President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev participated in the Eighth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and Azerbaijan.

The meeting emphasized that people are the most important factor shaping the future of the region.

“Our countries have significant demographic potential. Our populations are growing, and the number of young people is increasing. What the region’s economy will look like in ten, twenty, or thirty years will largely depend on the quality of education and vocational training provided to young people,” the Head of State said.

Based on an analysis of the specialists that the economies of regional countries will need in the future, a proposal was made to develop a regional atlas of in-demand professions and competencies. The atlas is expected to include forecasts for fields that are already experiencing a shortage of specialists and are likely to see increased demand in the coming years.

This will enable universities and vocational education institutions to anticipate the economy’s actual needs and prepare specialists for major projects in industry, transport, energy, digital technologies, and other sectors.