In 2025, trade between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan amounted to $4.97 billion, an 11.4% increase compared to the previous year. This was announced during a January 30 meeting between Uzbek Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov and Kazakh Ambassador to Uzbekistan Beibut Atamkulov. The parties discussed the current state and future prospects of trade,
The World Health Organization (WHO) has clarified media reports saying that Uzbekistan has lost its measles-free status, and explained that measles transmission has resumed in the country since 2019, while rubella elimination status remains in place, Daryo reports. WHO’s conclusions are based on evaluations by the European Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination,
Kazakhstan has been ranked among the countries with the lowest national cuisine score in the world, according to the World Population Review, which published a ranking of the cuisines of 99 countries. The ranking was an attempt to answer the question: What country has the best food? In 2025, Kazakhstan scored 3.9 points, ranking 92nd.
The official presentation of the Kazakhstan AI Country Report was held in Astana on January 28. It is the country’s first comprehensive overview of the AI market, covering government strategy, digital and computing infrastructure, human capital, startups, venture investments, and industry use cases of AI implementation. The report was prepared by the analytical agency RISE
Uzbekistan has been officially recognized by the organization ASIA Records as the Asian country with the most UNESCO-listed Islamic historic cities, according to the Uzbek Tourism Committee. Representatives of the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan and the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Malaysia took part in the award ceremony held in Kuala Lumpur. Under this recognition, Samarkand,
The fourth meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council was held in Ankara on January 29 under the co-chairmanship of President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The parties emphasized that mutual trade volumes, as well as the number of joint ventures and projects with leading Turkish companies, continue to
On January 28, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov held a meeting on the implementation of the President’s instruction to launch a new investment cycle and increase the volume of high-quality investment. “The President has tasked all state bodies and organizations with increasing the inflow of high-quality investment and ensuring the implementation of breakthrough projects
Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Labor, Social Welfare, and Migration has announced the launch of a new social project aimed at providing assistance to women and girls who suffer from domestic violence, as well as to victims of human trafficking. A 24-hour hotline has been launched to provide prompt and high-quality assistance to victims of domestic violence
From March 20 to 25, 2026, the international tourist train Jibek Joly will connect Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan as part of a single cultural and educational route. For the first time in the project’s history, the route has been extended to Dushanbe, according to Kazakhstan’s national railway company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ). The journey will
An event was held on January 28 at Riga International Airport to mark the launch of cargo flights by the Uzbek airline Flykhiva on the Tashkent–Riga route, Dunyo information agency reported. As part of the event, a ceremonial reception was held for the airline’s first cargo plane arriving in the Latvian capital. The event was
An investment project for deep chrome processing will be implemented in Kazakhstan’s Aktobe region. The project is aimed at developing a chemical and metallurgical cluster and forming new production facilities with high added value, according to Kazakh Invest national company. The project, implemented by Sichuan YinHe Chemical Co. Ltd., one of the world’s largest players in
The European Union and UN Women officially launched the Zero Violence Against Women and Girls (Zero VAWG) initiative at an inception and signing event held on 23 January in Bishkek. The event brought together senior representatives of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, development partners, and UN agencies to reaffirm their shared commitment to preventing
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has completed the Article IV Consultation for Kazakhstan. According to the IMF, Kazakhstan’s economy continued to grow at a rapid pace in 2025, boosted by rising oil output and robust activity in non-oil sectors. Strong domestic demand, underpinned by an expansionary public sector stance, has contributed
Uzbekistan has launched the second phase of the “Islands of Integrity” anti-corruption methodology, expanding a local governance approach that has already shown practical results in several regions of the country, the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan reported. The launch took place in Turtkul District and brought together national and international partners, including the
A meeting was held at the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan on January 27 with a delegation from Hyundai Heavy Industries Power Systems, Korea District Heating Corporation, and the Korea Institute for Climate Change. The meeting discussed a project to construct a combined heat and power (CHP) plant utilizing agricultural waste as
On January 27, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Yermek Kosherbayev held talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel Gideon Sa’ar, who arrived in Astana on an official visit. The sides discussed the current state and prospects for the development of political dialogue, trade, economic and investment ties, cooperation in the field of tourism,
On the eve of Nowruz, the British Library will receive copies of the new Voices of Friends Poetry & Art Almanac 2026, published by Hertfordshire Press. This edition is dedicated to the 180th anniversary of Kazakh thinker Abai Qunanbaiuly and the 110th anniversary of artist and collector Igor Savitsky (Uzbekistan). On that day, Burabay,
Uzbekistan participated in one of the largest international tourism exhibitions of the United States — Travel & Adventure Show 2026, which took place on January 24-25 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York, Uzbekistan’s Tourism Committee reported. The exhibition brought together representatives of leading US travel agencies, airlines, investment structures, and mass
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved the Regional Electricity Market Interconnectivity and Trade (REMIT) Program, which will be implemented over a 10-year period across three phases to boost energy connectivity in Central Asia. The multi-phase program will establish Central Asia’s first-ever regional electricity market, increase electricity trade, expand transmission capacity, and lay the groundwork for large-scale renewable energy integration. According to the World
Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan Serik Zhumangarin held a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia Khasuuriyin Gankhuyag on January 24. Zhumangarin noted that Mongolia is an important partner of Kazakhstan in the Asian region, and that bilateral cooperation has been consistently developing in the spirit of mutual respect and
