Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev has served as President of Uzbekistan since 2016, bringing sweeping reforms and changes to the country across political, economic, and social domains. Prior to becoming president, Mirziyoyev held roles such as the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan from 2003 to 2016.
His rise to the presidency came after the death of Islam Karimov, the previous authoritarian leader of Uzbekistan who had ruled for over 25 years. With Karimov’s passing, Mirziyoyev took over as interim president before being formally elected by popular vote.
Political Reforms and Governance Changes
President Mirziyoyev has initiated major political reforms and governance changes aimed at strengthening Uzbekistan’s judicial system, modernizing the government, and bringing more transparency and accountability.
Reforming the Judicial and Legal System
In 2017, Mirziyoyev put forward “A Program to Reform the Judicial and Legal System” with several key objectives:
- Improving criminal legislation through amendments and additions to the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code
- Strengthening judicial independence by transitioning to a self-governing model free from political interference
- Increasing transparency of trials by allowing media and public observation
- Expanding legal services and awareness through partnerships with NGOs and international experts
Several laws and regulations have already been adopted to implement aspects of this judicial reform program. This demonstrates Mirziyoyev’s commitment to revamping Uzbekistan’s justice system and rule of law.
National Development Strategy
Another major governance initiative under Mirziyoyev is the 2017-2021 Action Strategy on Five Priority Areas of the Country’s Development. This national strategy focuses on:
- Advancing economic reforms and market liberalization
- Improving the social welfare system
- Enhancing security, inter-ethnic harmony, and religious tolerance
- Implementing balanced, constructive foreign policy
- Developing the national governance system
The strategy shows how Mirziyoyev has set detailed objectives linked to Uzbekistan’s development goals across governance, economics, social policy, security, and international relations. The government has also reported successes in achieving many strategy targets so far.
Key Governance Wins
- Reduced bureaucracy through streamlining regulations
- Enhanced transparency by adopting an Open Government Partnership initiative
- Upgraded public administration through training programs and competency standards
Administrative Reforms
In a bid to reduce bureaucracy and modernize governance, Mirziyoyev also introduced the Concept of Administrative Reform in 2017. This vision focuses on objectives such as:
- Optimizing administrative structures and procedures
- Improving public services and adopting digital governance
- Enhancing transparency and accountability
- Developing professional civil service
Administrative Reform Progress
| Reform | Details |
|---|---|
| Streamlining bureaucracy | Eliminated over 200 licensing and permitting procedures Reduced the number of government inspections/audits by 2,700 |
| Adopting e-government | Launched online portals for government services Introduced thousands of information kiosks to deliver public services |
| Enhancing transparency | Created virtual receptions to submit/track citizen applications Feedback mechanisms via SMS, websites, and social media Passed Law on Openness of Government Bodies guaranteeing access to information |
| Improving public administration | Established Academy of Public Administration to train civil servants Introduced new standards and assessment systems for bureaucrats |
Through these reforms, Mirziyoyev has significantly transformed Uzbekistan’s governance landscape – reducing bureaucracy, enhancing transparency, adopting e-government, and professionalizing the civil service.
Economic Reforms and Development
In addition to political changes, President Mirziyoyev has spearheaded major economic reforms and development initiatives that have improved Uzbekistan’s economic performance and living standards.
Economic Management Successes
Mirziyoyev’s administration has seen strong macroeconomic growth and stability. For instance:
- GDP growth averaged 5-6% from 2017-2021, up from previous decades
- Inflation dropped from double digits to below 10%
- The budget deficit remained under 1% of the GDP
- External debt kept under 20% of GDP
The government also created a Development Strategy Center to institutionalize expert analysis for economic policymaking.
These outcomes demonstrate Mirziyoyev’s effective economic management, adopting market reforms that spurred growth while maintaining prudence.
Agriculture and Rural Development
A major focus for Mirziyoyev has been reforming Uzbekistan’s agricultural industry and uplifting rural livelihoods through:
- Allowing greater crop choice and production autonomy for farmers
- Introducing public-private partnerships in agriculture
- Improving rural infrastructure like roads, gas, and electricity access
- Increasing funding for villages via the Obod Qishloq (Prosperous Village) program
Agriculture and Rural Gains
- Farming output grew 2.4 times from 2016-2021
- Rural wages increased 2.2 times over the same period
- 90% of villages now have improved power/gas infrastructure
These outcomes exhibit substantial progress in developing Uzbekistan’s agricultural sector and villages under Mirziyoyev’s initiatives.
Advancing Human Rights and Freedoms
Whereas Uzbekistan had a questionable human rights record in the past, President Mirziyoyev has taken steps to enable greater rights and liberties.
Releasing Political Prisoners
A key early move was the government’s release of over 50 political prisoners jailed under previous regimes. Among those freed were journalists, activists, and opposition figures whose detention sparked international criticism.
While more work remains, experts praised this as a breakthrough signaling openness to advancing rights.
Media Reforms
Mirziyoyev also rolled back many media restrictions, noting: “In the new Uzbekistan there will be no prohibition of the media”. Positive reforms include:
- Passing laws prohibiting media censorship
- Easing barriers to foreign media accreditation
- Allowing reporting on sensitive issues like corruption and protests
However, groups caution that genuine press freedom requires further media liberalization and ending harassment of journalists.
Access to Foreign Media and Human Rights Groups
In a marked shift from the opacity of past leadership, the Mirziyoyev government has also facilitated:
- Streamlined accreditation for international outlets like BBC, Radio Free Europe
- Improved access for UN experts and human rights organizations to monitor local conditions
By inviting external scrutiny, this signals Uzbekistan’s progress towards openness and rights adherence under Mirziyoyev.
Foreign Policy and International Relations
As Uzbekistan’s head of state, President Mirziyoyev has spearheaded an active foreign policy agenda that has elevated the country’s global diplomatic engagement.
Outreach Within Central Asia
Regionally, Mirziyoyev has prioritized mending ties with Central Asian neighbors. For example, he settled longstanding border disputes with Kyrgyzstan and moved to normalize relations with Tajikistan.
Experts assess that Mirziyoyev’s less insular foreign policy compared to his predecessor has reduced regional tensions and conflicts – enabling greater focus on Central Asian cooperation and development.
Multilateral Organizations
On the global stage, some highlights include:
- Outlined vision for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to spur trade, stability, and counterterrorism efforts across Eurasia
- Calling for UN reforms to enhance cooperation and collective security for 21st-century challenges
- Securing accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) to open Uzbekistan to international markets
These actions exemplify Mirziyoyev’s utilizing multilateral platforms to connect Uzbekistan to global public goods and rules-based order.
Conclusion
In just a few years as President, Shavkat Mirziyoyev has unleashed profound transformations across Uzbekistan’s political, economic, social, and foreign policy domains compared to the insulated Uzbekistan under previous regimes.
While the country still has progress to make on reforms and development, Mirziyoyev’s ambitious vision combined with practical programs in governance, business, agriculture, rights, and diplomacy has already achieved tangible improvements praising Uzbekistan globally.
With his modernizing energy, observers anticipate that Mirziyoyev could lead Central Asia’s most populous state to realize its potential as a regional leader and bridge between global powers over the next decade.
