Uzbekistan ranked 104th out of 123 countries in the EF English Proficiency Index 2025, the world’s largest ranking of countries and regions by English skills based on test results of 2.2 million adults, Tashkent Today reported. Uzbekistan’s score 429 is significantly below the global average score of 488. Compared to the previous year, the country lowered
On February 20, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a meeting to define priority tasks for the socio-economic development of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. It was noted that due to its vast territory and mineral reserves, Karakalpakstan has considerable economic and investment potential. Tangible changes have taken place in Karakalpakstan’s economy in recent years. Eight years ago, the
Since the beginning of 2026, employers have posted 102,700 job vacancies and job seekers have submitted 162,400 resumes on the Enbek.kz online job exchange in Kazakhstan, according to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection. The number of job seekers exceeds the number of vacancies, with an average of 1.58 resumes per vacancy. Over 80%
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry of Kyrgyzstan have launched a new project to strengthen climate‑resilient agricultural value chains and support 17,000 smallholder farmers in southern regions of Kyrgyzstan. The project is supported with $4.5 million from the government of Japan, according to WFP
The Central Bank of Uzbekistan has published a report on inflation expectations of the country’s households and businesses as of early 2026. According to the report, the average price growth forecast for the next 12 months has been decreased by 0.3% to 11.2%, Tashkent Today reports. The highest price growth expectations among households are traditionally
Construction of a modern cable car system has begun at the Silk Road Samarkand tourist complex. The project aims to further enhance the region’s tourism appeal and create convenient, modern transport infrastructure for visitors, according to the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan. The total length of the cable lines will be 1,700 meters. The system will
In preparation for the coming spring flood season, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation is pre-emptively releasing water from key reservoirs across the country’s northern, central, western, and eastern regions to prepare for the influx of meltwater expected during the spring thaw. At the same time, reservoirs in the southern, arid regions which heavily
President Sadyr Japarov on February 18 officially opened a cable car in the Ala-Archa State Nature Park, the first gondola cable lift in Kyrgyzstan. The Ala-Archa Nature Park is located about 30 km from Bishkek and stretches along the Ala-Archa River. The park is a popular weekend getaway for Bishkek residents and foreign tourists. The
Since the beginning of 2026, solar and wind power plants in Uzbekistan have generated 1 billion kWh of electricity. According to the Ministry of Energy, this milestone was reached by February 13, a 40% (400 million kWh) increase over the same period last year, Tashkent Today reported. Uzbekistan now has 15 solar power plants with
UTK International Logistics Co. Ltd., a joint venture established in China with the participation of Uzbekistan’s Uztemiryulkonteyner JSC, has launched the first pilot container train from China to Tajikistan. This project is a practical step toward implementation of agreements aimed at deepening regional cooperation, reached by presidents of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan in Dushanbe in
The National Statistical Committee of Kyrgyzstan has published figures of the country’s foreign trade in 2025, which amounted to $15.8 billion, a 10.2% decrease compared to 2024. Kyrgyzstan’s exports fell significantly by 44.5%, while imports increased by 3.9%. In 2025, Kyrgyzstan exported its products to Russia (22.9% of all exports), Kazakhstan (15.9%), Switzerland (15.4%), Uzbekistan
A working visit of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Washington D.C. on February 18 began with a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. They discussed bilateral trade and economic cooperation, noting that the United States is one of Uzbekistan’s key partners. Bilateral trade has exceeded $1 billion, and around 340 American
Uzbekistan showcased its extensive potential in pilgrimage tourism at the international exhibition “Muslim Travel Show” in London, which brought together leading representatives of the global pilgrimage tourism industry, Dunyo information agency reported. Uzbekistan highlighted the country’s rich spiritual and cultural heritage, its unique historical landmarks, and its modern infrastructure designed to accommodate international visitors. During a
On February 17, the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received the United Kingdom’s Trade Envoy to Central Asia and Azerbaijan Lord John Alderdice, who arrived in Uzbekistan on a working visit. The parties discussed further expansion of the Uzbek–British partnership, primarily in the trade and economic sphere, emphasizing the dynamic development of political dialogue and
Motor transport plays a significant role in Kazakhstan’s cargo transportation, including for export and transit. It accounts for about a third of all freight traffic and is only second to rail transport. The fastest growing freight traffic by automobile transport is through Kazakhstan’s border with China. A total of 639,600 vehicles crossed the border with
The Constitutional Court of the Kyrgyz Republic has ruled that the next presidential elections in the country should take place on January 24, 2027. According to the Constitutional Court, the mandate of President Sadyr Japarov, who was elected in January 2021 under the 2010 Constitution, should be completed within the originally established six-year term. The
As part of the implementation of the President of Kazakhstan’s instruction to increase the country’s transit potential and bring annual transit cargo volumes to 55 million tons, the Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan on February 16 met with the Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan to discuss expanding cooperation in rail transport, according to the Kazakh
At the 7th Hotel Business Forum 2026 in Tashkent, the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan announced its forecast for the current year: the country intends to receive 12 million foreign tourists. Extensive infrastructure preparations have been undertaken to accommodate this number of visitors, Tashkent Today reports. To date, 1,023 new accommodation facilities, including hotels, hostels, and
According to the National Statistics Committee, a total of 28,954 citizens of Uzbekistan went for studies abroad in 2025. Compared to 2024, the number of Uzbek students abroad decreased by almost 6,900, or 19.3%. The top 10 most popular countries for Uzbek students in 2025 were Russia – 6,498, Tajikistan – 6,039, Kyrgyzstan – 4,648,
Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov last week signed a decree establishing National Organic Agriculture Day, to be celebrated annually on the last Friday of September. The move reflects Kyrgyzstan’s aspiration to strengthen its position as a leading producer of organic agricultural products in the region. According to the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry,
