Central Asia is a region prone to disasters, and earthquakes remain among its greatest risks. In April 1966, Tashkent was struck by a devastating earthquake that left more than 300,000 people displaced. Although the city was rebuilt and transformed into the modern Tashkent we know today, the remnants of that tragedy continue to endure. Other
Foreign visitors encounter critical difficulties using public Wi-Fi networks in Uzbekistan. The main obstacle is the mandatory SMS authorization using a local phone number, which makes internet access unavailable immediately upon arrival, Tashkent Today reports. Key problems: • Tashkent Airport: Connecting to the Wi-Fi network requires an Uzbek SIM card, which tourists do not have
On April 25, in Bishkek, energy and water ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan discussed ensuring the sustainable and coordinated operation of Central Asia’s water and energy systems during the upcoming 2026 growing season. The meeting focused on mutual obligations of each country. The ministers noted the historical interconnectedness of national energy systems, with
The opening ceremony of the Burhonuddin Marginoni Complex, a new scientific, educational, and tourist facility, was held in the city of Margilan in the Fergana region on April 27 with the participation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The President emphasized that the complex will play an important role not only in the life of Margilan but
A meeting was held last week between the Advisor to the President of Uzbekistan on Environmental Issues and Chairman of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, Aziz Abdukhakimov and the Minister of Ecology and Environment of China, Huang Runqiu. The parties discussed environmental cooperation between Uzbekistan and China, with a focus on the
On April 24, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a meeting to review economic results across regions and sectors in the first quarter, as well as to set priority tasks until the end of the year. The macroeconomic results achieved in the first quarter were reviewed. In particular, gross domestic product grew by 8.7 percent, while industry
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has formed a regional investment portfolio in the field of climate and ecology in Central Asia and intends to expand it, Evgeny Vinokurov, Deputy Chairman of the Bank’s Management Board, said at the Regional Ecological Summit 2026 in Astana on April 22. For 20 years, the Eurasian Development Bank has
On April 23, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed the activities of a gastronomic tourism street on Uzbekiston Ovozi Street in the Mirzo Ulugbek district in Tashkent. Tourism is a key sector that generates jobs with relatively low investment, increases household incomes, and enhances the urban environment. The city of Tashkent holds significant potential in this regard.
On April 23, the first Destination Karakalpakstan 2026 forum was held in the city of Nukus, aimed at promoting the tourism potential of Uzbekistan, including the Republic of Karakalpakstan, on the international stage, according to the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan. The forum was organized by the Tourism Committee in cooperation with the Council of Ministers
On 23 April, high-level representatives of the European Union, its EU Member States, the Central Asian countries and international financial institutions convened in Astana, Kazakhstan, for the Team Europe Initiative (TEI) High-Level Meeting on Water, Energy and Climate Change in Central Asia, the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Kazakhstan reported. Participants
On April 22, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in a meeting of the Council of the Heads of Founder States of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS). The event, chaired by President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, was also attended by President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, President of Tajikistan Emomali
On April 22, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in the opening ceremony of the Regional Ecological Summit in Astana. The event was also attended by President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, President
At the Regional Environmental Summit (RES) in Astana on April 22, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kazakhstan and the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership, convened a high-level plenary session titled “Central Asia Initiative – Harmony with Nature for Sustainable Development of the Region,”
Uzbek cuisine in Latin America. Who would have thought it was even possible? Some would say, “Uzbeks are everywhere.” Others would shrug, “Who needs it there?” I’ve always been on the side of the first. But to my surprise, Uzbek cuisine had been almost absent across the entire American continent, home to nearly 700 million
The Institute for Macroeconomic and Regional Studies has presented a comprehensive strategy for the Uzbek capital’s development after sunset. The study emphasizes that without systemic management and infrastructure development, the plan to create 320 round-the-clock streets in Tashkent would not be realistic, Tashkent Today reports. The main barriers identified are a lack of transportation (the
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and the Uzbek-Oman Investment Company (UzOman) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The parties will focus on developing investment projects in Uzbekistan, including in the transport and logistics infrastructure sector. The document was signed by Alexey Skatin, Senior Managing Director of the EDB, and Omar Bahram, CEO of UzOman. “The
On April 20, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed measures aimed at organizing external labor migration, preparing citizens for high-paying jobs, and ensuring their protection abroad. Currently, Uzbek citizens work in nearly 40 countries, with the number employed abroad reaching 1.2 million. Demand for skilled workers in developed countries of Europe and East Asia continues to grow.
On April 20, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed the draft “Youth of New Uzbekistan–2030” strategy, the country’s first comprehensive youth policy strategy aimed at strengthening the role of young people and unlocking their potential in building New Uzbekistan. Today, the country’s population is 38 million, of whom 9.5 million, or nearly 25 percent, are young people
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) sees the Central Asian warehouse infrastructure as the “opportunity of the decade” and intends to significantly increase investments in this segment, Alexey Rogachevsky, EDB Director for Uzbekistan, said at the Central Asia Warehouse Summit (CAWS 2026) on April 16 in Tashkent. Speaking at the Warehouses and Finance session, he presented
On April 23–24, the international gastronomic festival “99 Dishes from Aral Fish” will take place at the Karateren ethno-tourism complex, located in the Takhtakupyr district of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, the Uzbek Tourism Committee announced. The event aims to widely promote the unique potential of the Aral Sea region’s gastronomic tourism on the international stage,