MANAMA, August 5. /Dunyo IA/. Arab Gulf countries are investing billions of dollars in Uzbekistan, reports Dunyo IA correspondent, citing with the Bahraini daily newspaper “Albilad Press”.

Investments from the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are contributing to the reshaping of the new map of Central Asia, as Uzbekistan has become one of the most attractive destinations for Gulf capital, particularly in the energy sector. This is driven by large-scale economic reforms, rapidly growing demand for electricity, and the government’s ambitions to transform the country into a regional clean energy hub.

According to a report published by “Arabian Gulf Business Insights”, investors from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are committing billions of dollars to modernize Uzbekistan’s energy sector, after Gulf investments had long been concentrated in real estate and international financial markets. Saudi company “ACWA Power” is leading this investment landscape, as Uzbekistan has become the company’s largest international market, with investments estimated at around 15 billion US dollars. These include major projects in wind energy, solar energy and green hydrogen, reflecting the growing confidence of Gulf countries in the potential of the Uzbek economy.

Report also notes that Uzbekistan aims to become an exporter of clean energy by 2030 through the “Green Energy Corridor across the Caspian Sea” project, leveraging the advantage of more than 300 sunny days a year, which provides solar energy projects with a high competitive advantage.

Experts cited in the report believe that Gulf sovereign wealth funds and major energy companies possess long-term financing capabilities and sufficient experience to lead this transformation. This makes Uzbekistan one of the most important destinations for GCC investments in the energy sector in the coming years - not only in electricity generation, but also in building an integrated energy system that supports economic growth and sustainable development.