INNOVATION POLICY OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN: ACHIEVEMENTS AND PROSPECTS

Аннотация

The innovation policy of the Republic of Uzbekistan has undergone significant changes in recent years. The article examines the development of the innovation sector in the country intheperiod from 2023to 2024. The article provides an analysis of key initiatives aimed at stimulating research and technological activities, improving the investment climate in high- tech industries, as well as the impact of these changes on the economic development of the country. A comparative analysis of statistical data makes it possible to assess the effectiveness of implementedprograms and identify further ways to develop Uzbekistan's innovation policy. Keywords: innovation policy, the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2023, 2024, economic development, research activities,technological progress, investments ininnovation. By Presidential decree dated July 6, 2022, the Strategy of Innovative Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2022-2026 was approved. The goal is to develop a continuous ecosystem of "industry - region - scientific/higher educational organization" from the organization of jobs to the creation of capital in the formation of a creative economy in the country. In the first year of the document's implementation, systemic reforms have taken place aimed at increasing the scientific potential of the republic, improving innovation infrastructure, and improving systemic measures to stimulate innovation in the regions. Key areas and mechanisms of development have been identified, as well as targets that serve as benchmarks for monitoringand evaluating theeffectiveness ofthestrategy. Innovation has become one of the most important drivers of economic growth in global practice. The Republic of Uzbekistan, following the current trends of globalization, has adopted a number of strategic decisions aimed at improving the innovation ecosystem. The most important of these were reforms in the field of science and technology, as well as the development of infrastructure to support start-ups and small innovative enterprises. In the period from 2023 to 2024, Uzbekistan's innovation policy is focused on increasing the country's competitiveness and attracting highly qualified specialists in various technological fields. This article will present an analysis of the current situation in the field of innovation in Uzbekistan, focusing on the achievements and challenges ofthe past two years. Innovation policy of Uzbekistan: key initiatives and strategic goals Since the early 2020s, Uzbekistan has begun to implement ambitious projects in the field of innovative development. One of the key policy directions was the creation of an ecosystem for startups and support for scientific research at universities. In 2023, Uzbekistan announced the expansion of its program for the digitalization of the economy, with an emphasis on the development of artificial intelligence (AI), big data and blockchain technologies. Against the background of global changes in the field of high technologies, the Republic of Uzbekistan is actively developing partnerships with the world's leading research centers, which allows the country to develop unique innovative solutions for various sectors of the economy. In 2023, the Innovative Development Plan for 2023-2025 was approved, under which it is planned to increase the share ofhigh-tech sectors in thecountry's gross domesticproduct. According to the State Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in 2023, the share of https://ijmri.de/index.php/jmsi volume 4,issue3,2025 165 innovatively active enterprises in the country was 14.2%, which is a significant increase compared to 12.6% in 2022. This indicates a growing interest in the introduction of new technologies in industry and other sectors oftheeconomy. Thecountry's innovativedevelopment during these periods amounted to: • 2023: Uzbekistan ranked 82nd out of 132 in the Global Innovation Index, but at the same time retained the status of an economy developing innovation at a faster pace. In Central and South Asia, thecountry tookthe second place, losingthe championship toKazakhstan. • 2024: In the Global Innovation Index for 2024, Uzbekistan dropped by one position compared to 2023 and took 83rd place out of 133. The innovation index is based on 81 indicators, which include such parameters as the political environment, education, infrastructure and the level of business development. The largest growth was recorded in such areas as information technology, biotechnology and the production of renewable energy sources. For example, in the information technology sector, the volume of investments in 2023 amounted to 3.5 billion US dollars, which is 18% more than in the previous year. In 2024, a further increase in these indicators is expected, especially. An important indicator of the effectiveness of innovation policy is the number of registered patents and scientific developments. In 2023, the number of patents for new technologies in Uzbekistan increased by 9%,