Over the past three decades, the post-Soviet space has embraced megaprojects with a fervour reminiscent of Soviet-era “gigantomania”. A new terminal, a new city, a new tech hub, a new railway – each presented as a leap into the future. Too many of these projects have turned out not to be engines of growth, but
On June 18, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a plenary session of the Foreign Investors Council. The meeting was attended by President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Odile Renaud-Basso, executives of leading international companies, banks, and financial institutions. Addressing the meeting, the President noted that in recent years the Council under
Arman Issetov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, and Diego Martínez, State Secretary for Foreign and Global Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain took part in the first Kazakhstan-Spain Forum held on June 17 in Astana, according to the Kazakh Foreign Ministry. Deputy Minister Issetov noted the active
Over the past years Uzbekistan has attracted more than $150 billion in foreign investment, of which $123 billion has been secured in the last five years alone, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev said in his address at the Fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum. We are implementing systemic measures to improve fundamentally the investment climate in
The Uzbekistan-Turkiye Business Forum was held on June 16 in Tashkent. The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan Jamshid Kuchkarov, Minister of Trade of Turkiye Omer Bolat, as well as representatives of government agencies, business circles, investors, major corporations, and business associations from both countries, according
On June 15, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was briefed on plans to develop the raw material base for critical minerals and expand the production of high value-added products. The President emphasized that the critical minerals sector plays a crucial role in developing new industries, increasing exports, ensuring technological independence, and creating highly skilled jobs. Global demand
Kazakhstan’s Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov and Gholam Ali Soleimani, president of the Iranian food company Solico Group, have signed an investment agreement for a major project in deep milk processing. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the cheese production project, with a capacity of 155,000 tons per year, will be implemented in the Almaty region.
From June 16 to 18, Tashkent will host the fifth anniversary Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF), an event that has evolved over five years from a discussion platform into a key indicator of investment interest in Central Asia. Prior to the official opening, the number of registered participants has exceeded 8,316, setting an absolute record
On June 11, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov chaired the 19th meeting of the Kazakhstan–European Union dialogue platform with the participation of heads of diplomatic missions of European countries, representatives of major foreign business associations, and companies. The meeting discussed issues of the investment climate, harmonization of technical standards and regulatory approaches, customs administration,
On June 8, the Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan, Laziz Kudratov, met with the US Assistant Secretary of Commerce, David Fogel. The parties discussed the current status and future prospects for expanding bilateral trade, economic, investment, and industrial cooperation. It was emphasized that the United States remains a key partner for Uzbekistan, with
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the government of Kazakhstan are extending their long-term strategic partnership that will help to boost investment and drive forward reforms in the country, the EBRD said. The enhanced partnership framework arrangement (EPFA) between the EBRD and Central Asia’s largest economy was signed at the Bank’s 35th Annual
Central Asia and Mongolia will remain resilient to geopolitical shocks and record the highest growth rates of the EBRD countries of operation in 2026 and 2027, according to the latest Regional Economic Prospects report published by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The economies of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are projected to grow by 5.6 per cent
On June 2 in Astana, Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan Serik Zhumangarin held a meeting with representatives of the business circles of Hong Kong and mainland China. The event was attended by about 70 business representatives, including 40 companies from Hong Kong and 30 companies from mainland China operating in
EuroChem, a leading Russian and global fertilizer producer headquartered in Switzerland, has launched a new sulfuric acid plant in the Zhambyl region of Kazakhstan with a production capacity of 800,000 tons per year. The new facility is part of EuroChem’s broader investment project in Kazakhstan. The Phase I included the launch of a phosphate ore
The Third Uzbekistan–China Interregional Forum is being held on May 21 and 22, in China’s Xi’an. Under the theme “Shared Modernization through High-Quality Development,” the forum has brought together nearly 2,000 participants, including representatives from ministries and agencies, regional administrations, academic circles, business associations, leading companies, and entrepreneurs from both nations, according to the Uzbek
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has officially opened its representative office in Uzbekistan. The opening of the representative office in Tashkent was a logical step following Uzbekistan’s accession to the EDB in 2025. The Bank is now commencing full‑scale investment operations in the country. Nikolai Podguzov, Chairman of the EDB Management Board, stated: “In the
Of course, the transition of the Former Soviet Republics from Communism to Market Economy witnessed a dramatic fall in infrastructure spending. Consequently, different republics progressed at different speeds, though with an increasing realization that such spending is necessary to develop their economies. Ironically, it is their western counterparts who are arguably underinvesting in their own
On May 14, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who arrived in Kazakhstan on a state visit, attended the Kazakh-Turkish Business Forum. Opening the event, Tokayev emphasized that Kazakhstan provides comprehensive support to Turkish companies. “Today, approximately 3,800 enterprises with Turkish capital are successfully operating in our country. Thousands of jobs
On May 11 in Beijing, during his state visit to China, the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon held a meeting with the heads and representatives of Chinese companies. Rahmon presented Tajikistan’s favorable economic climate and extensive opportunities, and called on Chinese companies to actively cooperate and participate in the country’s dynamically developing economy. Following the
The Governor of Uzbekistan’s Fergana region, Khayrullo Bozorov, met with Stanislav Kushnir, the founder of the U.S. company Sayat LLC., to discuss the implementation of an investment project in the Fergana region aimed at generating alternative thermal energy through the disposal of medical waste. Sayat LLC specializes in the construction of plants that produce alternative