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
Askhat Khasenov, Chairman of the Management Board of KazMunayGas (KMG), Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company and Johannes Bremer, General Director of Rosneft Deutschland GmbH have extended the current agreement for Kazakh oil supplies to Germany until the end of 2026. The new agreement increases monthly oil deliveries from 100,000 to 130,000 tons. Additional oil
In the Forish district of Uzbekistan’s Jizzakh region, a press tour was organized to the construction site of the Small Modular Nuclear Power Plant (SMNPP), where media representatives were introduced to the implementation process of this strategic energy project. Journalists inspected several key facilities, including:— the excavation site for the first reactor unit, where vertical leveling
The Uzbek Minister of Digital Technologies, Sherzod Shermatov, held a meeting with representatives of the U.S. company Amazon Kuiper. The parties explored opportunities for cooperation in developing digital infrastructure and improving broadband Internet services in Uzbekistan. Following the meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Digital Technologies and Amazon Kuiper
Afghanistan has granted official licenses to Uzbek companies to conduct geological research in Afghanistan and extract hydrocarbon resources such as oil and gas, TOLOnews reported. The Afghan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum confirmed the cooperation, saying that several contracts have been signed with both domestic and foreign companies — particularly with Uzbek companies — for
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is contributing to the development of sustainable municipal infrastructure in Tajikistan by financing two projects collectively worth over €10.5 million ($12.3 million). Signed during a visit by EBRD Vice President for Policy and Partnerships Mark Bowman to the country’s capital, Dushanbe, the financial package will consist of the following: A sovereign loan of
On October 8, Aidar Abildabekov, Vice Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan, met with Khurram Teshabayev, Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan. It was noted at the meeting that Uzbekistan remains one of Kazakhstan’s priority trading partners in Central Asia. The two countries are consistently working to achieve the mutual trade
A Government meeting on October 7, chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, discussed measures to reduce the shadow economy. “The Head of State has set the goal of reducing the share of the shadow economy in GDP to 15% this year. We must continue striving for a consistent decline in this indicator. We need a
Kyrgyzstan continues experiencing steady economic growth, supported by rising state revenues, growing foreign investment, and expanding small and medium-sized business sector. At a government meeting on October 6, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliyev stated that in January–September 2025, state budget revenues totaled 722.9 billion soms, 23.8 billion or 3.4% more than planned.
The 2025 Human Development Report was launched in Kazakhstan at the Digital Bridge 2025 forum last week. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Kazakhstan organized a panel session titled “The Power of Choice: Human Development at the Crossroads of Artificial Intelligence.” The event brought together diplomats, government officials, academics, civil society, educators, and thought leaders
On October 6, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed plans for the development of artificial intelligence technologies in Uzbekistan and their broad implementation across the economy and social sectors. Today, artificial intelligence is becoming one of the key tools in various sectors, including the economy, education, healthcare, security, and other vital areas. Its application contributes to improving
Starting from 2026, a mechanism for detecting illegal tree cutting using space monitoring will be introduced in Uzbekistan. This is stipulated in the presidential decree “On Measures to Expand the Use of Aerospace Data in Economic Sectors and Improve the Agricultural Management System.” According to the document, the Agency for Space Research and Technology will conduct
A government meeting chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed the implementation of Yashil Makon (Green Space), Uzbekistan’s nationwide program which aims to preserve and restore biodiversity through the greening of urban and rural areas. Launched by President Mirziyoyev in November 2021, the Yashil Makon program is aimed at the planting of one billion trees and
The Board of Directors of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has approved a new strategy for Tajikistan, setting out the Bank’s priorities in the country to 2030. The new strategy reflects the EBRD’s commitment to supporting Tajikistan’s economic transformation through a comprehensive approach that combines financial investment with policy dialogue and technical assistance. In
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and the Smart City State Unitary Enterprise at the Dushanbe Executive Authority have launched a project to develop a digital platform for an electronic map of Dushanbe. The project is supported by the EDB Fund for Digital Initiatives and aims to create a unified digital environment for urban infrastructure management. The platform
On October 1, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held the first meeting of the Council for the Development of Artificial Intelligence. Tokayev emphasized that without the development of artificial intelligence, it is impossible to withstand global competition. He stated that digital systems and artificial intelligence have become essential for the country’s sovereignty and a driving force
Chairman of the Investment Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Gabidulla Ospankulov and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Kazakh Invest national company Madiyar Sultanbek met with Chen Guanfu, Vice President of Chinese corporation POWERCHINA. The parties discussed opportunities to expand POWERCHINA’s participation in investment projects in Kazakhstan in the fields of
A new crypto fund, Alem Crypto Fund, has started operating in Kazakhstan. It was established by the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of Kazakhstan, managed by Qazaqstan Venture Group and registered within the ecosystem of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC). The primary objective of the fund is to make long-term investments in
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and improving access to finance for young entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan by providing a loan of up to $7 million (€6 million) to local microlender Arnur Credit. The loan is extended under the EBRD’s Youth in Business (YiB) programme for Central
Uzbekistan’s exports to Afghanistan exceeded $873 million during the first eight months of this year, TOLOnews reported with reference to the Uzbek National Statistical Committee. According to Afghanistan’s National Statistics and Information Authority, the country’s exports to Uzbekistan stood at more than $28 million over the past six months. The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and
