Page 52 - bneMag Dec22

52 I Special Report bne December 2022
Uzbekistan showcases
IT progress at ICT Week 2022 in Samarkand
bne IntelliNews
Throughout history, countries have found themselves slaves to their geography, and the geographical prison in which the Central Asian nation of Uzbekistan finds itself is a particularly tough one. Uzbekistan is one of only two “double-landlocked” nations in the world (the other being the Alpine country Liechtenstein)
and, as a result, is at the mercy of its neighbours, particularly the Russian Federation and its rail network, for access to the sea. Such a geographical predicament causes Uzbekistan severe logistical problems.
Geography is not destiny, however.
In recent years, Uzbekistan has not only become more important as a transport node for Eurasia. Chinese high-speed rail networks are springing up around the country in Beijing’s attempt to revive the Silk Roads,
a trade network in which empires based out of what is now Uzbekistan often played a key role. Uzbekistan’s government, despite its reverence of Amur Timur, the Turco-Mongolic King whose undefeated military campaigns subjugated much of the lands
adjacent to the Silk Road network, is seeking a non-physical solution to its geographical predicament. Uzbekistan seeks to break free of the shackles of its geography through that global system of communication networks known as the internet.
Uzbekistan's ICT Week 2022 was a chance for the country to showcase the results of its ambitious economic reform programme under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The World Bank has stated that Uzbekistan is going through an "unprecedented economic
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and social transformation." Speakers
at ICT week were quick to point to
the facts too, with Uzbekistan now occupying ninth place globally in terms of e-government rankings, up 18 places from just last year, with expectations the country will climb even further. Improvements in e-government will also help improve transparency in
a country that has been wracked by systemic corruption problems.
A key node in Uzbekistan's new IT infrastructure is its "IT Park", as the ministry of ICT Development looks to create attractive conditions for potential tech workers. Tashkent's technology park is a key part of encouraging those
looking to relocate their IT businesses to Uzbekistan. By becoming a member of the park, Sherzod Shermatov, Uzbekistan's Minister for Development of ICT, said "you are completely free from taxes" until January 1, 2028. The
IT visa provided to IT workers also allows them almost the same rights as Uzbek citizens, letting them to purchase property. Those willing to relocate to Uzbekistan have substantially increased following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, with many Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians looking
to start a new life in Central Asia.
It is no coincidence that the IT visa was launched just days after Russia's invasion.
“The World Bank has stated that Uzbekistan is going through an "unprecedented economic and social transformation”