By Trend

The program of reforms adopted in Uzbekistan covers all spheres of life, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev said at the opening ceremony of the first Tashkent International Investment Forum, Trend reports.

“Uzbekistan is located in the center of the Central Asian region, which connects North and South, West and East with main transit corridors due to its geographical location,” the president said. “While adopting a strategy of action, we chose the path of large-scale democratic reforms five years ago.”

President Mirziyoyev added that this program of reforms covers all spheres of life of Uzbekistan and society, including such important spheres as ensuring the rule of law, development of competition, and resolute fight against corruption.

The president stressed that first of all, Uzbekistan began to create favorable conditions for entrepreneurship by removing all obstacles that previously prevented investors from entering the Uzbek market and freely conducting the activity there.

“We introduced free conversion of the national currency - the sum and removed all restrictions on the repatriation of foreign investors' profit in 2017,” President Mirziyoyev said. “We have introduced a visa-free regime for citizens of 90 foreign countries when entering Uzbekistan to ensure a policy of openness.”

The president stressed that citizens of about 60 countries were able to obtain a visa in a simplified manner.

“Uzbekistan, according to these indicators, has reached the status of the most open country in the region,” President Mirziyoyev said. “The trials caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the current difficulties in the economy and other problems that the whole world has faced in recent years teach us to make non-standard decisions, work in new conditions and achieve concrete results.”

The president said that even in today's difficult situation in the world, Uzbekistan is recognized as a peaceful and safe place to live and work and no one can deny this.

“We will further intensify our efforts to create the most comfortable and attractive conditions for investors,” President Mirziyoyev added.