Czech manufacturer Škoda Group has announced plans to enter the Uzbek market through a joint venture. According to the company’s press service, Škoda Group continues its business activities focused on the Central Asian market and deepens its cooperation with Uzbekistan. Petr Novotný, CEO Škoda Group, participated in business negotiations led by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Brussels
Armenia on October 27 allowed Azerbaijani trucks traveling to Türkiye to cross its territory for the first time, marking a significant step toward easing decades of hostility between the two neighbors, Daily Sabah reported. Armenia has also invited Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to the 2026 European Political Community summit in Yerevan. According to local media
On October 21, the second meeting of the Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan Supreme Interstate Council was held in Astana with the participation of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Special attention was paid to expanding trade and economic ties. The two countries agreed to take the necessary measures to double bilateral trade turnover
Ahead of his state visit to Kazakhstan, which begins on October 21, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, gave an exclusive interview to Kazinform News Agency. In the interview, published on the official website of the Azeri president, Aliyev spoke about his view of bilateral cooperation with Kazakhstan and ongoing partnerships in trade, transport, energy,
Qazaq Air (Vietjet Qazaqstan) has announced the launch of two new international routes connecting the capital of Kazakhstan with key cities in Central Asia — Bishkek and Samarkand. The airline’s expansion in Central Asia is part of the strategic initiative of Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev aimed at strengthening ties between Central Asian countries to promote
On October 15, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev gave the official start to construction of a new Tashkent International Airport. Passenger traffic to the Uzbek capital has tripled over the past eight years, reaching 9 million people per year, and will exceed 24 million by 2040. However, the existing airport, designed for 11 million passengers per
Despite being landlocked, Central Asia has turned into a key transit hub in Eurasia due to its strategic location at the heart of the vast continent and the implementation of major transport infrastructure projects. According to the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), from 2020 to 2024 transit freight volumes through the Central Asian region increased by
North China’s Shanxi Province recently launched its first rail-road intermodal freight train along the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan intermodal transport corridor, marking the start of a new international logistics route linking the province with Central Asia, Xinhua reported with reference to China Railway Taiyuan Group Co., Ltd. The launch of the route highlights Shanxi’s economic transition from being
U.S. President Donald Trump’s meeting with the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in August culminated in the signing of a trilateral Joint Declaration, which, among others, envisions the U.S. entering the South Caucasus region as the primary driver of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project, according to an article published by
On October 9, the Second “Central Asia–Russia” Summit was held in Dushanbe. The event, chaired by the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, was attended by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and the
Over the past 34 years of independence after the breakup of the Soviet Union, Central Asia has faced problems that require joint efforts for their solution. These include water and energy shortages, access to the sea and international transport routes, environmental risks, and instability in Afghanistan. In recent years, however, Central Asian countries have strengthened
Exporters and transport operators crossing the Dostuk border – the main border crossing between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan – are set to have a smoother experience and shorter waiting times, with the launch of the Electronic Queue Management System (e-QMS), the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan reported. The digital platform, developed by the International
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is contributing to the optimization of international transport routes by supporting upgrades of key port infrastructure in Kazakhstan. A financial package of up to €45 million provided by the EBRD and the European Union will finance an increase in cargo handling capacity at the port of Aktau, Kazakhstan’s
Kyrgyzstan has begun construction of two major tunnels at the Soek and Ashuu-Suu passes on the Barskoon-Bedel highway in the Issyk-Kul region. The Barskoon-Bedel highway, whose construction began on August 27, is a key section of the future Barskoon-Uchturfan-Aksu corridor that will link the Issyk-Kul region with China’s Aksu prefecture in Xinjiang via the Bedel
A meeting was held in New York (USA) on September 22 between Askhat Khassenov, Chairman of the Management Board of Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company KazMunayGas (KMG), and the leadership of U.S.-based technology company LanzaJet — CEO Jimmy Samartzis and Vice President of Commercial Operations Stefan Tiyon. The parties reviewed the results of the
Boeing and Uzbekistan Airways on September 22 announced the single largest order in the airline’s history as the flag carrier plans to acquire up to 22 787 Dreamliners. Uzbekistan Airways’ purchase of 14 787-9 airplanes, with options for eight more of the ultra-efficient jets, will modernize its Boeing widebody fleet while supporting nearly 35,000 U.S.
Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), the country’s national railway company, and the American company Wabtec have signed an agreement for the supply of the new TE33AT series of locomotives, manufactured in Kazakhstan at the Lokomotiv Kurastyru Zauyty plant in Astana. Service agreements covering the maintenance of new and existing locomotives were also signed as part of
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a sovereign-guaranteed loan of $400 million equivalent to KazAvtoZhol National Company JSC for the construction of a new road in southern Kazakhstan. The project aims to enhance regional connectivity, enhance transport efficiency, facilitate cross-border trade flows, and improve road safety. “The Saryagash Bypass Road will strengthen Kazakhstan’s trade
In recent years, Uzbekistan has witnessed a rapid increase in the number of motor vehicles. While in 2021 the country had 3.14 million registered cars, by 2025 their number had grown by 66%, reaching 5.2 million. This sharp rise is particularly evident in Tashkent, where the expanding vehicle fleet directly affects air quality and public
On September 8, the airport in Naryn, the main city of the Naryn region in central-east Kyrgyzstan, opened after major reconstruction with the launch of regular Bishkek-Naryn-Bishkek flights operated by state-owned Asman Airlines. All regional airports built in Kyrgyzstan in the Soviet time were never repaired until the most recent time, and the Naryn airport
