On January 9, 2018, a meeting dedicated to effectiveness of measures taken on further development of information and communication technologies and ensuring information security was held under the chairmanship of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. 

It was attended by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, his deputies, heads of relevant ministries and departments. 

Today a large-scale activity is carried out on consistent introduction of information and communication technologies into the system of public administration, the economy, social sphere and everyday life of people in our country. 

Over the past year, digital TV coverage has been increased from 88 to 100 percent. The number of mobile users increased by 7 percent and reached 22,8 million. In 2017, services in the sphere of information technologies were provided for 7,7 trillion sums or 26 percent more than in 2016. 260 million dollars have been spent within the framework of the Investment Program. 

At the meeting, priorities for 2018 and the near future were discussed along with the achieved results. 

The President of our country noted that much remains to be done in the sphere of information technologies, the achieved results are noticeably lagging behind the indicators of other countries. 

Thus, the share of information technology in the gross domestic product in South Korea is 9 percent, in Japan – 5,5 percent, in China and India – 4,7 percent, and in Uzbekistan – only 2,2 percent. Uzbekistan occupies the 95th place among 176 countries in the index of information and communication development.

Information on the ongoing activities of expanding the coverage and increasing the speed of connection to the Internet, establishment of interaction with leading foreign companies in the field of software and telecommunications, further development of the "Electronic government" system was provided at the meeting. 

I was informed that 20 million people are using the Internet in our country. However, due to the limited range of services provided through the national Internet services, most of the population are using it only for correspondence through "Telegram", said Shavkat Mirziyoyev. 

At the meeting it was noted that the average speed of Internet connection in the CIS countries is 10 times faster than in our country. Telecommunications operators do not invest in expanding telecommunications network in remote areas, on territories adjacent to roads and railways. 

Responsible persons were instructed to take measures on sharply lowering prices for access to the Internet, increasing the speed of connection at least 4 times, bringing it to the level of the CIS countries by 2020. 

Concept of the project was developed in accordance with the program of creating a single complex "Safe city". It provides for installation of more than 16 thousand video cameras, organization of a Data Processing Center and situational centers in Tashkent. At the same time, it is planned to implement the systems of "Safe tourism", "Safe territory", "112", video surveillance over the entrance examinations to higher education institutions and fixing violations of traffic rules. 

At the meeting, measures taken on accelerating implementation of "Safe territory" project and other projects promoting public order were considered. 

More than 140 enterprises, where more than thousand programmers are working today, received the status of a resident in Mirzo Ulugbek Innovation Center, established in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan of June 30, 2017. The most modern technologies and methods of teaching are being widely introduced at Tashkent University of Information Technologies named after Muhammad al-Khorazmiy. 

Relevant instructions were given on development this year of the Strategy for further development of the "Electronic government" system in 2018-2021, taking into account international experience and development trends of modern ICT, increasing the volume of works and services produced by residents of Mirzo Ulugbek Innovation Center not less than 2 times, as well as 1,8 times the volume of their exports, assisting residents in cooperation with foreign companies and access to new markets. 

The need to ensure entry of Tashkent University of Information Technologies named after Muhammad al-Khorazmiy into the 1000 most prestigious universities of the world in the next 3 years, strengthening cooperation with leading universities and industry companies, organizing internships and improving qualifications of professors, teachers and students abroad was emphasized. 

At the meeting, insufficient level of work on production of national software products and preparation of necessary national personnel was noted. The Head of our state set specific tasks for responsible officials on improvement of activities of the national operator and programmers so that they would be able to compete with major technology corporations of the world. 

At the meeting, officials were given instructions on increasing efficiency of "Uzbektelecom" company, applying financial penalties to entities that are illegally conducting international telephone calls through telecommunications networks, radically reviewing and further development of the postal communication system based on international experience, development of an information security concept. 

UzA