BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 25. Information technologies in Uzbekistan have become one of the key and well-developed sectors of the country's economy, Chief Executive Officer of UZINFOCOM LLC, a unified integrator for the creation and support of Uzbekistan's state information systems, Emil Gimranov told TurkicWorld in an exclusive interview.
He stated that the government of Uzbekistan has been paying increased attention to promoting innovation and digitalization of the country's economy over the past few years.
"Modern technologies are being introduced into various spheres, such as education, healthcare, public administration, and much more. The experience of advanced countries and the desire to digitalize the maximum number of sectors of the economy is one of the main strategies for the development of the country," Gimranov said.
The CEO noted that there has been a tangible development of infrastructure over the past few years.
"Uzbekistan is investing in the development of the IT sector, including the construction of data centers, network infrastructure, and modern telecommunications networks. During 2023, there was a leap in the domain zone of the country due to the introduction of DNSSEC technology and the installation of the K-root root server of the RIPE NCC Internet registrar. UZINFOCOM actively participates in the development of information security, using the example of the MyID biometric identification project, which actively protects the data of users of banks, marketplaces, insurance companies, etc.," the company representative explained.
In September 2023, UZINFOCOM launched the first K-root server in Uzbekistan at the CAPIF 2 International Forum held in Tashkent. Hosting a root server in Uzbekistan is aimed at speeding up the process of accessing web resources and reduce dependence on foreign servers.
When speaking about the company’s plans to extend Uzbekistan’s digital infrastructure, Emil Gimranov noted that UZINFOCOM plans to launch social projects in all regions of Uzbekistan to allow everyone access the digital infrastructure in the near future.
"The first and most striking example of UZINFOCOM's activity in expanding the country’s digital infrastructure is the opening of the IT Village training complex. The educational village in the most remote part of Uzbekistan’s Samarkand is a social project accessible to children from the surrounding areas of the region," Gimranov noted.
The CEO explained that the educational program of the IT Village includes specialized subjects important for basic knowledge in the field of IT: robotics, English, and programming. Summing up, almost 500 children from 7 to 17 years old became the first graduates of the IT Village.
"UZINFOCOM sincerely hopes that the IT Village project will be a big step in development of education in the inaccessible regions of Samarkand," he stressed.
Gimranov stated that in the near future, the company plans to launch similar social projects in all regions of the country.
"We hope that our experience will become an example for many other regional companies. Meanwhile, we will not stop there and will continue to develop the digital and information infrastructure of Uzbekistan," he concluded.
Further speaking, UZINFOCOM representative explained how Uzbek government aims to propel investments and entrepreneurship in the ICT sector.
The CEO noted that the government seeks to create a favorable environment for the development of the IT sector and attract investment in this industry.
"Uzbekistan provides a number of privileges for IT enthusiasts like economic benefits and tax preferences for IT companies and startups. Usually, these consist of reduced tax rates and exemption from certain types of taxation," he said.
Gimranov also stressed that the government invests in development of IT infrastructure, including data centers, network infrastructure and telecommunications networks.
Speaking on preparing personnel, the UZINFOCOM representative stated that Uzbekistan is actively developing education in the field of IT via creating various training programs and courses. According to Gimranov, the government’s support extends to the country's startups and innovative projects as well.
"In addition to fostering traditional business ventures, Uzbekistan’s startups and innovative projects are also nurtured and encouraged through various means of support to facilitate their growth and development within the entrepreneurial ecosystem," he explained.
The CEO said that UZINFOCOM, in its turn, participates in efforts to stimulate IT investments and entrepreneurship by creating projects and services necessary for the development of IT projects and enterprises.
UZINFOCOM eyes to launch social projects in all regions of Uzbekistan to allow everyone to access digital infrastructure in the near future. The company hopes that its experience in Uzbekistan’s ICT development will become an example for many other regional companies. Moreover, the company plans to implement more projects to boost the development of digital and information infrastructure of Uzbekistan even further.
Nevertheless, Gimranov noted that the IT sector faces several major challenges despite having become a key industry that plays an important role in economic development of Uzbekistan.
"One of the main challenges is the lack of qualified personnel. This may limit industry growth and innovation opportunities as Uzbekistan actively promotes studying abroad: the government provides scholarships and support for young professionals who want to get education and experience in foreign universities," he said.
The CEO noted that over the past few years, the government of Uzbekistan has been actively investing in development of educational programs and courses on the topic of information technology.
"The challenge is the lack of financing. Many IT projects require big investments, and sometimes it can be difficult for startups and small businesses to get necessary funds," Gimranov said.
He explained that to solve this problem, the government gradually simplifies business registration procedures, reducing the number of required documents, as well as introduces electronic services allowing for interaction with government agencies online and helping young entrepreneurs save time.
Further speaking, Gimranov pointed that administrative procedures are an issue for a comprehensive development of IT in Uzbekistan.
"Registration and interaction with government agencies can sometimes be quite complicated and time-consuming, and this, in turn, can create certain difficulties for business. For that, Uzbek government increases the number of consultations and support for entrepreneurs. Such consultations make it easier to cope and adapt to the administrative side of the business," he said.
Moreover, the CEO stressed that the regulatory framework in the field of IT and data security requires constant improvement and compliance to ensure the reliability and confidentiality of information.
"Uzbekistan is actively developing methods to strengthen personal data protection, e-commerce and cybersecurity. Training programs are conducted for IT and cybersecurity specialists to ensure that local personnel meet international standards. Uzbekistan is actively developing IT infrastructure to ensure cybersecurity, including the creation of national centers for monitoring and responding to cyber threats," Gimranov said.
"Lastly, I think that uneven distribution of high-speed internet and modern IT infrastructure limiting access to IT services in some regions tremendously slows down the development of IT sector in the country," he said.
Gimranov stressed that to address this issue, the government invests in development of telecommunications and IT infrastructure in underdeveloped regions.
"Development of IT infrastructure in underdeveloped regions includes the creation of high-speed Internet networks and modern data centers. Digital educational and innovation centers are also being created in different regions for training and development of projects in the field of information technology," he said.
Uzbekistan’s ICT sector has been developing rapidly in the last few years. The value of ICT services provided in Uzbekistan from January through November 2022 was worth 13.1 billion soums ($1.1 million).
This figure increased by 21.9 percent compared to the January through November 2021 figure (10.8 billion soums, or $953,649).
Over the past few years, Uzbekistan's information and communication technology (ICT) sector has experienced significant growth. The total value of ICT services delivered in Uzbekistan during the period from January to November 2022 amounted to 13.1 billion soums (equivalent to $1.1 million). This figure represents a notable increase of 21.9 percent compared to the same period in 2021, which recorded a value of 10.8 billion soums (approximately $953,649).
