OMM Redaksiyası
New investment projects worth billions of dollars will be implemented in Uzbekistan’s Republic of Karakalpakstan. The projects cover artificial intelligence, data centers, renewable energy, agriculture, mining, transport and healthcare.
The projects were announced during Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s visit to the region. Karakalpakstan is located in northwestern Uzbekistan, covers approximately 166,000 square kilometers and accounts for one-third of the country’s territory. The region has a population of about two million.
Artificial intelligence and energy projects
Six projects involving artificial intelligence and data centers are planned in the Kungrad–Karaozek–Takhiatash area. The projects, valued at $8 billion in total, will require a stable electricity supply of one gigawatt.
The program targets the creation of 1,500 high-paying jobs in artificial intelligence and cloud technologies within three years, while annual exports in the sector are expected to reach $600 million by 2029.
In the renewable energy sector, a 1.5-gigawatt wind power plant worth $2.6 billion is being built in Kungrad district. The project also includes the construction of 1,500 kilometers of high-voltage transmission lines and three 500-kilovolt substations.
By 2030, Karakalpakstan plans to increase wind power capacity to 3.3 gigawatts, raise the share of green energy in total electricity generation to 76 percent and create 400 megawatts of energy storage capacity.
Agriculture and mining
Taking into account the region’s saline soils and limited water resources, salt-tolerant plum and late-ripening apricot orchards are planned across 30,000 hectares. Work will begin on 10,000 hectares this year. The project is expected to create jobs for 20,000 people within three years and increase fruit exports to at least $500 million.
Melons will be grown on 10,000 hectares near Nukus starting next spring. Uzbekistan plans to bring in varieties and agricultural specialists from Spain, the United States, the Netherlands and China for the project. A new holding company will be established to process and export the produce.
The creation of a gold mining and processing cluster is also planned in Karakalpakstan. Following a $33 million investment by a Chinese investor, four tons of gold were reportedly discovered at the Urusoy deposit. The new cluster is expected to create 1,000 jobs.
Transport, urban development and healthcare
Projects involving Chinese partners in digital currencies and artificial intelligence data centers in Kungrad and Takhiatash are valued at $2.281 billion in total. The establishment of a separate data center is also planned in Takhtakupyr.
Industrial projects include at least $150 million in textile and leather production, $200 million in electrical engineering, $100 million in energy-efficient construction materials, $120 million in automotive components and $50 million in pharmaceuticals.
Construction has begun on a 92-kilometer section of the A-380 highway. The $233 million project is expected to increase transit traffic by 50 percent and reduce freight travel time from Turktul to the Kazakhstan border from approximately 24 hours to 10 hours.
The launch of a high-speed train service on the Tashkent–Nukus route is planned for March next year. The journey will consequently be shortened from 16 hours to seven.
The Nukus City urban development project will cover 2.7 square kilometers and accommodate approximately 50,000 residents. It will include energy-efficient residential buildings, business and shopping centers, service facilities and green spaces.
The Karakalpakstan Scientific and Practical Medical Academy, currently under construction at a cost of 154 billion soums, will enable the training of 3,000 doctors and 6,800 medical and pharmaceutical workers annually. Nukus is also expected to expand high-tech medical services, including liver and kidney transplants.
The region attracted $1.7 billion in investment in 2025. Karakalpakstan’s economy grew by 10.2 percent in the first half of 2026. The new program includes 47 projects worth $7 billion and is expected to create approximately 8,000 high-paying jobs.
Uzbekistan aims to attract $5 billion in investment to Karakalpakstan in 2027. Officials said the focus would be placed on sectors generating higher added value, resource processing, renewable energy and technology.
