Experts of the Heritage Foundation research institute have published the Index of Economic Freedom 2021. Uzbekistan is on the 108th line in it, having risen by 6 positions compared to last year.
Uzbekistan’s economic freedom score is 58.3, making its economy the 108th freest in the 2021 Index. Its overall score has increased by 1.1 points, primarily because of an improvement in judicial effectiveness. Uzbekistan is ranked 21st among 40 countries in the Asia–Pacific region, and its overall score is below the regional and world averages.
The Uzbek economy remained mostly unfree this year. In 2020, however, the government announced a new development strategy that includes reforming state institutions, securing the rule of law, reforming the judiciary, strengthening the banking and financial sectors, and other improvements such as reducing state regulation and assuring property rights to attract investment. If it proves successful, Uzbekistan could one day join the ranks of the moderately free.
IMPACT OF COVID-19: As of December 1, 2020, 611 deaths had been attributed to the pandemic in Uzbekistan, and economic growth was forecast to decline to 0.7 percent for the year.
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