Last year, openDemocracy published research by Ulster University pointing to the award of significant state benefits to businesses tied to the mayor of Tashkent, Uzbek businessman Jahongir Artikhodjaev.
These benefits included the awarding of construction contracts, and investment opportunities, for a major Tashkent property development to businesses in Uzbekistan’s Akfa-Artel group, founded by Artikhodjaev. At the time, Artikhodjaev denied any conflict of interest, and claimed he took no part in the management of the group. According to Uzbekistan’s corporate register, the mayor retains significant shareholdings in the Akfa-Artel group.
Now, a new public controversy has emerged after the Uzbek government published a draft regulation which, if implemented, will grant a new private higher education institution, Akfa university, 30 hectares of prime land in the Tashkent region, as well as significant tax exemptions. This comes as the capital city’s ailing public health infrastructure buckles under the weight of COVID-19.
