Uzbekistan to lead Central Asia in economic growth — IMF

Uzbekistan will top the economic growth charts in Central Asia from 2025, with real GDP projected to grow by 5.7% each year, according to analysts at the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The IMF’s World Economic Outlook report expects the country’s real GDP to grow by 5.6% by the end of 2024. While Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan may see stronger growth this year, their economies are likely to slow down afterwards. In contrast, Uzbekistan’s growth will see a modest increase and remain stable through 2029.

The IMF forecasts inflation in Uzbekistan to reach 10.4% in 2024, but it should drop to 7.9% by the end of 2025. This would place the country below Turkmenistan, where inflation is predicted to be the highest in the region.

The unemployment rate in Uzbekistan is expected to fall to 5.8% by the end of 2025.

Since the beginning of this year, foreign investors have poured $24 bln into Uzbekistan’s economy.