Between August 15 and 18, a delegation of Uzbekistan headed by Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov held negotiations in Tokyo and Osaka with the leadership of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan (METI), the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), as well as
To meet Afghanistan’s growing energy needs, Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) has signed contracts for four major electricity transmission and distribution projects with two Uzbek companies, in the presence of senior officials from both countries, TOLOnews reported. At the signing ceremony, DABS CEO Abdul Bari Omar said: “These projects are not only crucial for electricity
On August 14, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation on measures to expand waste processing in the country. Over the past three years, more than 2 trillion UZS have been allocated for this sector. Last year, the Waste Management and Circular Economy Development Agency was established. For enterprises engaged in waste management, 1,200 new
On August 13, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a meeting to discuss leveraging the export potential and reserves in the textile industry. Textiles is one of the key sectors, accounting for 3 percent of the country’s economy and 14 percent of industrial production. The industry employs more than 500,000 people. Over the past five years, 396
On August 12, Uzbekistan adopted the Water Resources Management and Irrigation Sector Development Program for 2025-2028. Given the water scarcity in the region, its rational use is a pressing task. In Uzbekistan, constant attention is paid to this issue: irrigation networks are being repaired, and water-saving technologies are being introduced. During 2020-2024, 60 trillion UZS
This year, the Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art almanac takes on a special resonance. Its pages are dedicated to the anniversaries of two great enlighteners whose legacy bridges cultures and eras — Abai Kunanbaev, the Kazakh poet, thinker, and reformer, and Igor Savitsky, the legendary collector and guardian of Central Asian art. This almanac
On August 11, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev listened to proposals for combating the shadow economy. It was noted that in the past, high administrative pressure and excessive interference in business led many entrepreneurs to fear operating openly. In recent years, large-scale efforts have been undertaken to reduce the tax burden and eliminate bureaucratic barriers: the
A new partnership has been launched between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Business Development Bank (BDB) of Uzbekistan, marking a promising step forward for small and medium-sized businesses across the country, according to UNDP Uzbekistan. This partnership between BDB and UNDP aligns national goals with global expertise to support Uzbekistan’s SMEs, especially
The special issue of OCA Magazine dedicated to the Jizzakh region of Uzbekistan caught the attention of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, as evidenced by a letter from the Prime Minister’s office. “When the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom holds a copy of OCA Magazine and sends a letter with feedback to
Addressing the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries in Turkmenistan on August 5, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev spoke for the need of coordinated action to expedite the development of international transport corridors and infrastructure. Mirziyoyev advocated accelerating the preparation and implementation of the Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan railway construction project. “Converging this promising corridor with the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan
Despite opposition from environmental activists, the government of Uzbekistan has approved the construction of the Sea Breeze Uzbekistan resort at the Charvak reservoir in the Tashkent region, granting the investor a land plot on a 25-year lease with an extremely low rental fee. The project, led by Azerbaijani developer Emin Agalarov, will include recreation areas, beaches,
Uzbekistan has launched its first online platform designed to promote anti-corruption awareness among people with hearing impairments: www.s-access.uz. The platform provides access to essential legal information in sign language, supports users in recognizing corruption in everyday situations, and helps develop skills to assess the reliability of information, the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan reported.
Uzbekistan continues to strengthen its strategic partnership with Hungary, with a focus on expanding trade, economic, and investment cooperation. A new milestone in this direction is the adoption of a presidential decree introducing additional incentives and preferences for Hungarian and European investors within the newly established Uzbekistan–Hungary Special Industrial Zone (SIZ), located in the Akhangaran
The Ajiniyaz Nukus State Pedagogical Institute (NSPI) in Nukus, the capital of Uzbekistan’s Karakalpakstan autonomous region, is one of the leading higher education institutions in Uzbekistan, especially known for its contribution to teacher education and cultural development in the region. Established in 1934, the institute is named after the famous Karakalpak poet Ajiniyaz, symbolizing its
U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jonathan Henick on July 30 joined officials from the Uzbek State Customs Committee and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Office of Military Cooperation (OMC) to celebrate two significant milestones in the ongoing partnership between the United States and Uzbekistan. These initiatives underscore the shared commitment to enhancing border
On July 30, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a video-conference meeting on increasing the export of fruit, vegetable, and food products. Uzbekistan has significant potential in agriculture. Over the past three years, 250,000 hectares of land previously used for cotton and grain crops have been repurposed for cultivating food crops. A total of 160,000 hectares of
A new partnership has been officially launched between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Business Development Bank (BDB) of Uzbekistan, marking a promising step forward for small and medium-sized businesses across the country, UNDP Uzbekistan reported. This partnership between BDB and UNDP aligns national goals with global expertise to support Uzbekistan’s SMEs, especially
In recent years, Central Asia has experienced not merely a surge of interest in music, but a cultural renaissance in which music itself becomes a pivotal element in educational reform, social transformation, and soft power projection. At the heart of this process lies not only the revival of genres once confined to folklore, but also
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is facilitating the introduction of upland rice in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, which will reduce water consumption by up to 40% compared to traditional rice cultivation. On May 27, 2025, with UNDP assistance, the first seed samples of 15 varieties of upland rice were provided to the Scientific-Production Association
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), in close partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and with the financial support of the European Union (EU), hosted a regional coordination meeting of Aarhus Centres and key stakeholders from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan on 17–18 July in Khujand, Tajikistan. As part of the
