THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN AND THEIR SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN

newjournal.org zenodo.org 1 THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN AND THEIR SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN Jizzakh branch of the National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek The Faculty of Psychology, the department of Foreign languages Philology and teaching languages Teshaboyeva Nafisa Zubaydulla qizi [email protected] Igor Chekulay Vladimirovich Professor of the Department of English Philology and Intercultural Communication, Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod, Russian Federation Student of group 204-24:G’oyibnazarova Oygul Olloqul qizi Annotation:this article discusses the Presidents of the Republic of Uzbekistan and their significant contributions to the development of the country. It explains how each leader introduced important political, economic, and social reforms to strengthen independence, improve living standards, and modernize national institutions. The article highlights the achievements of the First President, Islam Karimov, who ensured stability during the early years of independence, created the Constitution, and established strong statehood. It also emphasizes the extensive reforms carried out by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who opened the country to the world, expanded international cooperation, and launched wide-ranging modernization programs.The article additionally outlines progress in key areas such as education, healthcare, economy, and cultural life under the leadership of Uzbekistan’s presidents. It describes efforts to preserve historical heritage, support youth, develop infrastructure, and promote innovation and digital technologies. These reforms have helped improve social conditions, strengthen national identity, and enhance Uzbekistan’s role in international relations.Overall, the article shows how the presidents of Uzbekistan— through their vision, leadership, and reforms—have contributed to building a strong, independent, and rapidly developing state that successfully combines national traditions with modern growth. newjournal.org zenodo.org 2 Key words: Uzbekistan; President; Leadership;Independence ;;Reforms Development; Modernization; Constitution; Econom; Social ;reforms; Education ; Healthcare; Culture; Heritage; International relations; Stability; Progress; Innovation; National identity; Introduction The Republic of Uzbekistan has been shaped by the leadership and vision of its presidents since gaining independence in 1991. Each president has played a vital role in the country’s political, economic, and social development. Their reforms and policies have strengthened statehood, promoted modernization, and improved the quality of life for citizens. From ensuring stability and nation-building to opening Uzbekistan to international cooperation and innovation, the presidents have guided the country toward progress. Studying their contributions helps us understand how leadership has influenced the growth and development of modern Uzbekistan. Islam Karimov (1991–2016) Islam Abduganievich Karimov was born on January 30, 1938 in the city of Samarkand in a modest family of a civil servant, where daily hard work was a routine to make a living.He lived his childhood in the harsh military and post-war years. Despite the fact that he and all of his relatives knew very well the true value of the earned piece of bread and suffered privations and hardships, they, like thousands of our compatriots, shared their home and bread with people evacuated to Uzbekistan during the World War II.In 1945, he went to the Samarkand school No. 21 named after Alexander Pushkin and finished it with a gold medal (highest grades). During his school years, he used to read a lot, especially history books, and had a particular interest in exact sciences, he was fond of chess, modeling and table tennis.In 1955, Islam Karimov was admitted to the Central Asian Polytechnic Institute. After graduation it in 1960 with a Diploma of mechanical engineer, he began his career at the TASHSELMASH (Tashkent Agricultural Machinery) factory, where in a short time he was promoted from an assistant foreman, to the positions of a foreman and an industrial engineer. The plant produced various types of machines for agriculture. It was important for Islam Karimov to experience everything first-hand, to be a part of production process, see the «dark» and «bright» sides of factory life.Thanks to his assertiveness, knowledge and organizational skills, in 1961 he was appointed as an engineer to the Tashkent Aviation Plant, one of the largest enterprises of the militaryindustrial complex of the former Soviet Union. He worked there until 1966, eventually having become the leading design engineer.Fate did not pamper him. He had to overcome many obstacles and barriers, but this only made him forge ahead and newjournal.org zenodo.org 3 become stronger. He always went through life, relying first and foremost on his own strength and knowledge. This was the case in school years, at the institute, during his career on the factories, as well as in obtaining his degree in economics and defending his thesis.He had to study, as they say, «on-the-job training».In exactly this way he in 1967 was able to finish the evening department of the Tashkent Institute of National Economy, where in 1973 he defended his thesis on «The structure of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic’s industrial base and the main directions for its improvementIn 1975 he graduated from the prestigious Institute of National Economy Management in Moscow with major in the modern management methods, organization of production and planning using economic and mathematical methods and computer technology.In 1994, Islam Karimov received the academic degree of Doctor of Economic Sciences, the academic title of a full professor of Macroeconomics and he was elected as a full-fledged member of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan in «Economics».In 1966, Islam Karimov was transferred to the State Planning Committee of Uzbekistan, where he started from the position of a chief specialist at the Science Department eventually became the First Deputy Chairman of the Committee, having earned reputation of a serious and unconventionally thinking gifted economist.In 1983, he became Minister of Finance and in 1986 – Vice Chairman of the Council of Ministers – Chairman of the State Planning Committee of Uzbekistan.Economist, scholar and practitioner Islam Karimov saw and realized clearly the whole depravity of the commandadministrative system of management. He had passed through all stages in the State Planning Committee and in the Ministry of Finance, where Uzbekistan’s financial and economic development plans were actually drafted, and possessing analytical thinking he was aware of the accumulated problems better than anyone.As the Chairman of the State Planning Committee of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic, in 1986 Islam Karimov had made extensive reviews of the situation in the Republic and he came to conclusion that the country was facing threat of economic collapse. Realizing the situation and intending to change it for the better, he drawn up and sent to the leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Uzbekistan the report «On the problems and prospects of development of Uzbekistan’s economy».He expected that a serious conversation would take place and specific decisions would be made. However, his report caused such an irritation among the country’s leadership that his further stay in Tashkent became undesirable. Their intention to get rid out of the «inconvenient» Islam Karimov was so strong that they ignored the established procedure for appointing the First Secretary of the regional committee, i.e. he was appointed to his new post without undergoing an internship in the office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and with no practical work experience in Communist Party structures. Thus, his approval to the post of First Secretary of the Regional Communist Party Committee of Kashkadarya newjournal.org zenodo.org 4 region was developed on the session of the Politburo practically in absentia. In fact, it was a kind of an «exile» away from the capital.Islam Karimov was transferred to a very problem-ridden region. Entire Uzbekistan was facing difficult social and economic situation, and in the Kashkadarya region it was further aggravated by the population’s complete distrust in the communist party elite because previous regional leadership had compromised itself. Evidently, this appointment was aimed to break Islam Karimov down, but it became a turning point in his destiny instead.He had been working in Kashkadarya for about three years. At that time he primarily did his best to win hearts and minds of people, change public opinion vis-à-vis the authorities, and eventually improve the entire situation in the region. And that's exactly what he did. During the time he was in the office about 300 km of roads, markets, social and cultural facilities were built. People in the region still warmly recall the days when Islam Abduganievich Karimov worked there.Whatever position Islam Karimov held, he first of all remained a citizen of his Homeland, who wished to make his people happy and prosperous with all his heart and soul. And people having witnessed their lives getting positive changes paid him back not only with their great confidence, but they became true associates of their leader.His merits before the Homeland in those years were marked by such high state awards as the Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1981) and the Order of Friendship of Peoples (1988).On June 23, 1989, Islam Karimov was elected as First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Uzbekistan and stood at the helm of Uzbekistan, which at the time was experiencing dramatic developments.To fully understand the situation in Uzbekistan when Islam Karimov came into the office we have to refer to his own words: «Let's recall 1989, when the Soviet communist system still reigned. There were ominous events at the end of May – early June called «the Fergana tragedy», which shocked the entire former Soviet Union and were near to blow up the situation not only in Uzbekistan, but throughout Central Asia».And at the very time when the situation in the country was extremely flammable, and land was literally «on fire» not only throughout the Fergana Valley, but also in some places of the Tashkent, Syrdarya and other regions, Uzbekistan found a leader who had the personal courage and statesman-like vision of the very essence of ongoing developments and felt himself responsible for his people and country.It was clear for Islam Karimov that such state of affairs was due to the bankruptcy of administrative command system, ignoring the ethnic, economic and social issues of the republic as well as policies of diktat and humiliation the local people. People of Uzbekistan had not healed the wounds yet inflicted by the so-called «Cottongate» or «Uzbekgate» instituted by the agonizing Central Government.The republic economy was in state of collapse primarily because it was geared towards raw materials. Dissatisfaction dire socio-economic situation had reached the terminal end of the people's patience all over the country but especially in the densely populated Fergana Valley.We can newjournal.org zenodo.org 5 unambiguously state today that Islam Karimov was the one who had stopped the inter-ethnic confrontation and had extinguished the incipient fire of the civil war. By this he had saved lives of hundreds of thousands, and maybe millions of people, had ensured peace and tranquility both in our country and in the entire multinational Central Asian region.Literally the next day Islam Karimov was elected as the Head of Uzbekistan, on 24 June 1989, he stated emphatically at the session of the Government of Uzbekistan: «From now on, we cannot live in the old way, and time itself will not allow this». Then he insistently proceeded to implement step by step his own hardfought and well-thought-out Uzbekistan development program.Already in August 1989 along with other drastic measures, it was adopted an unprecedented decision to provide households of almost 2.5 million families with about 400,000 hectares of irrigated land. This, undoubtedly, had become an essential stage in the process of solving acute social problems, preserving peace and stability all over the country. It is not difficult to appreciate the whole scale of this first priority transformation if we would take into account the following historical fact that during the entire last 72 years of Soviet era, the rural population of Uzbekistan was allowed to have only about 300 thousand hectares of land for their households.The adoption in October 1989 of the State Language Law was another bold political step by Islam Karimov. Previously even in Uzbekistan the Uzbek language used to be in subordinate roles for a very long time. But this Law had given it the status of the State Language. It was a landmark event in raising national self-consciousness of the Uzbek people and it was the first victory on the road to gaining Independence.It should be noted that Uzbekistan at that time remained yet as a part of the Soviet Union, which still continued to exercise control of the entire gigantic country through its tough command and administrative system. The National Armed Forces had been also built and Islam Karimov as the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Supreme Commander-in-Chief was in-charge of them.In the meantime, the territorial subordination of the structural divisions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and state security bodies had been basically established within one republic, the situation with the Armed Forces wasn't so easy.Uzbekistan did not have its own Armed Forces. On its territory there were some military units of the huge Turkestan military district responsible for territories of several republics.Taking into account the alarming developments had been going on around Uzbekistan, especially in Tajikistan and Afghanistan, all mentioned above issues required immediate solutions.In general, an enormous amount of work had been carried out to create our own National Armed Forces without a significant loss of military capability of their military units. The Law enforcement and National security agencies had been reformed, along with that. Thus, it had been set up such a system that even today provides reliable protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Uzbekistan as well as it maintains constitutional and public order in the country.Islam Karimov paid a great newjournal.org zenodo.org 6 attention to the establishment and strengthening the judiciary, to its democratization and liberalization as well as to ensure independence, objectivity and impartiality of judges. During the judicial reforms, specialization among courts had been introduced, the procedures of cassations and appellations had been reformed, and equality of parties had been ensured at all stages of the trials.One of the important features of Uzbekistan's democratic development was the creation of an effective system of national human rights institutions: Commissioner for Human Rights of the Oliy Majlis (Ombudsman), the National Center for Human Rights, and Institute for Monitoring Current Legislation at the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Avoiding duplication of efforts of each other and independently, they make their contribution to promote respect for the rule of law and protection of the rights of citizens in accordance with the law, and they conduct monitoring of current legislation.Freedom of activity of self-government bodies of citizens, political parties, movements, trade unions, public associations and foundations, non-governmental non-commercial organizations (NGOs), independent media is guaranteed. Altogether they constitute the institutional structure of civil society in Uzbekistan.. He also owns authorship for the creation of such State awards as: Order of «Mustakillik» («Independence»); Order of «Amir Temur»; Order of «Buyuk hizmatlari uchun» («Distinguished service»). With the attainment of Uzbekistan independence, President Islam Karimov embarked on an active foreign policy. Islam Karimov was awarded the title of «O’zbekiston Qahramoni» (Hero of Uzbekistan, 1994), and was awarded the Orders «Mustaqillik» (Independence, 1996) and «Amir Temur» (1997). Shavkat Mirziyoyev Miromonovich Mirziyoyev was born on 24 July 1957[12][13] in the Jizzakh Region of the Uzbek SSR.[14] Some media outlets alleged that he was actually born in the village of Yakhtan in the Leninabad Oblast (now the Sughd Region) of Tajikistan, and even unconfirmed claims that he was allegedly a Tajik. After an investigation by several journalists, it was revealed that Yakhtan is the native home of Mirziyoyev's grandfather on his father's side, and that Mirziyoyev himself is an Uzbek, and not a Tajik. His father, Miromon Mirziyoyevich Mirziyoyev, worked as a physician for most of his life until death. He worked as the head physician of the tuberculosis dispensary in Zaamin. O‘rinbek Yoqubov, a cousin of Miromon, being a veteran of World War II, became a Hero of the Soviet Union in April 1944. Shavkat's mother newjournal.org zenodo.org 7 Marifat, died at a young age from tuberculosis, which she contracted in the Zaamin tuberculosis dispensary, where she worked as a nurse. After the death of his wife, Miromon Mirziyoyev married a second time to a woman from Tatarstan. In 1981, Mirziyoyev graduated from the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Melioration. He holds a Candidate (Ph.D.) degree in Technological Sciences. He joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s. In early 1990, he was elected as a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Uzbek SSR's last legislative body before the independence of Uzbekistan in 1991. The ceremony took place in the Senate and State Legislative Assembly Building in Tashkent. Political career In 1990, Mirziyoyev was appointed a deputy of the Supreme council of the republic, where he served as a chairman of the Mandate commission.In 1992, he was appointed a governor (Hakim) of Mirzo Ulugbek District of Tashkent. In 1996-2001 worked as a hokim of Jizzakh Region, and 2001-2003 hokim of Samarqand Region, contributing to their social-economic development.[23] He was nominated as prime minister by President Islam Karimov on 12 December 2003, and approved by the Uzbek parliament. He replaced Prime Minister Oʻtkir Sultonov.Mirziyoyev was appointed as the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2003 and subsequently reapproved three times (in 2005, 2010, and 2015) in his post by both Chambers of the Oliy Majlis.In his activities, Shavkat Mirziyoyev attached special significance to economic development on an industrial basis, improving the country's exporting potential, fundamentally transforming the agricultural sector, especially through the extensive advancement of farming enterprises, deep processing of agricultural products, providing food security for the nation, and guaranteeing the supply of goods to the population at reasonable prices.On September 8, 2016, following the death of Islam Karimov, based on a joint resolution of the Legislative Chamber (Lower House) and Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan adopted at a joint session, Mirziyoyev was temporarily assigned the duties and powers of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.In recognition of the many years of work in government, contribution to the country’s development, and improvement of the people’s welfare, Shavkat Mirziyoyev was awarded the Order “Mehnat shuhrati” (‘Glory of Labor’) and “Fidokorona xizmatlari uchun” (‘For Selfless Service’).On October 19, 2016, the Movement of Entrepreneurs and Businessmen - Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (UzLiDeP) nominated Mirziyoyev as the candidate for the presidential elections.Shavkat Mirziyoyev was elected President of the Republic of Uzbekistan with 88.61 percent of the vote based on the results of the presidential elections that took place on December 4, 2016, officially assuming the post on December 14, 2016.On October 24, 2021 Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been re- newjournal.org zenodo.org 8 elected for a second five-year term, winning 80.1% votes.[24] Following the constitutional reform, Mirziyoyev won an early presidential election on July 9, 2023 with 87,05% votes. Presidency of Shavkat Mirziyoyev A member of the Samarkand clan, he was considered to be one of the leading potential successors to Islam Karimov as President of Uzbekistan. Mirziyoyev was reported to have friendly relations with Karimov's wife, Tatyana Karimova, and National Security Council chairman Rustam Inoyatov. After the death of Karimov was announced on 2 September 2016, Mirziyoyev was appointed as head of the committee organizing the funeral of the President. That was taken as a sign that Mirziyoyev would succeed Karimov as president On 8 September 2016, he was appointed as interim president of Uzbekistan by a joint session of both houses of parliament. Although the chairman of the Senate, Nigmatilla Yuldashev, was constitutionally designated as Karimov's successor, Yuldashev proposed that Mirziyoyev take the post of interim president instead in light of Mirziyoyev's "many years of experience". There were expectations that Mirziyoyev would repair Uzbek relations with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. He started to settle a long-running border dispute with Kyrgyzstan, and regular flights between the capitals of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan were set to resume in January 2017 for the first time since 1992.[28][29] The electoral commission announced on 16 September that Mirziyoyev would stand in the December 2016 presidential election as the candidate of the Liberal Democratic Party. Mirziyoyev won the election, held on 4 December 2016, with 88.6% of the vote according to official results, defeating three minor candidates. The election was described by The Economist as a sham; the paper wrote that Mirziyoyev's bent was as authoritarian as that of Karimov and that state media claimed the choice was between Mirziyoyev, chaos, or Islamic radicalism. It also claimed that the three opponents were only on the ballot to keep up the appearance of pluralism. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe said the election lacked "a genuine choice," pointing to instances of ballot box stuffing and proxy voting. On 12 December 2016, Deputy Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov was nominated to take over from Mirziyoyev as prime minister. Mirziyoyev was sworn in as president on 14 December, vowing to "continue the work of my dear teacher, the great statesman Islam Karimov", while also promising "many changes in the cabinet". Aripov was confirmed as prime minister by parliament on the same day; a cabinet reshuffle followed on 15 December. On 6 March 2017, he made a state visit to Turkmenistan; it was his first foreign trip after the election. Constitutional reform newjournal.org zenodo.org 9 On 1 July 2022 protests broke out in the autonomous region of Karakalpakstan over proposed amendments to the Constitution of Uzbekistan which would have ended Karakalpakstan's status as an autonomous region of Uzbekistan and right to secede from Uzbekistan via referendum. They were brutally suppressed, at least 18 people were killed. President Mirziyoyev traveled to Nukus on July 2 in the midst of the crisis. He announced that the controversial constitutional changes affecting Karakalpakstan would be withdrawn. The updated Constitution defines Uzbekistan the first time as a social, secular and legal state. Main changes include a shift from the principle of state-society-individual to individual-society-state. The norms relating to the state’s social obligations have been tripled. It is emphasized that ensuring human rights and freedoms is the highest goal of the state.In April 2023, a referendum was held in Uzbekistan to change the constitution. The adopted amendments increased the presidential term from 5 to 7 years. The number of terms is still limited to two, but due to a change in the constitution, Mirziyoyev's previous presidencies are not counted. Shortly thereafter, the head of state called early elections. They passed on July 9, 2023. Mirziyoyev won with 87% of the vote on a turnout of almost 80%. Foreign policy Mirziyoyev's foreign policy is much more open than the policy of his predecessor. Uzbekistan was practically under international isolation after the Andijan massacre in 2005 and Karimov rarely travelled outside of Central Asia and other CIS states. Mirziyoyev promised to conduct an active foreign policy at the beginning of his tenure.During the first 10 months of his tenure, Mirziyoyev visited Kazakhstan four times, Turkmenistan three times, Russia two times, as well as China, Saudi Arabia, United States, Turkey and Kyrgyzstan. At the different occasions, he met thepresidents of Iran, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Bulgaria, Belarus and the King of Spain. During the CIS Summit in Tashkent in November 2017, he met eight Prime Ministers of foreign countries. Regional policy One of his most significant foreign policy achievements is the gradual improvement of relations with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. On 5 September 2017, just 3 days after the anniversary of the death of his predecessor, he made a historic visit to Kyrgyzstan. This was the first state visit of an Uzbek president to the neighboring