Uzbekistan is studying how Germany manages state-owned real estate

Uzbekistan studies German experience in state real estate management

How to ensure that state-owned buildings are used efficiently, do not stand idle, and at the same time attract private investment? This is precisely the experience that Uzbekistan intends to adopt from Germany. On August 27, representatives of the two countries discussed how the German system of state real estate management is structured and which of its elements can be applied in Uzbekistan.

The online seminar was held with the participation of the State Assets Management Agency of Uzbekistan, the Institute for Federal Real Estate of Germany (BImA), the Federal Ministry of Finance of Germany, GIZ, and Indecon Consulting.

Cooperation between Uzbekistan and Germany in the field of state asset management has been ongoing for many years. As noted by the Director of the State Assets Management Agency, Sokhibjon Murodov, the basis of this interaction was an agreement signed back in 2009.

Over the past period, with the support of German experts, work has been carried out in Uzbekistan on legislation, privatization, and corporate governance. In particular, draft laws on the management and privatization of state property were prepared, as well as the first Corporate Governance Code.

Now, it has been decided to extend this cooperation to the field of state real estate.

What they want to adopt from Germany

Of particular interest to Uzbekistan is the experience of the German Institute for Federal Real Estate — BImA. This is the very structure responsible for managing Germany's federal real estate.

BImA representatives Jörg Musial and Robert Erfen explained how the management of state-owned properties is organized in Germany, how their valuation, leasing, and sale are conducted, and how real estate that was previously idle is utilized.

The seminar participants also discussed more applied issues — maintaining a digital registry of state-owned properties, technical maintenance of buildings, and bringing unused property into economic circulation.

According to Sokhibjon Murodov, the German experience can help Uzbekistan make its state real estate management system more modern, transparent, and efficient.

Uzbekistan already uses online auctions

As reported by the Deputy Director of the Agency, Alisher Miraliyev, in recent years, a great deal of work has already been done in the country to ensure more efficient use of state real estate.

In particular, state-owned properties are leased to entrepreneurs through online auctions. At the same time, requirements for those who use state property are being tightened to ensure that the properties are used for their intended purpose and do not stand idle.

At the same time, Uzbekistan faces even more ambitious tasks. The development strategy until 2030 provides for increasing the share of the private sector in the economy to 85%, while the number of enterprises with state participation is planned to be reduced sixfold.

According to Miraliyev, German experts positively assessed the ongoing reforms and expressed their readiness to continue helping Uzbekistan, including participating in the preparation of new regulatory documents.

Germany is ready to share experience

Romy Strecker, representative of the Federal Ministry of Finance of Germany, noted that Uzbekistan is an important partner for Germany in Central Asia.

According to her, Germany's advisory support to Uzbekistan has been ongoing since 2009, and to the State Assets Management Agency — since 2019.

Currently, one of the key areas of cooperation has become the involvement of BImA experts in the work to improve the functions of the Agency.

In addition, Germany is ready to support the development of a strategy for the reform and privatization of state-owned enterprises for 2026–2030 and the improvement of corporate governance rules for companies with state participation.

What comes next

Cooperation in the field of state real estate is planned to be structured in three stages.

First, the Agency's specialists will participate in online seminars with German experts. Then, BImA specialists will visit Uzbekistan to discuss further areas of cooperation.

The third stage is a visit by the Agency's delegation to Germany. There, Uzbek specialists will be able to directly familiarize themselves with the work of BImA and see how state real estate is managed in practice in Germany.

According to the Agency's representative, Sanjar Ubbadullayev, it is important to study not only Germany's successful solutions but also the problems that arose during the creation of this system.

"For us, these seminars are primarily important from the perspective of exchanging experience, increasing the professional competencies of our employees, and understanding how to organize work in this direction in the future," he noted.

The Agency expects that cooperation with Germany will help find new ways to efficiently use state-owned properties, reduce the volume of unused property, and introduce modern real estate management mechanisms.