UNIPATH STAFF
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev laid the groundwork for the creation of the Mirzo Ulugbek Innovation Center, which will support the development of information technology in the country, according to The Tashkent Times. He signed the July 2017 decree, “On Measures to Fundamentally Improve Conditions for Development of Information Technologies in Uzbekistan,” which aims to “radically improve” conditions for the creation and development of high-tech industries.
Thanks to the decree, experts will begin to implement projects focused on information security. The decree will also lead to “further deepening the integration of science, education and the production process by providing additional benefits for software developers.”
The center is the first of its kind in Uzbekistan. With its headquarters in Tashkent, the center will allow digital entrepreneurs throughout Uzbekistan to access a range of services remotely. In addition, the center provides a hub for those pursuing startups, software development, information technology and design.
In addition to other benefits, the center’s residents will be exempt from taxes until 2028, according to The Calvert Journal. Uzbekistan hopes the measures outlined in the decree will boost information technology to 4 percent of the country’s gross domestic product by 2021.