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In 2027, an international center for industrial cooperation called Central Asia will be launched on the border between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The Majilis, the Parliament of Kazakhstan, has ratified the intergovernmental agreement for this initiative.

The center will be situated near the checkpoints Gulistan and Atameken. Plans include building warehouses, terminals, processing plants for agricultural products, and various other enterprises on its one square kilometer of land.

Chinese investors have expressed interest in participating in the project.

The center is anticipated to boost trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to $10 bn, a significant increase from the...

British sociologist Michael Burawoy tragically passed away after being struck by a car in Oakland, California, on February 3, as reported by The Mercury News. The 77-year-old professor from the University of California was hit by an off-road car while crossing the street, and the driver fled the scene. Authorities are actively searching for the perpetrator.

Burawoy was renowned for his extensive research on labour sociology. Since the 1970s, he has focused on workers’ experiences and working conditions in factories in Africa, the United States and post-socialist countries. His significant scholarly contributions revolved around labour relations within monopolistic...

The price of a five-gram gold bar in Uzbekistan exceeded UZS 6.1 mn on February 5, setting a new record, according to data from the Central Bank of Uzbekistan.

The prices of other gold bars on the same date were as follows:

At the same time, global gold prices reached an all-time high of $2,880 per troy ounce, marking a 41.7% increase over the past year.

Analysts attribute the rise in gold prices to...

By October 1, 2025, Uzbekistan will supply 16 bn cubic metres of water to Kazakhstan. The agreement was signed by Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan, and Shavkat Khamraev, Minister of Water Management of Uzbekistan.

This means that in the 2024–2025 agricultural season, Uzbekistan will provide 1 bn cubic metres more water to Kazakhstan than in the previous year.

Uzbekistan has also committed to ensuring a stable water supply to Kazakhstan via the Dostyk Canal during the 2025 irrigation season.

Additionally, Tashkent and Astana have agreed to jointly repair water channels between the two countries...

The decline in trade volumes between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in 2023 and 2024 was primarily driven by price volatility in Kazakh raw materials, according to a report by KazTAG, citing Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration.

Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade, Arman Shakkaliyev, stated that while the physical volume of exports to Uzbekistan remained stable over the past two years, the monetary value of trade declined.

According to Kazakh estimates, bilateral trade between the two countries has averaged $4–4.1 bn over the last two years.

Meanwhile, data from Uzbekistan’s Statistics Agency shows that in 2023, trade turnover between the two...

Uzbekistan has uncovered a criminal scheme that targeted, among others, Russian citizens, according to the Press Service of the State Security Service (SSS) of Uzbekistan.

Authorities in Fergana Region identified a criminal group that had been illegally obtaining large sums of money. A video released by the SSS shows the arrest of 32 individuals. The perpetrators operated from three call centres—two in Fergana and one in Tashkent.

According to RIA Novosti, which cited the video footage, the scheme was organised by a Fergana resident who led an entire network specialising in the fraudulent acquisition of funds from Russian...

Uzbekistan and Malaysia will draft an agreement on preferential trade, following discussions between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Both nations plan to strengthen cooperation in electronics, green energy, and pilgrimage tourism. To support joint projects, work is already underway to establish a special economic zone in Tashkent Region.

The years 2025–2026 will be designated as a period of innovative development in Uzbekistan-Malaysia partnership.

Cultural collaboration was also a key topic. This year, Uzbekistan and Malaysia will host mutual culture weeks, further enhancing ties between the two nations.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides agreed...

The construction of a large-scale textile cluster is underway in Andijan region, with the total project value estimated at $300 mn, according to the regional administration.

The industrial site is located in the Khayotbakhsh neighbourhood of Pakhtaabad District. The first phase of construction is expected to be completed within two months. The project is overseen by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan.

The cluster covers 55 hectares, with facilities on its territory made available to businesses under the industrial mortgage programme.

The Bonaf factory, located in Tashkent Region, is considering sourcing berries from Kyrgyzstan, according to the Kyrgyz Trade Representative Office.

Representatives of the trade office hold negotiations with the company’s management, during which Bonaf highlights the high quality of Kyrgyz agricultural products. The factory explores the possibility of importing both frozen and fresh berries from its neighbouring country.

Each year, Kyrgyzstan exports thousands of tonnes of raspberries and strawberries to international markets. Additionally, the country exports grapes, blackcurrants, cherries, and sweet cherries.

Bonaf specialises in the production of freeze-dried fruit and vegetable products, which are used as...

On February 4, the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, arrived in Malaysia on an official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Upon his arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, President Mirziyoyev was greeted with full honours by the Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives, Johari bin Abdul, Minister of Education Zambry Abdul Kadir, and other senior officials. A guard of honour was assembled, and the national flags of both countries were raised in tribute to the occasion.

During his meeting with the Speaker of Parliament, President Mirziyoyev discussed key issues ahead of the upcoming negotiations...

A project office will be established in Uzbekistan to oversee the implementation of land reforms in agriculture, as stated in a decree by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The country will introduce a system for allocating land specifically for cultivating high-value crops.

The first phase of this initiative is expected to be completed by March 1, 2025, just before the start of the spring planting season. By the fall planting season, the number of available plots is set to increase significantly.

Farmers engaged in organic farming will receive certain benefits. Agricultural enterprises holding international certification will be subject to a...

On February 4, the dollar’s value increased by 13.90 soums, reaching 12,998.91 soums at the currency exchange. The Central Bank of Uzbekistan maintained the U.S. currency rate at this level.

At banks’ exchange offices, the dollar is bought for 12,925 to 12,950 soums and sold for 12,990 to 13,045 soums.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports on forecasts for the dollar exchange rate in Uzbekistan, as published by S&P.

Construction of the Tashkent-Andijan and Tashkent-Samarkand toll roads is set to begin in 2025, according to Ilkhom Mahkamov, the Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan, who spoke on the Uzbekistan 24 TV channel.

The minister stated that 30 companies have already expressed interest in building the road to Andijan. The acceptance of applications from potential bidders began in late January of this year.

The Tashkent-Andijan highway will be a six-lane road, measuring 314 kilometers in length, with a construction cost estimated at $4.28 bn. A public-private partnership agreement with the winning bidder is expected to be established for a duration of...

Uzbek soccer player Abdukodir Khusanov presented a signed T-shirt to the Uzbek embassy in the UK, according to the Dunyo news agency.

During the meeting, the Embassy’s chief, Ravshan Usmanov, and Khusanov discussed ways to support the Uzbek diaspora in the UK. Usmanov praised Khusanov as a source of pride for Uzbek soccer, stating that he would serve as an example for his fellow countrymen.

In January 2025, Khusanov transferred to the English club Manchester City, signing a 4.5-year contract.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports details regarding Khusanov’s earnings at Manchester City.

Residents and visitors to Uzbekistan can now apply for a paid service that allows for expedited border crossing, known as Fast Track, via the Customs Committee’s website, as per a decree from the Uzbek government.

Individuals utilizing this service will undergo inspection in a dedicated area separate from the main line. The cost for this service is set at 15% of the BRV, amounting to 56,250 soums, for each person aged 18 and over.

Furthermore, an electronic queue system is being introduced for motor vehicles. Drivers will have the option to specify a time for passing through the checkpoint...

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov anticipates that China will extend the operating hours of border checkpoints with the Kyrgyz Republic to a 24-hour schedule. He expressed this expectation in an interview with Xinhua.

Zhaparov noted that since March 2024, the Kyrgyz checkpoints Torugart and Irkeshtam have been functioning around the clock.

Before 2024, the checkpoints on the Chinese side were only open for eight hours each weekday. Last year, they operated for 14 hours daily.

The checkpoints on the Kyrgyz-Chinese border are particularly popular with Uzbek carriers, as transit flows from China to Uzbekistan primarily pass through the Osh Region...

In January 2025, the Statistic Agency of Uzbekistan reported that the country’s consumer price index, which measures inflation, was estimated to be 9.9% annually. Compared to December, the index increased by 0.1%.

Over the year, the prices of services increased by 27%. Specifically, the electricity, gas, and other fuel costs were 68.4% higher than the previous year. Utilities saw a price increase of 29.1%, while rent for housing rose by 13.1%.

Education and healthcare services also experienced significant increases, with prices rising by an average of 17.7% and 21.1%, respectively.

In contrast, the prices for goods showed more...

In Tashkent, authorities have detained a con artist who promised resident assistance in finding employment in the United States, according to the Department for Combating Economic Crimes.

The suspect demanded $20,000 for his services, claiming he could secure a job through high-ranking contacts.

Law enforcement officials reported that the fraudster was apprehended while handing over the money. A criminal case has been opened on charges of fraud and bribery.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that the United States has placed nearly a thousand citizens of Uzbekistan on its deportation list.

A villa in Germany, previously used by Alisher Usmanov as a recreational residence, has been put up for auction, according to the newspaper Münchner Merkur. The starting price for the property is 25 mln euros.

The villa is situated on the shores of Lake Tegernsee in the village of Rottach-Egern. The offshore company Tegernsee (IOM) Limited purchased it in 2011 for 7.8 mln euros.

Prior to this, Münchner Merkur reported that Usmanov rented the villa from Tegernsee for 77,000 euros per week. The billionaire reportedly left the property just four days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

At the end of 2024, Uzbekistan exported 85.7 thousand tons of persimmons, generating a total revenue of $57 mln, according to the Statistic Agency of the Republic.

Russia was the largest buyer of Uzbek persimmons, purchasing 64.3 thousand tons. Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan also ranked among the top buyers, importing 15.3 thousand tons and 3.3 thousand tons, respectively.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Uzbekistan has doubled its grape exports.

The price of a five-gram gold bar has, for the first time, exceeded six mln soums, according to data from the Central Bank of Uzbekistan.

On February 4, the bank set the sale price for such a bar at 6.07 mln soums. The price for a ten-gram bar rose to 12.14 mln soums, while a twenty-gram bar increased to 24.29 mln soums.

The cost of a fifty-gram bar now stands at 62.72 mln soums, and the price for one-hundred-gram bullion has reached 121.43 mln soums.

In global markets, the price of a troy ounce of gold is currently...

Sanjar Jamilov, a 33-year-old from Uzbekistan, and Dmitry Shushlebin, a 45-year-old from Russia, both living in Florida, have been arrested for submitting fraudulent voter registration applications in Pinellas County, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The DOJ reported that Jamilov and Shushlebin filed 132 fraudulent voter registration applications with the Pinellas County Board of Elections in February and March 2023. These applications were submitted in the names of other individuals and contained identical typographical errors.

The investigation uncovered additional fraud indicators, including repeated dates of birth and addresses and nearly consecutive Social Security numbers in the applications.

The...

On January 31, the Uzbekistan government approved reduced customs duty rates. The new regulations will take effect in three months, as reported by the press service of the Customs Committee.

Starting in late April, the fee for processing goods on and off the customs territory will be halved.

The fee for customs clearance outside the Customs Committee’s regular working hours will be reduced significantly—from two basic calculation values (BRV) to 25% of the amount of BRV, which translates to a decrease from 750,000 soums to 93,700 soums.

The committee also noted that a 20% discount will be available for...

Kazakh and Uzbek entrepreneurs have agreed to establish seven resource centers called Ona Uyi (Mother’s House) in various cities across Uzbekistan, including Bukhara, Andijan and Urgench, as announced by Kazakh businessman Aidyn Rakhimbayev.

“Last year, we initiated the Mother’s House project in Uzbekistan. From the start, I was impressed by the speed of decision-making within Uzbek government agencies. After analysing the project’s effectiveness and promptly assembling several working groups, we obtained all necessary permits and licenses within 2-3 months,” he stated.

Last year, three centers for morthers were opened in Tashkent and Samarkand.

The project aims to support single...