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,”
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
