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
On July 22, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited Jizzakh region and reviewed the operations of the Zaamin Technopark special industrial zone. The head of state initiated the construction of this complex on June 27 of last year. Within the framework of the project, which spans 400 hectares, a total of 31 investment projects worth $1.2
Kazakhstan’s national railway company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), has announced the launch on September 19 of a new season of its train tour, Jibek Joly (Silk Road) 5.0, connecting major cities in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. During the 6-day tour, passengers will travel along the route Almaty – Turkestan – Otrar – Samarkand – Bukhara –
The two largest Central Asian countries have embarked on a higher education spree. In Uzbekistan since 2020 almost 100 new universities have opened, swelling the number of BA candidates in the country by some 400,000. In Kazakhstan, hardly a week goes by without an announcement from the Ministry of Education ballyhooing the opening of another
Recently, Uzbek economist Behzod Khoshimov stated that it will take Uzbekistan 30 years to catch up with Kazakhstan in terms of economic development. In the article below, Ulysmedia.kz tried to understand whether Khoshimov is right and why this old rivalry still determines the region’s development. The rivalry between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan began during the Soviet
On July 13–14, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov paid a visit to Bulgaria. He held talks with President Rumen Radev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Grozdan Karadjov, heads of relevant ministries, as well as representatives of leading companies and financial institutions of the country. At the center of the
On July 11, the EU and the countries of Central Asia — Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan — held the 12th meeting of the annual High-Level Political and Security Dialogue, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The Dialogue took place in the context of increased engagement between Central Asia and the European Union, following up
In recent years, Uzbekistan has become an increasingly important cultural and economic crossroads in Central Asia, attracting diplomats, international organizations, and businesses from around the world. As the country opens its doors to greater international engagement, the need for high-quality Uzbek language education has never been more pressing. Meeting this need is Methodica, a pioneering
