Aziz Abdukhakimov, Adviser to the President of Uzbekistan on Environmental Issues and Chairman of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, held a videoconference with Yerlan Nysanbayev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan, as well as an in-person meeting with Beibut Atamkulov, Kazakh Ambassador to Uzbekistan, to discuss Uzbek-Kazakh cooperation in the
Starting April 1, 2026, the minimum purchase amount for receiving a value-added tax (VAT) refund for foreign citizens in Uzbekistan will be lowered from 1 million soums ($82) to 300,000 soums ($25), according to a presidential decree of March 5, Fergana News Agency reported. The Tax Free system—a partial VAT refund for foreign citizens purchasing
The International Fund for Agricultural Development, the European Union, and Hamkorbank, launched a landmark program to boost rural entrepreneurship and expand financial inclusion targeting nearly 4,000 remittance-receiving households and returnees — migrant workers that came back to their place of origin — in Uzbekistan, the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan reported. Through a
A comparative analysis of income dynamics in the two largest economies of Central Asia—Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan—over the past 25 years has revealed a paradox: while figures in Uzbekistan have grown hundreds of times, the actual gap in living standards with neighboring Kazakhstan has narrowed more slowly than expected, Tashkent Today reported. Experts compared the cumulative
The official opening ceremony of the INNO Science Park, established in cooperation between Uzbekistan and Hungary, was held in the Jizzakh region on March 6, the Uzbek government’s website reported. The event was attended by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovations of Uzbekistan Kongratbay Sharipov, Deputy Governor of Jizzakh region Zafar Azimov, Ambassador
A round table discussion on the Kuvasoy City Master Plan was held in Kuvasoy in Uzbekistan’s Fergana region on March 4, bringing together representatives of local and national authorities, development partners, urban planning experts, the private sector, civil society, and media to discuss the city’s future spatial, economic, and environmental development, the United Nations Development
This year Uzbekistan plans to attract at least $1 billion in investment into the pharmaceutical industry and increase the share of domestically produced medicines in the domestic market to 70 percent by 2030 through the launch of new production capacities jointly with foreign companies, as well as increase pharmaceutical exports to $1 billion within the
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has included the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan in its list of the six most anticipated museum openings of 2026. The opening of this grand museum complex in Tashkent is scheduled for March. According to the BBC, the Center’s building itself is a stunner, topped with a monumental turquoise mosaic
Afghanistan’s trade with Central Asian countries increased significantly in 2025 compared to 2024, with imports rising by 43% and exports growing by 77%, TOLOnews reported citing statistics from the Afghan Ministry of Industry and Commerce. Afghanistan’s imports increased from $1.679 billion in 2024 to $2.399 billion in 2025, while exports rose from $122 million to
In Uzbekistan, industrial enterprises will now be encouraged to take action aimed at reducing their impact on the environment. This is stipulated in the Resolution “On the Procedure for Incentivizing the Efforts of Industrial Enterprises of Categories I and II to Reduce Their Environmental Impact,” according to the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change.
On March 3, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree strengthening the system for protecting the rights of women and children, as well as preventing cases of harassment and violence against them. In Uzbekistan, continuous attention is devoted to preventing early marriages and births, as well as violence against women and children, as key priorities in
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) President Zou Jiayi recently visited founding AIIB members Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, conveying her intent to ensure AIIB’s future direction remains grounded in country needs and strong partnerships. These visits, part of a “listening tour” Zou is undertaking since she took office in January, highlighted Central Asia’s position as
In 2025, Uzbek citizens were the third-largest group among detained illegal migrants in Turkey, Fergana Information Agency reports with reference to data from the Turkish migration authorities. In 2025, Turkish authorities detained 13,683 Uzbek citizens, compared to 11,521 in 2024, when Uzbekistan was fourth. The increase continues since 2022. While 4,817 Uzbek citizens were detained
Uzbekistan’s electricity generating capacity has reached 25,800 MW, including 8,000 MW, or 31 percent of the total, accounted for by solar, wind, and hydropower generation, according to the Uzbek Ministry of Energy. In 2026, Uzbekistan plans to produce 90 billion kWh of electricity, a 40 percent increase compared to 2020. This year, amid economic growth
From June 16 to 19, 2026, Tashkent will host the 5th Anniversary Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF 2026), the leading investment platform in Central Asia bringing together global investors, government representatives, international financial institutions, and major business leaders, the Uzbek Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade has announced. The anniversary forum will build upon the
A signing ceremony held at the Ministry of Water Resources on February 27 marked the official launch of the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) new landmark project “Strengthening Water Resources Governance and Resilience to Climate Change in the Aral Sea Region”. UNDP and Japan partner for this transformative initiative in Uzbekistan with financial support from the
Based on recent economic consensus from institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Central Bank (ECB), and the World Economic Forum (WEF) as of early 2026, globalization is not entirely “over,” but it is undergoing a profound structural shift. Economists generally agree that the era of hyperglobalization has stagnated—a trend accelerated by the
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is helping to create favourable conditions for the growth and development of domestic pharmaceutical production in Uzbekistan by supporting the operations of its long-term client, Samarkand England Eco-Medical (SEEM). The Bank is providing a loan of up to €20 million to SEEM and its sister-company, Bayan
During his visit to Asunción, the Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, Laziz Kudratov, was received by the President of Paraguay, Santiago Peña. The parties discussed the phased opening of markets on a reciprocal basis and the expansion of mutual market access for goods from both countries, according to the Uzbek government’s website.
On February 26, London hosted a meeting of foreign ministers of five Central Asian countries and the United Kingdom under the “Central Asia + UK” (CA5+UK) framework. The ministers discussed a wide range of bilateral and regional issues, including opportunities for economic growth, expanding trade and investment cooperation, and joint efforts to strengthen regional connectivity