At a meeting in the Senate on March 12 addressing the problem of informal employment in Kazakhstan, Minister of Labor and Social Protection Askarbek Yertayev revealed informal employment statistics and proposed measures aimed at broader legalization of labor relations in the domestic labor market. Yertayev noted that informal, or shadow, employment has a negative impact
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
The Afghan Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation says eight shipments of domestic products and goods are scheduled to be exported through the Lapis Lazuli Corridor, TOLOnews reports. The shipments, weighing 18 tons in total, include dried fruit, pressure cookers, cooking spices, and beverages. According to the ministry, from now on three to four export
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
The Mazhilis, the lower house of Kazakhstan’s parliament, has ratified the agreement on a strategic partnership between Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan in developing and transporting green energy. The agreement was signed by Presidents Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and Ilham Aliyev in November 2024, on the sidelines of the COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan. According to
A full-cycle fish cluster specializing in fish farming, processing and export is currently under construction in the Jalal-Abad region in southern Kyrgyzstan. The large-scale investment project is being implemented by a Kyrgyz company, Salih LLC, according to the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry. The total cost of the project is more than
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
In 2026, Kazakhstan plans to increase its renewable energy generation to 8.8 billion kWh by implementing 10 new projects with a total capacity of 245 MW, including four wind, five solar, and one hydroelectric power plant, according to the Ministry of Energy. In 2025, Kazakhstan made a breakthrough in electricity generation by renewable energy facilities,
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
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
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
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
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.
