2023 was a landmark year for the Administration of the national domain .UZ, marked by a number of significant achievements and the development of international relations. From launching new services to establishing important partnerships, the .UZ domain zone demonstrated its growing role in the global internet infrastructure.

The year began with the implementation of a new DNS server for the .UZ domain zone, running on the XINUX server edition operating system developed by local specialists. The Xinux.uz OS, based on Linux, showcases the successes of local developers and their contribution to the global open-source community.

February 2023 was marked by an important meeting with representatives of the .ART and .ASIA domain zones. Discussions about innovations in artificial intelligence and Blockchain highlighted .UZ's aspiration to integrate with cutting-edge technological trends.

In March, the .UZ team participated in the Universal Acceptance event in Yerevan, initiated by ICANN. This event emphasized the importance of creating a multilingual and inclusive Internet. Prospects for implementing IDN domain names and email addresses to improve global accessibility were also discussed. Also in March, a memorandum of cooperation was signed with Armenia, strengthening bilateral relations and experience exchange in domain name management.

In 2023, .UZ introduced NFT certificates for domain names for the first time in Uzbekistan, marking a breakthrough in digital security and domain name rights confirmation. This service simplifies and speeds up the process of confirming rights to a domain when it transfers to a new owner and serves as protection against fraud.

From June 12 to 15, the .UZ domain Administration visited the District of Columbia, Washington, where they participated in the 77th ICANN Policy Forum. The forum discussed the use of DNSSEC technology, domain name management, and the application of the latest technologies in this field.

In September 2023, the first K-root DNS server in Uzbekistan was launched, marking an important step in improving the performance of the national internet. After lengthy negotiations with RIPE NCC and significant efforts, the ceremonial launch of the K-root server took place at the international CAPIF2 event, strengthening Uzbekistan's position in the global network.

One of the significant events was participation in the APTLD84 conference, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Asia Pacific Top Level Domain Association (APTLD). The event in Seoul, South Korea, gathered domain industry experts from various countries, including China, Australia, India, and Germany. The conference discussed innovations in the domain name field. The .UZ domain Administration presented NFT certificates on blockchain technology for domain name management and shared their experience in this area. The Republic of Uzbekistan has been a member of APTLD since 2019. The APTLD84 conference became a platform for experience exchange and discussing the future of internet space, highlighting the important role of APTLD in developing a secure and stable internet.

2023 also brought significant growth in domain names in the .UZ zone, reaching 125,777 domains. This growth reflects increased interest in the national domain from both residents and non-residents of the republic.

Having gone from technical innovations to strengthening international relations, 2023 was a year of growth and innovation for .UZ. These achievements highlight the role of .UZ as an active participant in the global internet community and its commitment to ongoing technological development.

For reference.

The .UZ domain Administration is taking measures for decentralization and improving the quality of services for the registration and support of domain names, conducting extensive work to encourage the creation and development of information resources in the national internet segment.

The registration, administration, and use of domain names in the .UZ domain are regulated by the "Regulation on the procedure for registration and use of domain names in the .UZ domain," registered by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 1830. This document establishes the procedure for registration and use of domain names in the .UZ domain and regulates the relationships of entities directly affecting domain names in the .UZ domain, ensuring reliable protection against unlawful actions and effective regulation of the .UZ domain.

The main direction of the .UZ domain Administration is the technical support of DNS servers of the .UZ domain, located at various points on the networks of providers, including abroad, for quality resolution of .UZ domain names, maintaining services for convenient control of domain name registration terms, creating a competitive environment in the market and improving the quality of domain name registration services, as well as interaction with international organizations such as ICANN, IANA, APTLD, RIPE NCC, etc., on domain name policy and activities in the global community.

The .UZ domain Administration thanks all partners and participants for their contribution to the development of the national internet segment and congratulates everyone on the upcoming New Year 2024!