BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 27. Uzbek President
Shavkat Mirziyoyev appointed Sherzod Khodjaev as the country's new
energy minister, replacing Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov.
According to the presidential decree, Khodjaev was relieved of
his previous post as director of the Energy Market Development and
Regulation Agency following his appointment.
His nomination was approved earlier by the Legislative Chamber
of Uzbekistan's Oliy Majlis before the presidential appointment,
according to the statement.
Mirzamakhmudov was dismissed from the post of energy minister
under a separate presidential decree. No reason for the leadership
change was disclosed. Prior to leading the ministry, he headed the
Uzatom nuclear energy agency and the state chemical company
Uzkimyosanoat, and also served as first deputy energy minister and
director general of Uzatom from 2019 to 2020.
Khodjaev has extensive experience in Uzbekistan's energy sector.
He headed the Project Office for Electricity Sector Reform under
the Energy Ministry in 2023 before being appointed director of the
Energy Market Development and Regulation Agency in 2024. He has led
the agency since then, overseeing reforms aimed at improving the
governance and regulation of the country's energy market.
The Energy Ministry plays a central role in implementing
Uzbekistan's energy sector reforms, including expanding renewable
energy capacity, modernizing electricity and gas infrastructure,
improving energy efficiency and attracting foreign investment into
the sector. The appointment comes as Uzbekistan continues efforts
to diversify its energy mix and meet rapidly growing domestic
energy demand.
