An important stage in the direction of regional development and digitalization is beginning in Samarkand.

The meeting held with a delegation of the World Bank and experts from the prestigious Spanish company IDOM and the participation of the head of the region, Adiz Boboev, priority areas for the development of the region in the next 15 years were discussed at the regional administration. At the meeting, the winner of the tender for the development of the regional development strategy of the Samarkand region, as well as the master plans of the Bulungur, Ishtikhan, Payarik and Kattakurgan districts, was announced. According to it, the task of implementing these large-scale projects was assigned to the IDOM company. The company's international experience and modern approaches are expected to play an important role in transforming Samarkand into a sustainable and innovative region. One of the noteworthy aspects of the project is the creation of a spatial data infrastructure for the city of Samarkand. The $51 million initiative will digitize the city's infrastructure, including underground utilities — water pipes, sewer networks, and electrical cables. It will also create an accurate 3D model and a comprehensive address register, which will improve the efficiency of public utilities, quickly resolve emergencies, and resolve problems with the address system. The reforms will not be limited to the city center. The $410 million “Prosperous and Sustainable Cities of Uzbekistan” program will also include large-scale changes in the regions. Now infrastructure projects will be implemented not on the basis of short-term, but on the basis of long-term — 15-year strategic plans. All plans will be integrated into a single geoinformation system with the support of the World Bank. At the same time, the participation of the UN-Habitat program in urban planning and housing policy is of particular importance. It is aimed at introducing advanced approaches to transport modeling and the development of modern urban infrastructure. Experts believe that the cooperation of international financial institutions, leading architectural companies, and UN experts will help transform Samarkand into a model of a “smart”and sustainably developing region. The parties expressed their readiness to actively cooperate in implementing the established plans.