The Bishkek-based International Business Council (IBC), one of the largest business associations in Kyrgyzstan, has prepared an analytical note analyzing key institutional factors affecting the business environment and investment attraction in the country. According to the report, while Kyrgyzstan’s GDP increased by 11.1% in 2025 compared to the previous year, the quality of the institutional
Just ten years ago, Kazakhstan’s gambling market was moderate. From 2015 to 2019, the annual volume of gambling and betting services did not exceed 24 billion tenge. However, 2020, the year of the pandemic, marked the starting point for the country’s “bookmakerization”: the gambling sector showed a six-fold growth, Finprom.kz reports with reference to data
The Government of Kyrgyzstan has extended the temporary ban on the export of livestock from the country. The extension is for six months and applies to live cattle, horses, sheep, and goats. The move is intended to ensure the country’s food security and stabilize meat prices on the domestic market. The ban does not apply
The problem of unsafe housing in Kazakhstan has reached alarming proportions: last year, the area and number of dilapidated residential buildings increased, increasing the risks to the safety and quality of life of residents, Ranking.kz reports with reference to data from the Bureau of National Statistics. In 2025, the number of residential buildings in dilapidated
President Sadyr Japarov has signed a decree introducing a new state payment for all children under three years of age. Payments will begin from July 1, 2026, and will be provided to every child under three years old in Kyrgyzstan, regardless of family income. The payment will amount to 1,200 soms (about $14) every month.
A comparative analysis of income dynamics in the two largest economies of Central Asia—Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan—over the past 25 years has revealed a paradox: while figures in Uzbekistan have grown hundreds of times, the actual gap in living standards with neighboring Kazakhstan has narrowed more slowly than expected, Tashkent Today reported. Experts compared the cumulative
This year Uzbekistan plans to attract at least $1 billion in investment into the pharmaceutical industry and increase the share of domestically produced medicines in the domestic market to 70 percent by 2030 through the launch of new production capacities jointly with foreign companies, as well as increase pharmaceutical exports to $1 billion within the
The Government of Kazakhstan has adopted the Concept for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity for 2026-2035, a strategic document defining state policy in nature conservation, ecosystem restoration, and the sustainable use of biodiversity. The concept is the result of joint work between the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and the scientific community,
Last year, the number of marriages in Kazakhstan continued to decline amid a rise in divorces. In 2025, an all-time low of 114,500 marriages were registered in the country, 7.4% fewer than the previous year, finprom.kz reported with reference to data from the Bureau of National Statistics. The number of divorces increased by 11.9% to
The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and Kazakhstan have signed two landmark agreements under the Development of Economic and Industrial Zones Project, with a total IsDB contribution of $1.307 billion. The signing followed discussions between IsDB President Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser and Kazakh Minister of Industry and Construction Yersayin Nagaspayev, reaffirming a strategic partnership with cumulative
In Uzbekistan, industrial enterprises will now be encouraged to take action aimed at reducing their impact on the environment. This is stipulated in the Resolution “On the Procedure for Incentivizing the Efforts of Industrial Enterprises of Categories I and II to Reduce Their Environmental Impact,” according to the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change.
On March 3, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree strengthening the system for protecting the rights of women and children, as well as preventing cases of harassment and violence against them. In Uzbekistan, continuous attention is devoted to preventing early marriages and births, as well as violence against women and children, as key priorities in
In 2025, for the first time ever, Kazakhstan exported more ice cream than it imported: exports totaled 14,167 tons, while imports stood at 12,194 tons, reflecting the growing competitiveness of Kazakhstani products, according to the Ministry of Trade and Integration. According to Omarbek Zhuldyz, Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Shin-Line, the largest ice cream
Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda on March 2 met with President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to reaffirm ADB’s strong partnership with the country and announced up to $5.4 billion in indicative financing during 2026–2029 in support of Kazakhstan’s development agenda. “ADB is committed to supporting Kazakhstan’s development priorities that promote sustainable, inclusive economic
Uzbekistan’s electricity generating capacity has reached 25,800 MW, including 8,000 MW, or 31 percent of the total, accounted for by solar, wind, and hydropower generation, according to the Uzbek Ministry of Energy. In 2026, Uzbekistan plans to produce 90 billion kWh of electricity, a 40 percent increase compared to 2020. This year, amid economic growth
From June 16 to 19, 2026, Tashkent will host the 5th Anniversary Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF 2026), the leading investment platform in Central Asia bringing together global investors, government representatives, international financial institutions, and major business leaders, the Uzbek Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade has announced. The anniversary forum will build upon the
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is helping to create favourable conditions for the growth and development of domestic pharmaceutical production in Uzbekistan by supporting the operations of its long-term client, Samarkand England Eco-Medical (SEEM). The Bank is providing a loan of up to €20 million to SEEM and its sister-company, Bayan
On February 25, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed proposals for the development of urbanization processes and the expansion of green areas in Tashkent. In recent years, the economy and agglomeration of the capital have been developing dynamically, and the permanent population of Tashkent has exceeded 3.1 million. It is projected that the city’s population will
In 2025, Kazakhstan’s foreign trade turnover, according to preliminary data, reached $143.9 billion—$1.8 billion more than in 2024. Compared to 2020, trade turnover increased by two-thirds, according to finprom.kz. Exports in 2025 amounted to $79 billion—slightly below the 2024 level and the 2022 peak. Imports, on the contrary, continued to grow: from $38.9 billion in
On March 1, 2026, Uzbekistan will officially launch a state rainfall induction project. The initiative, approved by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, aims to combat drought and water shortages in the Tashkent region, drawing on the experience of France, China, and Saudi Arabia. The technique is expected to increase precipitation by 10–20%, ensuring agricultural stability, Tashkent Today
