Uzbekistan has been focusing on reforming since President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took power in 2016. This followed the death of Isalam Karimov, the only head of state following the country's independence. Mirziyoyev quickly developed a reform strategy, which has been focusing on privatisation, liberalisation, tax reform, an exports development.

With the country being one of the Top 10 producers of cotton, the Government aims ro eliminate the raw cotton exports and incentivises the exports of more added value products namely garments.

According to the press now the local authorities are highly focused on "broaden the share of finished goods in exports".

A similar demand is being for the leather industry, with an aim to double volumes of exports of leather goods, such as bags and shoes. A statistical committee report argues Uzbekistan's leather and footwear industry "has the export potential for at least 1.5 billion US dollars, while it barely reaches the 200 million US dollars".

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