The Presidential Decree No. PP-308: Measures on the Development of Public-Private Partnerships for 2024-2030
The Presidential Decree No. PP-308, issued on August 30, 2024 (the “Decree”), sets forth a strategic roadmap aimed at developing public-private partnerships (PPP) in Uzbekistan, in line with the “Uzbekistan 2030” national strategy. The Decree is a part of Uzbekistan’s broader initiative to attract at least USD 30 billion in private investments into PPP projects by 2030.
This Decree further promotes private sector involvement in key infrastructure projects, particularly in energy, transportation, healthcare, education, and other vital services. In this regard, a table of priority PPP projects for 2024–2026[1] and a program of projects to be Implemented under PPP up until 2030[2] have been approved, providing an overview of the anticipated PPP projects in Uzbekistan for the coming years.
Below, we highlight what we consider to be significant developments in the PPP regulatory framework as well as list the pipeline of PPP projects for 2024-2030.
Introducing Upper Limits of Sovereign Obligations
The Ministry of Economy and Finance (MoEF) is instructed to prepare amendments to the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Public Debt" introducing upper limits on sovereign obligations under PPP projects and under comfort letters issued for projects based on PPP principles.
Establishment of the PPP Project Office
The Decree instructs the creation of a specialized project office, the "Center for Public-Private Partnership Projects", within MoEF (the “Project Office”). This office will oversee the execution of the PPP program, ensuring timely and efficient project implementation. The Project Office will be responsible for organizing international roadshows, seminars, and roundtables, as well as facilitating the training and certification of local specialists in PPP management.
One of the tasks that the Project Office is assigned is to increase local content in the PPP projects and expand the financing of projects in national currency.
Registration and Monitoring of PPP Projects and Projects based on PPP principles
By the end of 2024, an electronic PPP platform shall be developed to digitalize all steps of PPP-project procurement, keep the registry of all PPP projects (the “Registry”), and ensure monitoring of these projects’ implementation.
The Registry shall now include not only all the PPP projects but also all long-term investment projects that are implemented based on PPP principles under the Law “On Investments and Investment Activities”.
Priority PPP projects for 2024–2026 and a PPP program up until 2030
Apart regulatory reform, the Decree also lists prospective PPP projects in, among others, the following sectors:
- Infrastructure development: ambitious goals for the construction and modernization of over 1,000 kilometers of modern toll highways, starting with such major projects as the Tashkent-Samarkand toll road in 2024 and the Tashkent-Andijan toll road in 2026.
- Energy and water management: private operators will take over the management of regional power distribution networks by 2027 and natural gas regional distribution networks by 2028. Additionally, the modernization of outdated irrigation systems is expected to result in a 30% reduction in energy consumption.
- Healthcare and education: by 2026, the government aims to annually construct and manage at least 100 schools and 100 preschools under the PPP model, accommodating more than 400,000 pupils. The Decree also envisions the construction of large multipurpose hospitals serving over 100,000 patients, managed by private operators to improve access to advanced medical technologies.
[1] Annex 1 to the Decree
[2] Annex 2 to the Decree
Please refer to the below file for the full list of the Priority PPP projects for 2024–2026 and Projects to be Implemented under PPP up until 2030.