Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 28 February, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation on the effective organization of public-private partnership (PPP) projects in the social sector.

The country is undergoing large-scale reforms aimed at reducing state involvement in the economy. A key instrument in this process has been the Law “On Public-Private Partnership,” adopted in 2019, which has created broad opportunities for private investment.

The PPP mechanism has already proven effective, particularly in the social sector. The opening of private kindergartens with 1.2 million places has increased preschool education coverage to 77%. In higher education, 57 projects have provided dormitory spaces for 29,000 students. The private healthcare sector is actively developing in areas such as dentistry, otolaryngology, and laboratory diagnostics.

Despite these achievements, the demand for high-quality social services remains high, and there is significant potential for further development. The presentation outlined proposals to expand PPP initiatives in healthcare, education, culture, and sports.

Plans include five healthcare projects worth US$1.2 billion, six preschool and school education projects totaling US$745 million, and higher education initiatives worth US$100 million in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and other partners.

Notably, modern multidisciplinary clinics are set to be built in Tashkent, Fergana, Bukhara, Andijan, and Samarkand. Additionally, some non-core services of regional central polyclinics will be transferred to the private sector.

The discussion also covered attracting private investment into culture and sports. Currently, 43 cultural centers have been privatized, with an additional 127 facilities available for transfer.

The need to modernize unused swimming pools, gyms, and sports facilities while expanding wellness services was highlighted. To support this, the government aims to simplify the process of transferring cultural and sports facilities to private partners.

The president instructed relevant ministries and regional administrations to develop and implement "roadmaps" for each project and accelerate the rollout of PPP initiatives.