The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a $200 million project to help Uzbekistan modernize transport infrastructure in the country’s Surkhandarya region. It will contribute to the creation of new jobs and businesses along a reconstructed section of the M41 regional road corridor. The project will also support the authorities in implementing comprehensive reforms
The Central Bank of Uzbekistan expects consumer lending growth to remain high (around 30%) in 2026, despite high interest rates. The main drivers of demand are rising household incomes and the realization of pent-up demand for mortgages, car loans, and microloans, Tashkent Today reported. According to the Central Bank, the volume of loans to individuals
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has proposed a balanced “middle path” strategy that could provide a solid foundation for the modernization of Central Asia’s power sector. This approach would ensure reliable and affordable energy supply, significantly reduce the carbon footprint, and enable a smooth energy transition that benefits the region’s economy and meets climate commitments.
On March 23–24, the city of Samarkand will host the “Dishes of the East” festival for the first time. The event is organized to widely promote the rich traditions of Eastern cuisine, showcase its unique flavors and cooking culture at the international level, as well as to support the development of gastronomic tourism and increase
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is providing financing of up to US$ 15.4 million to Uzbekistan’s leading brewer, UzCarlsberg. The Bank’s third equity investment in the country since 2020 will help UzCarlsberg to expand its production capacity and increase the sustainability of the country’s food sector. The proceeds will be
A regional online service center of ZTE has been officially launched at IT Park Uzbekistan. The new center will deliver modern digital services and technical support to clients in Uzbekistan, Central Asia, and Europe, according to the Uzbek government’s website. The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Digital Technologies, Sherzod Shermatov, who noted
The European Union and the International alliance for the protection of heritage (ALIPH) have launched 29 cultural heritage projects across Central Asia to safeguard endangered tangible and intangible heritage from the impact of climate change, following a highly successful Call for Projects that elicited 233 applications. This initiative is co-funded for a total of EUR 1.5 million, wherein
Uzbekistan is a country in Central Asia that has undergone significant economic liberalization since President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took office in 2016. It is a doubly landlocked and a lower-middle-income country. The government’s “Uzbekistan 2030” strategy aims to achieve upper-middle income status by the end of the decade through private-sector development, foreign investment, diversification beyond commodities,
On March 17, the official opening ceremony of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan took place with the participation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The Islamic Civilization Center, in its grandeur and scale, is one of the largest complexes in the world for the study and popularization of history, culture, and Islamic civilization. It was built
Energy-efficient heat pumps developed by the Technopark industrial complex in Tashkent are undergoing practical testing for use in greenhouses for growing vegetables without traditional fuels, according to the Uzbek Ministry of Agriculture. To test the new technology, two innovative greenhouses were built at Technopark in January to grow tomato and cucumber seedlings. The experiment is
On March 16, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in the launch ceremony of Copper Processing Plant No. 3 at the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex. This $2.7 billion project was implemented as part of the development program of the Yoshlik-1 deposit. The plant, capable of processing 60 million tons of ore and producing about 900,000
The World Bank says it has approved a $10.6 million grant to help Uzbekistan reduce leaks in its aging gas transmission system and recover valuable gas to power households and industry, boosting energy security, state revenues, and job creation. Uzbekistan’s gas infrastructure has deteriorated over time due to underinvestment in maintenance and repairs, leading to gas leaks
On March 13, a roundtable meeting chaired by the Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, Laziz Kudratov, was held with more than 20 representatives of the Turkish business community in the country. According to the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade, the main purpose of the meeting was to discuss issues arising in
One of the world’s leading magazines specializing in travel and culture, Condé Nast Traveler, included the city of Tashkent and the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan in its list of the best destinations to visit in June in the article titled “The Best Places to Visit in June, From Route 66 to Uzbekistan,” the Center reported on
On March 12, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev listened to proposals to strengthen the fight against cybercrime and to enhance the prevention of offenses committed using information technologies. Today, the number of internet users in Uzbekistan has exceeded 31 million, including 14 million active social media users. At the same time, cases of the internet and social
As of March 2026, Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent has approximately 2 square meters of green space per each resident, well below the normal of 17–19 square meters. The capital’s green and recreational spaces span 893 hectares. To address this issue, authorities plan to create nine new public spaces with a total area of 140 hectares, Tashkent
An Uzbek–Japanese Environmental Business Forum titled “Promoting Sustainable Development through Bilateral Cooperation in Uzbekistan” was held in Tashkent on March 11. The event aimed to strengthen cooperation between Uzbekistan and Japan in the fields of environmental protection, sustainable infrastructure and green technologies, according to the Uzbek National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change. During the
On March 11, the United States concluded a deportation flight to Uzbekistan, returning 72 Uzbekistani nationals who do not have legal authorization to remain in the United States, the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan said in a press release. This flight is the latest in a series of ongoing actions as the United States secures its borders. Since
Aziz Abdukhakimov, Adviser to the President of Uzbekistan on Environmental Issues and Chairman of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, held a videoconference with Yerlan Nysanbayev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan, as well as an in-person meeting with Beibut Atamkulov, Kazakh Ambassador to Uzbekistan, to discuss Uzbek-Kazakh cooperation in the
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
