Who is Shavkat Mirziyoyev — current President of Uzbekistan?
Early Life and Education
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was born on July 24, 1957 in the Jizzakh Region of Uzbekistan. He grew up in a family of doctors: his father was a physician and his mother was a nurse.
Mirziyoyev graduated from the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Melioration in 1981. He holds a Ph.D. in Technological Sciences.
Stepping into the Political Arena
Mirziyoyev served as the governor of the Jizzakh Region from 1996 until September 2001 before taking the helm of the Samarqand Region. On 12 December 2003, he was appointed as Prime Minister by President Islam Karimov.
In September 2016, after President Karimov’s death, Mirziyoyev took on the role of interim president, subsequently winning the December 2016 presidential election with 88.6% of the votes. He earned further mandates in 2021 with 80.1% of the votes and in a snap election in July 2023, securing a new seven-year term with a sizeable majority.
Presidency of Shavkat Mirziyoyev
Mirziyoyev’s presidency is characterized by transformative reforms across sectors, emphasizing economic liberalization and industrial development. He has championed policies to attract foreign investment, achieving GDP growth rates of 5.7% in 2022 and 7.4% in 2021, and an average annual industrial production growth of 6.4% from early 2018 to mid-2023.
Foreign Policy and International Relations
His administration has significantly expanded Uzbekistan’s international and regional partnerships, focusing on relationships with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, China, The European Union, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the United States.
Constitutional Reforms and Domestic Politics
President Mirziyoyev has prioritized educational and cultural development, introducing initiatives to enrich the country’s educational system and preserve Uzbekistan’s cultural exchange.
His leadership has not only diversified Uzbekistan’s economy and enhanced international partnerships but also significantly improved the quality of life for its citizens. Multifaceted reforms, balanced economic growth, and commitment to social progress have set lasting benchmarks, shaping discussions about Uzbekistan’s future and influencing its ongoing development trajectory.
Mirziyoyev’s presidency has been marked by ambitious domestic reforms and a vision that continues to reshape Uzbekistan’s global image, offering promising prospects for further progress and reforms in the years ahead.
