On the sidelines of the Samarkand International Climate Forum, the Uzbek Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change and the World Bank launched the Uzbekistan Resilient Landscapes Restoration Project (RESILAND). The World Bank will provide $153 million in financing to support project activities. The project aims to expand sustainable landscape management, restore degraded forested
At the inaugural EU-Central Asia Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan last week, European Investment Bank (EIB) Vice-President Kyriacos Kakouris signed four memorandums of understanding with partners in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. With these agreements, the EIB will provide €365 million, unlocking up to €1 billion of investment in sustainable transport, water management, and climate resilience projects, the EIB
From October 2024 to April 1, 2025, Uzbekistan supplied 12.6 billion cubic meters of irrigation water to Kazakhstan, 1.7 billion cubic meters more than planned. Kazakhstan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov announced this at an international climate forum in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on April 5. According to the Kazakh Ministry of Water Resources
The Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and the energy ministries of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan on April 4 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to support the Feasibility Study for the Caspian Green Energy Corridor Project. The MOU establishes a high-level framework for cooperation, focusing on the development of a
A Regional Workshop was recently held in Tashkent as part of Switzerland’s Blue Peace Central Asia (BPCA) initiative aimed at fostering cooperation among Central Asian countries in the water sector, according to the Swiss Embassy in Uzbekistan. The event brought together delegations from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as representatives of international
On April 4, the first-ever Central Asia-European Union Summit was held in Samarkand, chaired by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The EU was represented by the President of the European Council António Costa and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. Together with President Mirziyoyev, Central Asian countries were represented by
OCA Magazine, published in London since 2009, is calling on universities across the Eurasian region to participate in a special issue titled OCA Magazine: Education 2025. The initiative aims to showcase the educational and human resource potential of Central Asia and the CIS countries, while also attracting experts and media attention to promote education in
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has welcomed plans by a series of new investors to inject up to $110 million into Uzbekistan’s leading food retailer, Korzinka. In one of the largest private investments in the country in recent years, Abu Dhabi Uzbek Investment, and a consortium of Omani Sovereign investment funds, led
Central Asia and the European Union are linked by deep historical roots, coinciding interests, and a common desire for close partnership, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said in an exclusive interview to Euronews on the eve of the first Central Asia-European Union summit in Samarkand on April 3-4. According to Mirziyoyev, the Central Asia-European Union format of cooperation
A delegation from Uzbekistan, led by Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade Laziz Kudratov, participated in the first meeting of the Joint Economic Committee, the “Uzbekistan Investment Potential Days” event with British business representatives, and several high-level meetings with executives of leading UK companies in London, the Uzbek government portal reported. During the Committee meeting,
On March 31, a trilateral meeting was held between the President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, and the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev in the Tajik city of Khujand. The presidents signed the Treaty between Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan on the junction point of the state borders of the three
On March 29, the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan held a briefing on the upcoming Tashkent International Investment Forum, one of the most significant international events in the country’s economic landscape. Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov announced that the IV Tashkent International Investment Forum will take place from June
The following article by Roger Holland, Founder & Managing Partner of a leading property advisory firm, published in the latest issue of OCA Magazine, provides an insight on Central Asia’s growing real estate market: For many, the housing and wider real estate markets have had a miserable year. Interest costs have increased alongside inflation of
According to the World Bank’s representative office in Uzbekistan, Tashkent recently hosted a presentation of the World Bank’s new report analyzing current migration trends, challenges, and opportunities in the Europe and Central Asia region. The report highlights that labor migration remains one of the key sources of income for millions of citizens in Central Asian
On March 27, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev listened to a government report on the fulfillment of tasks aimed at the development of nuclear energy in the country. Over the past five years, due to the implementation of a number of major energy projects, electricity production in Uzbekistan has increased by 30 percent and reached 81.5
The European Union and the five Central Asian countries reaffirmed their strong political commitment to strengthening engagement and deepening cooperation during the 20th EU-Central Asia Ministerial meeting, chaired by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, on March 27 in Ashgabat. The Foreign Ministers of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as Deputy
The Afghan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum says that the largest investments in Afghanistan’s mining sector have been made by companies from Uzbekistan, China, Turkey, and Iran, TOLOnews reported. Hayatullah Afghan, spokesperson for the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, stated that the total value of these investments is estimated at $8 billion. These companies have
The U.S. Embassy in Tashkent has announced the establishment of Honeywell Industrial Automation LLC, a new legal entity that marks a significant milestone in the United States’ commitment to mutually beneficial commercial ties with Uzbekistan. This expansion underscores the United States’ position as a business partner of choice and highlights American excellence in advanced industrial
Navruz originated in Central Asia and a number of Eastern countries in ancient times, when Zoroastrianism reigned here. Gradually, it acquired its own forms and outlines. It was enriched by new customs, rituals, and the experience of everyday life and it turned into a tradition. The answer to the question about the age of Navruz
From March 14 to 20, the Uzbek Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade organized the second monitoring visit of the European Commission delegation to Uzbekistan as part of the GSP+ system. In April 2021, Uzbekistan was granted beneficiary status under the Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+). This status allows the country to export more
