Starting April 1, 2026, the minimum purchase amount for receiving a value-added tax (VAT) refund for foreign citizens in Uzbekistan will be lowered from 1 million soums ($82) to 300,000 soums ($25), according to a presidential decree of March 5, Fergana News Agency reported. The Tax Free system—a partial VAT refund for foreign citizens purchasing
The International Fund for Agricultural Development, the European Union, and Hamkorbank, launched a landmark program to boost rural entrepreneurship and expand financial inclusion targeting nearly 4,000 remittance-receiving households and returnees — migrant workers that came back to their place of origin — in Uzbekistan, the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan reported. Through a
The official opening ceremony of the INNO Science Park, established in cooperation between Uzbekistan and Hungary, was held in the Jizzakh region on March 6, the Uzbek government’s website reported. The event was attended by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovations of Uzbekistan Kongratbay Sharipov, Deputy Governor of Jizzakh region Zafar Azimov, Ambassador
On March 5 and 6, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Ministry of Communications of Turkmenistan, held a seminar entitled “National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy: Shaping Joint Solutions for Sustainable Development.” The event was organized within the framework of the regional initiative supporting the development of a National AI Strategy and was facilitated by international experts from
A project to create artificial glaciers is being implemented in the Batken region in southern Kyrgyzstan with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The FAO recently organized an informational event to assess the results of the artificial glacier technology implementation in the region, according to FAO Kyrgyzstan. Representatives
A round table discussion on the Kuvasoy City Master Plan was held in Kuvasoy in Uzbekistan’s Fergana region on March 4, bringing together representatives of local and national authorities, development partners, urban planning experts, the private sector, civil society, and media to discuss the city’s future spatial, economic, and environmental development, the United Nations Development
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Secretariat of the Framework (Tehran) Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea, and the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan, recently held an inception seminar to mark the launch of the Regional Project “Addressing
Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda on March 4 met with Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon to reaffirm ADB’s commitment to help the government achieve resilient, diversified, and inclusive growth for more and better jobs. “ADB is planning around $1.1 billion in support over 2026–2028 to strengthen infrastructure, improve competitiveness, and make social services better
Afghanistan’s trade with Central Asian countries increased significantly in 2025 compared to 2024, with imports rising by 43% and exports growing by 77%, TOLOnews reported citing statistics from the Afghan Ministry of Industry and Commerce. Afghanistan’s imports increased from $1.679 billion in 2024 to $2.399 billion in 2025, while exports rose from $122 million to
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) President Zou Jiayi recently visited founding AIIB members Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, conveying her intent to ensure AIIB’s future direction remains grounded in country needs and strong partnerships. These visits, part of a “listening tour” Zou is undertaking since she took office in January, highlighted Central Asia’s position as
In 2025, Uzbek citizens were the third-largest group among detained illegal migrants in Turkey, Fergana Information Agency reports with reference to data from the Turkish migration authorities. In 2025, Turkish authorities detained 13,683 Uzbek citizens, compared to 11,521 in 2024, when Uzbekistan was fourth. The increase continues since 2022. While 4,817 Uzbek citizens were detained
The ongoing military operation of the United States and Israel against Iran impacts international security, energy markets, and trade routes. Orda.kz gathered opinions from Kazakhstani analysts on possible scenarios and implications of the conflict for Central Asia and Kazakhstan. Political analyst Askar Nursha believes that the main impact of the conflict on the countries of
A signing ceremony held at the Ministry of Water Resources on February 27 marked the official launch of the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) new landmark project “Strengthening Water Resources Governance and Resilience to Climate Change in the Aral Sea Region”. UNDP and Japan partner for this transformative initiative in Uzbekistan with financial support from the
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan hosted a meeting of the Steering Committee of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework between the Government of Kazakhstan and the United Nations for 2026-2030. The meeting brought together representatives of government institutions, the UN Country Team, and civil society organizations. Opening the session, Vice Minister of
During his visit to Asunción, the Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, Laziz Kudratov, was received by the President of Paraguay, Santiago Peña. The parties discussed the phased opening of markets on a reciprocal basis and the expansion of mutual market access for goods from both countries, according to the Uzbek government’s website.
Kazakhstan ranked as low as 77th out of 89 countries in U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best Countries for a Comfortable Retirement rankings, Energyprom.kz reports. The rankings are drawn from an international survey of nearly 17,000 people and highlight countries according to the perceptions of a subset of about 5,900 respondents in their mid-40s and older.
From 31 May to 6 June 2026, Samarkand will host the VIII Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), one of the largest international events in the field of environmental protection and climate action. Holding an event of this scale in Uzbekistan will be a landmark step in strengthening the country’s position on the global
On February 25 in London, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Yermek Kosherbayev took part in a roundtable meeting with representatives of the British business community. The British side was represented by Acting Minister of State for Business and Trade and Co-Chair of the UK side of the Kazakhstan-UK Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical
The European Union Delegation to Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan last week held a joint press briefing to review the results of EU-Turkmenistan cooperation in 2025 and to outline strategic priorities for 2026. EU Ambassador to Turkmenistan, Beata Peksa, underlined that 2025 delivered tangible results across priority sectors including connectivity, green
The IshKadr Academy Digital Skills Development Center has officially opened in the Khazarasp district of Uzbekistan’s Khorezm region. The center was established within the framework of the joint project of the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) “Empowering Youth to Embrace the Digital Economy and Digital Entrepreneurship,”
