Ashraf Siddiqui
Doha
Deputy Minister of Information Technology of Uzbekistan Rustam Kareem Janov has lauded the highly skilled and professional ways of organising Web Summit Doha 2025.
Talking to Qatar Tribune on the sidelines of Web Summit 2025, Janov said the event marks their second year at the summit, which continues to grow and highlight the expanding ICT relations between Qatar and Uzbekistan.
Janov said that this year, Uzbekistan brought 20 startups to participate in the event, showcasing their strong collaboration with Qatar’s government and authorities, yielding positive results.
He pointed to the previous ICT Week 2024 in Uzbekistan, where a special booth from Invest Qatar was present, leading to a successful partnership between Qatar and Uzbekistan.
He said that relations are strengthening further, with more than 50 Uzbek delegates exploring the Qatari market, forging connections and achieving tangible outcomes.
He added that within a short period, Uzbekistan has signed agreements with Invest Qatar, Meeza and various organizations, stressing that they continue to meet with key leaders to explore new cooperative opportunities.
Janov highlighted that with a population of 37 million and 65 percent under 30 years old, Uzbekistan is a youthful nation brimming with potential, particularly in the ICT sector, adding that this offers Qatar a unique opportunity to combine financial and legal expertise with the vast talent pool from Uzbekistan to expand into global markets.
The Uzbek deputy minister said that last year, Uzbekistan’s IT services exports totaled $344 million, reaching 50 countries, while this year’s figures have doubled, reaching close to $1 billion, with export markets extending to 70 countries.
He said that the US market alone represents 45 percent, followed by Europe, South Korea, Japan, and Germany.
Uzbekistan is also excelling in areas such as AI, machine learning, data science, cyber security, and creative industries like gaming and animation, and is keen to collaborate with global partners, he added.
Talking about possibilities of furthering bilateral collaboration between Qatar and Uzbekistan, Janov said that joint ventures are being established to implement Uzbekistan’s IT solutions in sectors like fintech, AI, and facial recognition platforms, particularly in the Middle East.
“Key discussions have been held with high-level officials, including the Minister of ICT, the CEO of Qatar Financial Centre, and the leadership of Invest Qatar, QNB, and Qatar Development Bank. The focus is on supporting Uzbek startups, Qatar’s expertise in outsourcing, and mutual projects that will benefit both nations,” he said.
