was noted.
It was noted that existing opportunities in agriculture are not being fully utilized, even though the region’s 9 million hectares of pastures are sufficient to make sheep, camel, and horse breeding drivers of the economy. To develop livestock farming, small ruminants, pedigree camels, and horses will be imported in 2026, and 150 billion UZS will be allocated for the construction of wells on pastures.
Overall, 3.3 million hectares of the region’s pastures will be brought into agricultural use based on a project-oriented approach. Measures to combat desertification, based on China’s experience in this field, have been instructed for implementation.
Navoi region is considered one of the country’s leading regions in education. Higher education enrollment stands at 71 percent, and last year, graduates from 10 schools achieved a 100 percent university admission rate.
Starting from the new academic year, it has been proposed to open specialized classes in the cities of Navoi and Zarafshan under the principle of “One school – one IT class”. To this end, 100 teachers from the region will upgrade their IT and artificial intelligence qualifications in the capital and abroad, and a full-time educational program in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity will be launched at the Tashkent University of Information Technologies branch in Zarafshan.
The tourism sector was also discussed at the meeting. In 2026, Navoi region plans to attract 600,000 foreign and 3 million domestic tourists, create 72 new accommodation facilities, and generate 500 new jobs.
To this end, retail, entertainment, and recreational facilities will be built along the streets connecting 65 mahallas located in district and city centers, as well as in riverside and roadside areas. In addition, guest houses will be established in 18 mahallas with high tourism potential. Trade and service outlets will also be organized in 15 mahallas along international highways.
In Nurata district, a national embroidery center is planned to be opened. In Khatyrchi district, the mahallas of Langar and Angidon will be developed with a focus on tourism, and in Nurata and Kanimekh districts, four villages will be transformed into tourist destinations.
It was noted that in Navbahor, which is classified as an area with challenging conditions, a master plan could be developed to create a recreational zone around Sarmishsay. This would make it possible to triple tourist flows and create more than 200 jobs.
It was noted that Alisher Navoi Park, Yoshlik Lake, and the surrounding areas in the city of Navoi do not fully meet modern requirements. The importance of creating comfortable, contemporary recreational infrastructure for the population through the development of these sites under a unified concept was emphasized.
The city of Karmana also has significant potential for tourism development. As Karmana was historically located along the Silk Road, there is an opportunity to attract tourists traveling from Samarkand to Bukhara and extend their stay by an additional day. In this regard, a proposal was supported to establish the cultural and tourist center “Ancient Karmana” based on the Qasim Sheikh Khanaqah, the Mirsaid Bahrom Mausoleum, the old city market, and Yangi Avlod Park.
It was emphasized that, based on the experience of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, tourism should be developed in deserts and pasturelands, which occupy a significant part of Navoi region.
It was instructed to continue the work to improve the social and engineering infrastructure. In particular, between 2026 and 2028, it is planned to gradually replace 312 kilometers of water supply lines and 124 kilometers of sewerage pipes in the cities of Navoi, Zarafshan, Uchquduq, and Zafarabad. A task was also set to create modern sanitary conditions in all schools, kindergartens, and medical institutions across the region.
Following the meeting, after approving the announced plans and proposals, the Head of State emphasized that their implementation must bring tangible improvements to people’s lives and issued the relevant instructions to officials.
