TIIF 2026 Investment Push: President Shavkat Mirziyoyev used the Fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum to unveil a new international financial centre with a long-term, investor-friendly legal regime and deep tax and customs exemptions, alongside AI/data-centre tax-free zones and plans for a digital mineral database. Critical Minerals Value-Add: Uzbekistan is pitching a shift from exporting raw materials to processing and producing higher-value goods, with officials citing a $3 trillion resource base and a drive to plug into global supply chains. Rural Infrastructure Financing: The World Bank approved $150m in concessional funding for the second phase of Uzbekistan’s Rural Infrastructure Development Program, targeting 296 districts and about 1.2m residents with roads, water, electricity and business development centres. Logistics Expansion: Wildberries’ merged entity RWB plans to invest over $300m in a large Central Asian logistics hub in Uzbekistan, aiming to consolidate regional cargo flows and boost exports. SEZ Reform: Uzbekistan is moving from tax-driven special economic zones toward “ecosystem-driven” industrialisation, focusing on infrastructure, governance, connectivity and skilled labour. Banking Growth: TBC Salom says it has crossed one million cards, highlighting deposit mobilisation momentum in Uzbekistan’s banking sector.