Uzbekistan bets on digitalization to create jobs and compete globally

(April 2026) For countries with young populations, economic growth increasingly depends on whether digital industries can generate skilled, well-paid work. Infrastructure matters, but it’s only part of a broader effort to reshape how economies function.

That challenge is particularly acute in emerging markets, where governments must expand access, reduce bureaucracy, and compete for investment—all while preparing a workforce for a changing digital landscape.

Sherzod Shermatov, Minister of Digital Technologies for Uzbekistan, argues that digitalization can address these pressures simultaneously. He aims to build a business-friendly environment, scaling digital public services and positioning Uzbekistan as a hub for talent, rather than low-cost outsourcing.

In a Transform Talks interview with Huawei’s Executive Editor-in-Chief Gavin Allen, Shermatov outlines how the country is combining education reform, international partnerships, and AI-driven infrastructure to accelerate growth—and why balancing global models may be key to closing the digital divide.