The Tashkent International Investment Forum 2026 has ended with 166 investment agreements worth a total of USD 43.1 billion, marking a major step in Uzbekistan’s efforts to turn international interest into concrete economic partnerships. The fifth edition of the forum, held in the Uzbek capital, underlined not only the country’s growing investment appeal but also its increasing relevance for Europe as the European Union seeks stronger trade, connectivity and critical raw materials links with Central Asia.
According to Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade, this year’s forum showed that investor engagement with the country has moved beyond general promotion. The event was presented as evidence that Uzbekistan is increasingly becoming a practical business platform for long-term capital, industrial projects, infrastructure development and international financial cooperation.
Tashkent International Investment Forum 2026 attracts record international interest
The scale of the Tashkent International Investment Forum 2026 was significantly larger than in previous years. The number of registered participants exceeded 10,409, including 3,802 foreign delegates from 102 countries. In 2022, the forum hosted 1,050 foreign delegates; by 2025, that number had risen to 2,022. This means that foreign participation has more than tripled in four years.
The composition of the audience was also important. The Tashkent International Investment Forum 2026 was attended by 3,145 representatives of real-sector companies, an increase of 1,480 compared with the previous year. For investors, this is a key indicator: the forum is no longer simply a diplomatic showcase, but a venue where companies involved in production, infrastructure, energy, finance, logistics and technology are increasingly present.
Major global companies and financial institutions were represented in Tashkent, including BlackRock, JPMorgan Chase, Citibank, Visa, Franklin Templeton, Standard Chartered, London Stock Exchange Group, Bank of China, BP, Masdar, ACWA Power, Airbus, John Deere, Meta, Coca-Cola, DP World and AD Ports Group. The combined assets under management of the companies present were estimated at around USD 42 trillion.
Why the forum matters for Europe
For European readers, the importance of the Tashkent forum lies in Uzbekistan’s changing position in Eurasia. The country is located at the heart of Central Asia, a region that has become increasingly important for Europe because of trade routes, energy security, industrial supply chains and access to critical raw materials.
The EU and Uzbekistan have already been deepening their relationship. In October 2025, the European Union and Uzbekistan signed an Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, described by the European Commission as a new milestone in bilateral economic and trade relations. Overall trade between the EU and Uzbekistan reached nearly EUR 4.8 billion in 2024, while bilateral trade in goods nearly doubled compared with 2020.
This wider European context makes the Tashkent International Investment Forum 2026 especially relevant. Many of the sectors highlighted at the forum — renewable energy, critical minerals, digital government, artificial intelligence, agribusiness and food security — overlap directly with the EU’s own strategic priorities. The European Commission has also identified Uzbekistan as an important partner in the development of sustainable local value chains for critical raw materials, which are essential for green, digital, defence and aerospace industries.
Critical raw materials, connectivity and green investment
One of the clearest European angles is critical raw materials. In April 2024, the EU signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Uzbekistan on cooperation in this field. The aim is to support secure, sustainable and resilient supply chains, a priority that has grown in importance as Europe tries to reduce dependence on concentrated global sources of key industrial inputs.
At the Tashkent International Investment Forum 2026, critical minerals were one of the major themes of the business programme. This is significant because Uzbekistan is not only presenting itself as a market for foreign investment, but also as a potential partner in industrial value chains that matter to European manufacturers.
Connectivity is another crucial issue. Europe has been looking more closely at Central Asia as part of broader efforts to strengthen trade corridors between Europe and Asia. Uzbekistan’s investment agenda, including transport, logistics, industrial zones and financial infrastructure, fits into this wider geopolitical and economic picture.
A broader business programme
The business programme of the Tashkent International Investment Forum 2026 included 79 events, among them 34 panel discussions, eight investment pitch sessions and seven major bilateral business forums involving the United States, China, South Korea, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The programme covered sectors that are central to Uzbekistan’s long-term development strategy: renewable energy, critical minerals, digital public administration, artificial intelligence, Islamic finance, agribusiness and food security. The Exhibition of the Investment Potential of Uzbekistan also showcased the country’s capabilities in agriculture, agro-processing, electrical engineering, the chemical industry, geology, energy, AI and IT.
For European companies, these sectors are familiar areas of cooperation. Renewable energy and green finance align with Europe’s climate and sustainability goals. Agribusiness and food security are increasingly important in a world affected by supply chain disruption and climate pressures. Digital public administration and AI, meanwhile, offer opportunities for technology providers, consultants and institutional partners.
Political weight and regional significance
The political level of the Tashkent International Investment Forum 2026 was also higher than in previous years. The event brought together 76 senior government representatives, compared with 26 a year earlier. The plenary session featured Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev alongside senior representatives from Albania, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
The participation of Albania also gave the forum a direct European governmental presence, while the involvement of Eurasian and Central Asian leaders highlighted Uzbekistan’s ambition to serve as a meeting point between regions. For Europe, this matters because Central Asia is no longer viewed only through the lens of energy or security. It is increasingly seen as a region where trade, investment, infrastructure and regulatory partnerships can shape long-term economic relations.
Tashkent International Financial Centre and English law
A major element of Uzbekistan’s investment strategy is the planned Tashkent International Financial Centre. According to the Uzbek ministry, the centre is designed to operate on the principles of English law, ensure the free movement of capital, allow multi-currency settlements and provide specialised conditions for fintech and green finance.
This could be especially important for European and international investors. English-law-based financial frameworks are often used to improve predictability and investor confidence, particularly in markets where foreign companies want clearer legal protections and more familiar dispute-resolution mechanisms.
If implemented effectively, the financial centre could help shorten the path from initial investor interest to project execution. That would be consistent with the main message of this year’s forum: Uzbekistan wants to prove that it can offer not only opportunities, but also the institutional environment needed to deliver them.
Investor dialogue beyond the Tashkent International Investment Forum 2026
The Uzbek government has also sought to build longer-term mechanisms for investor dialogue. According to the ministry, the number of companies participating in the Foreign Investors Council has grown from 54 to 85, representing 19 countries and 23 economic sectors. The council has helped develop 21 initiatives and contributed to the adoption of eight regulatory acts.
This is relevant because investors usually look beyond headline agreements. They also assess whether governments are prepared to listen to business concerns, improve regulation and maintain predictable conditions over time. For European investors in particular, regulatory transparency, legal certainty and environmental standards are often decisive.
From interest to implementation
The Tashkent International Investment Forum 2026 closed with a clear message: Uzbekistan is trying to move from investment promotion to implementation. The USD 43.1 billion in signed agreements is a headline figure, but the real test will come in the months and years ahead, as projects move from contracts to construction, production, financing and job creation.
For Europe, Uzbekistan’s growing investment profile deserves attention. The country is increasingly connected to European priorities in trade, connectivity, green transition, critical raw materials and institutional reform. As the EU deepens its engagement with Central Asia, forums such as the Tashkent International Investment Forum 2026 may become more than regional business events. They may become important indicators of how Europe’s economic relationship with Eurasia is changing.
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