Is this the Asian century in higher education? On the numbers alone, it may well be. More than half of the world’s university students are already in Asia, and that share is set to grow as ageing industrialised democracies give way demographically to younger populations in countries such as India, Indonesia, and across Central Asia.
As part of a working visit to Kyrgyzstan, Chairman of the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Akkulov held meetings with the management of Kyrgyzstan’s Asman Airlines and Aero Nomad Airlines. The parties explored opportunities to expand air connectivity between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, develop joint tourism products, and increase the flow of tourists between the two countries,
On July 15, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev listened to reports on the implementation of agreements reached during his visit to Belarus to expand cooperation between regions of both countries. During Mirziyoyev’s official visit to Belarus on July 8-9, agreements were reached to increase mutual trade to $2 billion, as well as to implement 310 joint projects
Chairman of the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Akkulov held a meeting with Eduard Kubatov, Director of the State Agency for Tourism Development of Kyrgyzstan to discuss further strengthening of bilateral cooperation in tourism, increasing mutual tourist flows, developing new joint tourism products and cross-border travel routes, and creating additional economic opportunities for the regions
On July 14, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received an Italian delegation led by Eugenio Giani, Governor of the Tuscany region, who is in Uzbekistan on a working visit. The parties discussed the further development of the Uzbek-Italian strategic partnership, primarily in the trade, economic, investment, and cultural-humanitarian spheres. Particular attention was paid to expanding
The Central Bank of Uzbekistan published a financial stability review for 2025, which shows an increase in household debt: more than half of citizens who took out loans during the year have two or more outstanding debts, Tashkent Today reported. The share of borrowers with multiple loans to banks and microfinance organizations (MFOs) increased from
The Jizzakh Open Air–2026 International Tourism Festival was held on June 27–28 on the shores of Lake Aydarkul, one of the most picturesque natural attractions in the Jizzakh Region of Uzbekistan, according to the country’s Tourism Committee. The prestigious event was jointly organized by the Jizzakh Regional Administration, the Tourism Committee, the Ministry of Culture,
On July 13, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev officially launched a new casting and rolling complex at the Uzbek Metallurgical Plant in the city of Bekabad. The new casting and rolling complex will go down in history as Uzbekistan’s first facility for the production of hot-rolled steel sheets. Once fully operational, the complex will produce 1 million
We are living through a profound shift in the relationship between education and work — and nowhere is that shift more consequential than in Central Asia. Artificial intelligence is not coming to education. It is already here. It is in the assignments students submit, the tools employers use to screen candidates, and increasingly in the
The Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan has adopted the Resolution of July 8, 2026, “On Supporting the Broad Implementation of a System to Enhance the Tourism Attractiveness of the Republic of Uzbekistan Through Cinema.” The resolution introduces two major initiatives aimed at strengthening the country’s tourism appeal through the film industry, according to the Tourism
Nostalgia can become a source of strength, but it is time to stop pushing away those who have long acted as our unofficial ambassadors. I am standing in the reception hall of the Uzbek embassy in a European capital. An inspiring speech is being delivered in Uzbek. There are nearly one hundred people in the
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on July 8 arrived in Minsk on an official visit. On July 9, Mirziyoyev and President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko held tête-à-tête talks, followed by expanded talks with members of their official delegations. At the beginning of the meeting, President Mirziyoyev noted that Uzbek-Belarusian multifaceted relations had reached a qualitatively
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Uzbekistan have reaffirmed their commitment to improving water security, strengthening climate resilience, and supporting more sustainable use of water resources across the country, according to UNDP Uzbekistan. The commitment was highlighted during a high-level meeting between Mr. Haoliang Xu, UNDP Associate Administrator, Ms. Ivana Živković,
Uzbekistan plans to transform Samarkand into an environmentally sustainable, climate-resilient, and modern green city in Central Asia. The “Green Samarkand” model was reviewed during a government meeting chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on July 6. Under this model, specific environmental targets are planned to be achieved in Samarkand by 2030. These include preventing the emission
From 7 to 11 July, Uzbekistan is hosting the First International Forum of Islamic Civilization, “The Path of Peace, Tolerance and Enlightenment,” across Tashkent, Samarkand, and Termez, bringing together leading scholars, religious figures, representatives of international organizations, and experts from around the world, according to the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan. The official opening ceremony took
Uzbekistan can unlock significant private investment, create more and better jobs, and accelerate its transition to a more competitive, private sector-led economy by advancing reforms in logistics, tourism, and pharmaceuticals, according to IFC, a member of the World Bank Group. A new Country Private Sector Diagnostic (CPSD) for Uzbekistan, released by the World Bank Group,
International investor interest in Central Asia and the Caucasus is rising rapidly, according to a new Investor Perception Report released by Montfort Eurasia. New data shows that interest from US and UK investors in the region has tripled since 2023 – despite lingering concerns over political stability and investment security. Investors showed particular interest in
During a state visit to Georgia on July 3, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev held talks with Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze. The leader of Uzbekistan noted that his state visit to Georgia, the first by a President of Uzbekistan in more than two decades, holds special significance for elevating Uzbek-Georgian relations to a
THE SILK ROAD’S NEW REALITY In 2013, China’s newly nominated President Xi Jinping gave a much-heeded speech in Astana, Kazakhstan’s brushed-up capital. His main concern focused on nothing less than how to invigorate the ancient Silk Roads, “in order to promote people-to-people friendship”. After eleven years, in 2024, jointly with Kazakhstan’s President Tokayev, Xi Jinping
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on July 1 reviewed proposals to develop Uzbekistan’s transport and logistics system and make more effective use of the country’s transit potential. Today, Uzbekistan has broad opportunities to become a major land transport hub connecting East and West. Four thousand kilometers of international transit corridors pass through the country’s territory, and the