As of the end of 2025, Kazakhstan’s external debt reached a record high of almost $182 billion, ranking.kz reported citing data from the National Bank. Over the year, the country’s external debt increased by a record 10.4%—the largest increase in the last 17 years. Prior to 2025, the country’s external debt dynamics were moderate, characterized
Valmont Industries, a leading global irrigation machinery manufacturer, plans to localize production of precision irrigation equipment (Valley brand) in Kazakhstan. The project was discussed on April 9 by Kazakh Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov and Philipp Schmidt-Holzmann, Valmont’s Regional Vice President, Eurasia & Latin America. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Saparov emphasized that the development
Uzbekistan’s economic growth is projected to remain robust at 6.7% in 2026 and edge up to 6.8% in 2027, following an exceptionally strong expansion of 7.7% in 2025, according to the latest forecasts from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Asian Development Outlook (ADO) April 2026. Growth accelerated in 2025, exceeding expectations as strong performance
Tajikistan’s economic growth is expected to remain strong in 2026 and 2027, driven mainly by industry and services, according to the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) latest forecast. Stronger industrial competitiveness leading to greater value addition will support long term growth and job creation. The country’s gross domestic product is projected to expand by 7.3% this
The Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision has announced that a new resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers has significantly increased fines for harming wildlife in Kyrgyzstan. The measure is aimed at preserving biodiversity and strengthening the fight against poaching. According to the new regulations, the fine for illegally hunting ibex has tripled
Economic growth in Kyrgyzstan is projected to moderate from an estimated 11.1% in 2025, but remain strong at 8.9% in 2026 and 8.4% in 2027, according to the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) April 2026, the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) flagship economic publication. Growth is expected to ease as construction and trade normalize, while domestic demand remains
Uzbekistan’s solar and wind power plants generated a total of 911.7 million kWh of electricity in March 2026, up 9.7 percent year on year, Xinhua reported citing Uzbek media. The output represented an increase of 92.1 million kWh compared with the same period last year, according to data released by the Ministry of Energy. Of
Kazakhstan continues to increase grain exports, confirming the strong demand for Kazakh agricultural products in foreign markets. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, from September 2025 to March 2026 (since the beginning of the current 2025-2026 marketing year), Kazakhstan exported 9.9 million tons of grain and flour in grain equivalent, a more than a million-ton
On April 7, Tashkent hosted the official launch of the “100 Products Accelerator” Program, designed to facilitate the entry of domestic goods into global markets, according to the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade. The opening ceremony was attended by Ilzat Kasimov, Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade. This initiative is implemented in
The head of the State Tax Service estimates the shadow economy in Kyrgyzstan as currently standing at approximately 12%. Almambet Shykmamatov told local media that efforts to bring businesses out of the shadows are ongoing, and that this does not include punitive measures. According to the latest data from the National Statistical Committee, Kyrgyzstan’s non-observed (shadow)
A Government meeting on April 7 chaired by Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov discussed issues of developing coal energy and implementing the National Project on Coal-Fired Power Generation. Bektenov noted that the project provides for the commissioning of about 8 GW of additional capacity over 5 years through the construction of 8 new power
Bekhzod Khashimov, an economist and researcher at the University of Wisconsin, analyzed the current state of Tashkent’s urban environment. He’s come to the conclusion that despite high-quality private services in the Uzbek capital, public services remain in a critical state, Tashkent Today reported. The expert points to the following infrastructure issues: • Inaccessible environment: sidewalks
According to the 2026 Index of Economic Freedom published by The Heritage Foundation, Uzbekistan scored 60.3 points and ranked 86th globally, improving its result by 2.3 points from the previous year. This moved the country into the moderately free category. Notably, Uzbekistan’s current score is already above the 2026 global average of 59.9, the Uzbek Ministry of Investment, Industry
A large share of expenditure on food remains the main indicator of low well-being of the population in Kazakhstan. In 2025, spending on food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 13.9% compared to the previous year, and has increased almost six-fold since 2010, finprom.kz reported citing data from the Bureau of National Statistics. Despite the growth
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Uzbekistan annually consumes 23% more water than nature can replenish. The country’s “water stress” level has reached 123%, officially confirming that the crisis has moved from prediction to reality, Tashkent Today reported. The situation remains uneven in the Central Asian region. Turkmenistan recorded
In China’s Fujian province, discussions were held regarding the localization of production and the launch of new Chinese enterprises with investments of up to $1.2 billion in Kazakhstan, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Trade and Integration. This was announced following the visit of Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration, Arman Shakkaliyev, to Fujian province.
In 2025, microcredit organizations in Kyrgyzstan issued loans totaling approximately $983 million to more than 1.685 million recipients, according to the latest data released by the National Statistical Committee. Compared to 2024, the number of microloan recipients increased 1.5-fold and the amount of microloans issued grew by almost 32%, reflecting the growing role of microfinance in a
The situation on Kazakhstan’s roads has been deteriorating in recent years. According to the Legal Statistics Committee of the Prosecutor General’s Office, while 13,300 road accidents were recorded in the country in 2020, last year there were more than 36,100 road accidents, or 2.7 times more. However, the number of vehicles has not increased significantly
The President of Uzbekistan has signed a decree on developing a rapid response system for a sharp deterioration in air quality. By the end of 2026, the country will legislate an action plan that includes both protective measures for the population and restrictions for businesses, Tashkent Today reported. The planned measures include: • Alerts: prompt
As part of an official visit to China, Kazakh Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliyev participated in the “Export to China – SCO Selection” forum, which became one of the key platforms for promoting Kazakh exports to the Chinese market. Opening the forum, the Minister emphasized that Kazakhstan views China as a strategic partner