Uzbekistan Approves Major Namangan Development Plan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a landmark decree on June 11 to comprehensively modernize Namangan province's industrial, tourism, and educational infrastructure through major international partnerships.

The directive (Resolution PP-220) aims to aggressively stimulate local business activity and elevate living standards across the region throughout 2026 and 2027.

At the core of the industrial strategy, regional authorities will select a cohort of 20 leading local entrepreneurs to serve as economic "champions." These businesses will anchor joint modernization ventures designed to scale up labor productivity and operational efficiency, backed directly by prominent global institutions.

The industrial and financial support frameworks include:

Process Optimization: Partnering with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) to deploy Lean Six Sigma methodologies aimed at streamlining manufacturing workflows and cutting production costs.

Financial Assistance: Collaborating with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) under its "Advice for Small Businesses" program to provide local entrepreneurs with elite consulting services and access to preferential credit lines.

Simultaneously, the decree outlines a major push to unlock the tourism potential of Namangan's administrative center. The historic Samarkand and Kuzagarlik streets within the "Sharq Tongi" neighborhood will undergo a complete architectural overhaul, modeled after the famous Zarkaynar Street in Tashkent’s Olmazor district.

"A specialized 'Eski Shahar' (Old City) tourism complex will be established here," the decree notes. "The zone is designed to seamlessly integrate national heritage architecture and traditional artisan workshops with a modern service infrastructure."

To supply this expanding service economy with qualified personnel, the government is overhauling the local vocational education system.

Beginning in the 2027/2028 academic year, Yangikurgan District College No. 2 and Chortoq District College No. 1 will begin training hospitality industry specialists under strict European standards. The educational track is being developed in direct partnership with Austria’s prestigious IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems.

The state will fully fund these two-year programs via government grants, and graduates will receive state-recognized professional diplomas.