As part of his official visit to Japan, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on December 19 held a meeting with the heads of leading Japanese companies, financial institutions, and business associations. The event was attended by Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ryosei Akazawa, as well as top managers of Sojitz, Sumitomo, Toyota, ITOCHU,
An event dedicated to the 110th anniversary of the prominent Uzbek art collector Igor Savitsky took place in London on December 16. Organized by the British publishing house Hertfordshire Press, which has specialized in translating and publishing works of classic and contemporary authors from Central Asia for nearly 20 years, the event was attended by
A national workshop in Tashkent on 18-19 December brought together teachers, education specialists, national and international experts to finalize and approve practical recommendations on how to include climate change topics in the 7–11 grade curricula for biology, geography, physics, chemistry, and mathematics, UNDP in Uzbekistan reported. The event was organized by the United Nations Development
The Kazakhstan Agency of International Development (KazAID) is celebrating its fifth anniversary. The Agency was established by a Resolution of the Government of Kazakhstan dated December 15, 2020, as the national operator in the field of official development assistance and operates under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan. KazAID’s mission is to promote sustainable
On December 16, London hosted an event commemorating the great Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov. Organized by the British publishing house Hertfordshire Press, which has specialized in translating and publishing works of classic and contemporary authors from Central Asia for nearly twenty years, the event was attended by over 80 guests from England, Kyrgyzstan, Scotland, Australia,
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $3 million grant to strengthen Tajikistan’s capacity for glacier monitoring and hazard forecasting. The grant comes from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR) financed by the Government of Japan through ADB. “Glaciers and snow are vital for water supply, agriculture, and hydropower, yet rapid melting
According to the latest analytical data published by the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in its World Tourism Barometer report, Uzbekistan ranked among the World’s Top 7 countries in terms of the fastest growth in inbound foreign tourism for January–September 2025. The number of international tourists visiting the country increased by 73 percent compared to
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a $100 million loan and a $5 million grant for Uzbekistan to implement the Access to Finance for Jobs and Growth Project (FINGROW). It will expand access to credit and private equity financing for capital-constrained micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). In Uzbekistan, MSMEs account for over
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation has signed a memorandum of cooperation with a consortium of Chinese companies Yellow River Engineering Consulting Co. Ltd., Leture Technology and Cheng Cheng Group for the construction of a plant to produce smart technologies for water resource management and irrigation systems in the southern Kazakh city of Taraz.
On December 16 in London, the British publishing house Hertfordshire Press organized an international event dedicated to Kazakhstan’s Independence Day and the 180th anniversary of Abai Qunanbaiuly’s birth. More than 80 guests from around the world, from the UK to Australia, participated, expressing their support for Kazakh culture. Hertfordshire Press, which has specialized in translating
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has released a new report as part of its flagship project Monitoring of Mutual Investments. New data show that investment activity in the Eurasian region continues to expand despite the global decline in foreign direct investment (FDI). Mutual FDI between the region’s countries reached a record US $48.4 billion at the
On December 16, under the chairmanship of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, a meeting was held dedicated to the comprehensive socio-economic development of Tashkent, improving the urban environment, and creating decent living conditions for its population. It was noted that Tashkent has undergone significant changes in recent years. Over the past nine years, more than $20 billion
Kazakhstan has opened two modernized motor vehicle checkpoints—Kazygurt on the border with Uzbekistan and Temir-baba on the border with Turkmenistan—in an effort to boost trade and cargo transportation in the region, primeminister.kz reported. The checkpoints were reconstructed as part of the state program to modernize border infrastructure. The program covers nine checkpoints located on Kazakhstan’s
The “Kazakhstan-China” microsatellite, jointly developed by Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) and China’s Northwestern Polytechnical University, successfully entered orbit at an altitude of 530 km on December 13, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education. This scientific research satellite was launched into orbit by Ziwei Aerospace, using Kuaizhou-11 launch vehicle. In 2024, KazNU
The Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kyrgyzstan, has begun developing the country’s first unified methodology for master planning growth hubs. To implement the Programme of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic on the formation and development of growth hubs
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a $250 million financing package for Uzbekistan to improve municipal infrastructure and services for residents and businesses in 16 districts and cities across the country through the Livable and Productive Cities Program (LPCP). Over half of Uzbekistan’s 37 million people live in cities, a share expected to
On December 15, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was briefed on the ongoing work in the water management sector to increase energy efficiency, develop research potential, and strengthen international cooperation. Plans to replace outdated and energy-intensive pumping units with modern, energy-efficient ones, were reviewed. For instance, in Karakalpakstan, there are 274 pumping stations that irrigate over 185
Kazakhstan has prepared an Export Roadmap for Processed Oilseed Products for 2026–2028. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the Roadmap includes steps to expand the raw material base, modernize processing plants, develop logistics, and support farmers. The main goal is to increase the export of processed oilseed products—sunflower oil and sunflower millcake, an important component
U.S. Chargé d’affaires, a.i. Carson Relitz Rocker emphasized the strategic importance of critical minerals and rare earths in the global economy at the 2nd Annual International Mining and Metallurgical Investment Forum in Dushanbe last week, according to the U.S. Embassy in Tajikistan. Chargé Relitz Rocker highlighted Tajikistan’s abundant mineral resources as a key opportunity for sustainable
The project board meeting of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) project “Enhancing the resilience of the local population and promoting green, inclusive development of the most vulnerable communities in the Aral Sea region” convened last week in Tashkent in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan and the Council of Ministers of the Republic
