On March 23–24, the city of Samarkand will host the “Dishes of the East” festival for the first time. The event is organized to widely promote the rich traditions of Eastern cuisine, showcase its unique flavors and cooking culture at the international level, as well as to support the development of gastronomic tourism and increase
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is providing financing of up to US$ 15.4 million to Uzbekistan’s leading brewer, UzCarlsberg. The Bank’s third equity investment in the country since 2020 will help UzCarlsberg to expand its production capacity and increase the sustainability of the country’s food sector. The proceeds will be
A survey shows that Kazakhstan’s new Tax Code with an increased value-added tax (VAT) has led to growing anxiety among the population, with most respondents saying that the tax changes negatively impact their standard of living and cause growing expenses, making a significant portion of the population cut spending on basic items, including food, clothing,
Central Asia Capital, a Bishkek-based private equity fund, in partnership with the Russian Export Center, has launched a political risk insurance program for Russian investments in Kyrgyzstan. According to Central Asia Capital, the new program is aimed at safeguarding investments against political risks, including restrictions on fund transfers, currency inconvertibility, expropriation of assets, trade sanctions,
Following a long-standing tradition, a gathering of members and friends of the Eurasian Creative Guild (ECG) and Hertfordshire Press took place in London, celebrating the spring festival of Navruz. The evening began with a guided tour of Fitzroy House Museum and, under the leadership of ECG Chair Francesca Mepham, smoothly transitioned into a traditional English
A regional online service center of ZTE has been officially launched at IT Park Uzbekistan. The new center will deliver modern digital services and technical support to clients in Uzbekistan, Central Asia, and Europe, according to the Uzbek government’s website. The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Digital Technologies, Sherzod Shermatov, who noted
The European Union and the International alliance for the protection of heritage (ALIPH) have launched 29 cultural heritage projects across Central Asia to safeguard endangered tangible and intangible heritage from the impact of climate change, following a highly successful Call for Projects that elicited 233 applications. This initiative is co-funded for a total of EUR 1.5 million, wherein
In settlements located near former uranium mines, the third phase of a project aimed at minimizing environmental risks, improving emergency preparedness, and strengthening the socio-economic potential of pilot communities has begun. The activities are carried out within the framework of the project “Stakeholder Engagement for Uranium Legacy Remediation in Central Asia. Phase III,” implemented by
The capital theatre this week hosted the annual Nauryz Ball attended by heads of foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited in Kazakhstan. The event, organized as part of the Nauryznama decade, served as a platform for cultural diplomacy, symbolizing unity, creation, and renewal, according to the Kazakh Foreign Ministry. Opening the gala evening, Aida
Uzbekistan is a country in Central Asia that has undergone significant economic liberalization since President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took office in 2016. It is a doubly landlocked and a lower-middle-income country. The government’s “Uzbekistan 2030” strategy aims to achieve upper-middle income status by the end of the decade through private-sector development, foreign investment, diversification beyond commodities,
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is providing a loan of up to €25 million to support the investment program and working capital needs of RG Brands Group, Central Asia’s leading beverage producer incorporated in Kazakhstan. The loan will help RG Brands to expand its operations in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture has announced updated figures of the country’s grain export. During the 2024-2025 marketing year (September 1, 2024, August 31, 2025), Kazakhstan exported 15.3 million tons of grain and flour, 60% more than during the 2023-2024 season and the highest figure over the last 20 years. Since the beginning of the current
On March 17, the official opening ceremony of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan took place with the participation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The Islamic Civilization Center, in its grandeur and scale, is one of the largest complexes in the world for the study and popularization of history, culture, and Islamic civilization. It was built
More than 5 million citizens in Kazakhstan have voluntarily banned the issuance of loans and microloans in their names using “Stop-Credit,” a service designed to protect against fraudulent loans, Fingramota.kz reports. “Stop-Credit” is a government service for voluntary waiver of bank loans and microloans. It allows citizens to self-ban new loans in their names. This
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is supporting the development of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Kazakhstan, including those owned or led by young people or women, and helping to improve access to green technologies by providing a financing package of up to US$ 200 million (€172.4 million) in
Energy-efficient heat pumps developed by the Technopark industrial complex in Tashkent are undergoing practical testing for use in greenhouses for growing vegetables without traditional fuels, according to the Uzbek Ministry of Agriculture. To test the new technology, two innovative greenhouses were built at Technopark in January to grow tomato and cucumber seedlings. The experiment is
On March 16, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in the launch ceremony of Copper Processing Plant No. 3 at the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex. This $2.7 billion project was implemented as part of the development program of the Yoshlik-1 deposit. The plant, capable of processing 60 million tons of ore and producing about 900,000
At a meeting in the Senate on March 12 addressing the problem of informal employment in Kazakhstan, Minister of Labor and Social Protection Askarbek Yertayev revealed informal employment statistics and proposed measures aimed at broader legalization of labor relations in the domestic labor market. Yertayev noted that informal, or shadow, employment has a negative impact
The World Bank says it has approved a $10.6 million grant to help Uzbekistan reduce leaks in its aging gas transmission system and recover valuable gas to power households and industry, boosting energy security, state revenues, and job creation. Uzbekistan’s gas infrastructure has deteriorated over time due to underinvestment in maintenance and repairs, leading to gas leaks
On March 13, a roundtable meeting chaired by the Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, Laziz Kudratov, was held with more than 20 representatives of the Turkish business community in the country. According to the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade, the main purpose of the meeting was to discuss issues arising in
