Around 100 tons of cherries from the Panjshir province of Afghanistan will be exported to several Central Asian countries and Russia, TOLOnews reported. According to local officials, traders from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan plan not only to purchase cherries but also to buy apples and grapes to export to Central Asian countries. Mohammad Agha Hakim, Governor
From May 22nd to 27th, London hosted the 7th annual Eurasian Film Festival, an international celebration of Eurasian cinema. Organized by the Silk Road Media and the Eurasian Creative Guild (ECG), the festival is traditionally held in partnership with the Romford Film Festival, uniting filmmakers, audiences, and industry professionals from across the globe. This year,
On June 1–2, the Second Uzbekistan–China Interregional Forum was held in Samarkand, strengthening the strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and China, enhance interregional cooperation, and expand investment and business ties. The forum brought together more than 2,800 representatives from the business communities, government bodies, regional administrations, as well as academic and educational institutions of both countries.
On 30 May 2025, the first Central Asia + Italy Summit was held in Astana with the participation of Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov, Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic Giorgia Meloni. The leaders exchanged views on
The Second Uzbekistan–China Interregional Forum will be held on June 1–2 in the city of Samarkand. This large-scale event aims to strengthen strategic partnerships, foster interregional cooperation, and expand investment and business ties between Uzbekistan and China. The Forum is expected to bring together over 1,500 participants, including representatives from business communities, government bodies, regional
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni paid an official visit to Uzbekistan. On May 29, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister Meloni held talks in Samarkand. The parties noted that trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Italy has grown almost threefold in recent years, the number of joint ventures and projects has doubled. Mutually beneficial
On May 26-27, Dubai, United Arab Emirates hosted the second ministerial roundtable on advancing the construction of the Kambarata-1 Hydropower Plant (HPP), an ambitious regional initiative being jointly undertaken by Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. The project aims to enhance regional cooperation regarding water and energy resource management in Central Asia. The Kambarata-1 HPP, with a
On May 27, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev listened to reports on the ongoing work to expand the drinking water supply and sewage services in the country. Today 81% of all cities and villages in Uzbekistan have access to centralized drinking water supply, and the sewage system coverage is 20%. In the current year, it is
As the renewable energy sector in Central Asia grows, so does the need for a skilled and inclusive workforce to support it. In response, the OSCE and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) officially launched the OSCE Regional Task Force on Education for Just and Inclusive Energy Transition (RTEET) in Central Asia with a kick-off
Director for Asia and Pacific at the European Commission Directorate General for International Partnerships Mr Peteris Ustubs participated in a Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor Coordination Platform strategic roundtable for the private sector hosted by the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan in Tashkent on May 22. Business leaders, international banks and government representatives discussed how
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Institute, and the London Stock Exchange Group have published a joint report, “The Future of Islamic Finance in Central Asia”. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the current status and prospects of Islamic finance in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. According to the
The World Bank has approved a $200 million concessional credit for a project that aims to reduce water losses and increase the energy efficiency of irrigation systems across five regions of Uzbekistan — Karakalpakstan, Bukhara, Kashkadarya, Namangan, and Surkhandarya. The government of Uzbekistan will co-finance the project with $23.2 million. This project marks the first
The Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan and the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia, which will be located at the Central Asian University of
Between May 19 and 21, the Uzbek city of Termez is hosting the first meeting of the Termez Dialogue on Connectivity between Central and South Asia, entitled “Building a Common Space of Peace, Friendship and Prosperity”. The event was organized by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan, the Ministry
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a $100 million concessional credit to support Uzbekistan’s efforts to enhance integration of renewable energy into its electricity distribution networks and improve supply reliability in priority regions. Uzbekistan’s Regional Electric Power Networks (REPN) will provide $50 million in co-financing. This marks the World Bank’s first-ever Program-for-Results (PforR) financing in
The 8th Meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation between Uzbekistan and Türkiye was held in Tashkent on May 15. As part of the event, the Uzbekistan–Türkiye Business Forum and an industrial exhibition were also organized with the participation of business communities from both countries. The meeting was attended by official delegations
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union are boosting access to finance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Central Asia and Mongolia. According to the EBRD, an additional €25 million in EU guarantees will be made available to local partner financial institutions for on-lending to this business segment.
Three films from Uzbekistan have been shortlisted for the 7th ECG Film Festival in London, one of the leading British festivals promoting Central Asian cinema. The screenings will take place on May 26 and 27 at the Lumiere Romford Cinema (The Mercury Shopping Centre, London). This year, the festival received over 100 submissions from 23
Representatives of railway companies from China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Türkiye met in Tehran on May 12 to develop multilateral cooperation in establishing a transport corridor passing through their countries. According to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, the country’s national railway company, in January-April 2025 container traffic along the China-Iran route via Kazakhstan increased by 2.6
Thirty trade agreements have been signed between the private sectors of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan for a total amount of nearly $50 million, TOLOnews reports. At a bilateral trade connectivity conference, Afghanistan’s deputy minister of industry and commerce, Ahmadullah Zahid stressed the need to resolve trade challenges and increase Afghan exports to Uzbekistan. Davron Vakhabov, president
