Clash of Uzbekistan’s clans

A power struggle is unfolding among Uzbekistan’s clans over likely successors to longtime leader, Islam Karimov. The 78-year-old strongman has ruled with an iron fist for a quarter of a century

Islam Karimov: Member of Samarkand clan. President of Uzbekistan since 1991. Aug 29: President Karimov’s younger daughter Lola
posts message on Instagram, saying her father has suffered stroke and is in intensive care. Karimov has kept Islamic radicalism tightly suppressed. purge of Islamist groups in 1999 saw 7,000 people jailed

Shavkat Mirziyaev, 58: Prime Minister since 2003. Leader of Samarkand clan, Uzbekistan’s most powerful clan. Advocates moderate
reforms and improving foreign relations. Kremlin is reported to have been in constant touch with Mirziyaev since Karimov was admitted to hospital

Rustam Azimov, 57: Finance Minister is from Tashkent clan. Helped design post-independence economy in 1991. Key figure behind country’s ambitious privatisation drive. Azimov’s reputation
rose after he secured Asian Development Bank (ADB) financing,
including $6 million investment into Uzbek Ipak Yuli Bank in 2012. 
Advocates liberal reforms

KAZAKHSTAN

Aral Sea

TURKMENISTAN

IRAN

UZBEKISTAN

Navoi

Samarkand

320km 200 miles

KYRGYZSTAN

Tashkent

Fergana

TAJIKISTAN

AFGHANISTAN

Rustam Inoyatov, 72: Leader of Tashkent clan and head of national
intelligence agency (SNB) – created as successor to Soviet KGB – since 1995. Considered as kingmaker, could throw his weight behind Azimov as both are from same clan

UZBEK ECONOMY

Population  31,299,500 (2015)

GDP: US$60.85 billion (2015)
 
GNI per capita: $2,150 (2015) 

Exports: $14.9bn (2013)

Imports: $12.6bn (2013)

GDP by sector: Agriculture 19.1%, industry 32.2%, services 48.7% (2013)

Religions: Muslim 88% (mostly Sunni), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%

Sources: Stratfor,  Fergana News portal 

Pictures: Associated Press, Gazeta.uz