MOSCOW, July 9. /Dunyo IA/. Uzbekistan could attract between $5.2 billion and $6.4 billion in private investment and create over 300,000 jobs in the medium term through structural reforms in the logistics, tourism, and pharmaceutical sectors, reports Dunyo IA correspondent, citing with the Russian news agency “Interfax”.

This conclusion is contained in a new report by the World Bank. As noted in the document, these three sectors possess the greatest potential for attracting private capital, creating new jobs and implementing structural reforms.

The World Bank emphasized that since 2017, Uzbekistan has significantly transformed its economy, improving the business climate and raising public income levels. At the same time, to achieve the goals of the “Uzbekistan – 2030” strategy, the country needs to continue removing barriers to competition, address the shortage of skilled personnel and improve infrastructure and regulation.

In the logistics sector, experts estimate that road freight transport and warehousing infrastructure hold the greatest potential for private investment. Developing these areas will strengthen Uzbekistan's position as a regional trade hub, particularly within the framework of the “Middle Corridor” international transport route.

Reforms aimed at simplifying land use and construction procedures, alongside the digitalization of international freight transport permit issuance, could attract between $950 million and $1.05 billion in private investment and generate up to 108,000 new jobs.

In the tourism sector, the World Bank notes significant unrealized potential in cultural and ecological tourism. Improving land lease mechanisms, developing human resources, and increasing the efficiency of tourism management can attract between $3.1 billion and $4.2 billion in private investment.

According to experts' estimates, these measures will create between 120,000 and 180,000 new jobs, while simultaneously diversifying tourist flows and increasing their economic returns.

In the pharmaceutical industry, the production of generics and dietary supplements, for which demand continues to grow, has been identified as the most promising area.

To unlock the sector's potential, the World Bank recommends establishing bioequivalence research laboratories, aligning manufacturing processes with international standards, improving documentation on active pharmaceutical ingredients and simplifying drug registration procedures.

According to the organization's estimates, implementing these measures could attract between $44 million and $188 million in private investment and create up to 20,000 new jobs.