The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) continues to support the Government of Kyrgyzstan in developing instruments that strengthen export potential and enhance the competitiveness of domestic companies in international markets. Within the framework of the UNDP’s Trade Facilitation project, in cooperation with the Open Joint Stock Company State Insurance Organization, work has been carried out
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is improving access to licensed medical products in Uzbekistan by financing the expansion of Big-Family-Pharm (BFP), operator of the Akmal Pharm pharmacy chain in the Fergana Valley. BFP, which runs 86 retail pharmacies across the Tashkent, Andijan and Fergana regions of Uzbekistan, will receive an EBRD loan of
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and the Uzbek Plant of Technological Metals (TMC) have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in financing the extraction and processing of critical minerals and rare earth metals. The document is aimed at strengthening Uzbekistan’s position in global supply chains for strategic raw materials by developing knowledge‑intensive industries and
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved $150 million in concessional financing from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) to help Uzbekistan implement the Second Phase of the Rural Infrastructure Development Program. The program activities will improve public infrastructure and services for rural communities in six regions across the country, according to the World Bank.
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and Yashil Energiya have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in renewable energy. The parties plan to jointly finance and implement projects in distributed solar generation, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and small hydropower plants in Uzbekistan. The ceremony took place within the framework of the Tashkent International Investment Forum last
Over the past three decades, the post-Soviet space has embraced megaprojects with a fervour reminiscent of Soviet-era “gigantomania”. A new terminal, a new city, a new tech hub, a new railway – each presented as a leap into the future. Too many of these projects have turned out not to be engines of growth, but
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is providing funds to develop sustainable transportation solutions in Nukus, the sixth-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of the autonomous republic of Karakalpakstan, in the latest project under the EBRD Green Cities programme. The EBRD’s sovereign loan of up to US$ 37 million (€ 32.2 million)
Kyrgyzstan has put into operation the first phase of a new solar power plant, ROX Issyk-Kul, located in the village of Kyzyl-Oruk in the Issyk-Kul region. The facility has been constructed by Vietnam’s ROX Group, with the investment in the 175-megawatt first phase totaling $131 million. All phases of this solar power plant will have
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the government of Uzbekistan have agreed to deepen their long-term strategic cooperation, helping to establish a competitive, resilient, green and well-governed private sector and supporting the preparation and implementation of public-sector projects, according to the EBRD. The enhanced partnership framework agreement (EPFA) between the two parties will
The Uzbekistan-Turkiye Business Forum was held on June 16 in Tashkent. The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan Jamshid Kuchkarov, Minister of Trade of Turkiye Omer Bolat, as well as representatives of government agencies, business circles, investors, major corporations, and business associations from both countries, according
President Sadyr Japarov has signed amendments to legislative acts on road safety. The amendments were passed by the Jogorku Kenesh (parliament) on April 15, 2026, toughening penalties for drunk driving. The new legislation introduces criminal liability for drivers caught for repeated drunk driving. Drunk driving committed within a year after a first such offence will
On June 15, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was briefed on plans to develop the raw material base for critical minerals and expand the production of high value-added products. The President emphasized that the critical minerals sector plays a crucial role in developing new industries, increasing exports, ensuring technological independence, and creating highly skilled jobs. Global demand
The World Bank Group has approved the Kyrgyz Republic Innovative Finance for Resilient and Sustainable Energy Transition Project (iFIRST). This initiative is designed to help the country use electricity more efficiently, support reforms in the energy sector, and reduce emissions. The $50 million project financing will be provided via results-based finance, with $35 million in firm
Kazakhstan’s Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov and Gholam Ali Soleimani, president of the Iranian food company Solico Group, have signed an investment agreement for a major project in deep milk processing. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the cheese production project, with a capacity of 155,000 tons per year, will be implemented in the Almaty region.
From June 16 to 18, Tashkent will host the fifth anniversary Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF), an event that has evolved over five years from a discussion platform into a key indicator of investment interest in Central Asia. Prior to the official opening, the number of registered participants has exceeded 8,316, setting an absolute record
Demand for labor force in Kazakhstan remains quite mixed: on the one hand, employers are actively seeking workers for low-skilled jobs, while on the other, there remains a significant need for teachers, healthcare and social workers, according to an analysis of finprom.kz. Forecasts show that the greatest demand in the labor market in 2026 will
Central Asia is often defined by its oilfields, mountain ranges, and the revival of the Silk Road trade routes. Yet its most valuable resource, above all, is its people. Since the 1990s, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and their neighbours have undergone profound demographic shifts. Fertility rates, once among the highest in the world, have declined; life
The statistics agency and the Supreme Court have released the 2025 figures reflecting trends in family relationships in Uzbekistan. The number of marriages has declined for the fourth consecutive year, while divorce cases have become one of the most common categories of court cases, Tashkent Today reported. Key indicators: • Age at marriage: The average
On June 11, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed proposals to improve oncological and hematological care, enhance the palliative care system, and strengthen support for employees of public healthcare institutions. In Uzbekistan, systematic efforts are underway to protect public health and ensure the early detection and effective treatment of serious diseases. In this regard, providing specialized medical
The President of Kazakhstan has signed a decree approving the National Strategy for Large-scale Digitalization and the Introduction of Artificial Intelligence Technologies, “Digital Qazaqstan,” until 2029. According to the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, the new Strategy plans that the comprehensive introduction of AI and the digitalization of industry, subsoil use, logistics and