News

The administration of US President Donald Trump has revoked Harvard University’s authorisation to admit foreign students, according to The New York Times.

The decision marks another escalation in the standoff between the White House and the university’s leadership. Foreign student admissions have long been a major source of funding for Harvard.

In the last academic year, international students made up 27% of the university’s total enrolment.

«These retaliatory actions threaten to inflict serious harm on the Harvard community and our country as a whole, and they undermine Harvard’s academic and research mission,» said Jason...

Saidа Mirziyoyeva, Assistant to the President of Uzbekistan, stated that the updated credit rating outlook by S&P reflects growing international confidence in the country’s reform agenda.

«Thanks to the efforts of the Head of State, Uzbekistan has become more attractive to foreign investors, which supports economic growth and directly improves citizens’ quality of life,» she noted.

Mirziyoyeva also added that, as the head of the working group on improving the country’s credit rating, she would continue efforts to further strengthen this indicator.

On May 23, S&P Global Ratings revised Uzbekistan’s sovereign...

Egypt will invest $660 mln in Karakalpakstan, according to the Dunyo news agency. The Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic signed five memorandums of understanding with Bell Energy and its partner companies.

The agreements were signed during a meeting between Amanbay Orynbaev, Chairperson of the Jokargy Kenes (Parliament) of Karakalpakstan, and Haitham Hussein, Chairman of Bell Energy.

Under the deal, Bell Energy will implement several projects in the region, including waste-to-energy electricity generation, the construction of underground oil storage facilities, and the development of the Kairaktas gold deposit.

In addition, the Egyptian company plans to establish bamboo plantations in Karakalpakstan...

On May 29-30, Tashkent and Samarkand will host the Days of Russian Culture, according to Russia’s Ministry of Culture.

Audiences in the capital can expect live performances by Russian singer Pelageya and other artists at the Palace of International Forums on May 29.

On 30 May, the performers will take the stage at the Eternal City tourism complex in Samarkand. Alongside the concerts, visitors can explore a photo exhibition showcasing Russian architecture and natural landscapes.

In addition, from May 29 to 31, the Alisher Navoi Cinema Palace in Tashkent will screen films as part of a Russian cinema festival.

Earlier, Kursiv...

In 1Q25, 46,600 Uzbek citizens travelled to Türkiye, marking a 35.5% increase compared to the same period last year, according to the State Statistics Agency.

Most Uzbek visitors went for tourism purposes — over 35,000 people. Around 9,900 travelled to visit relatives, while 668 went for medical treatment.

As of mid-March 2025, 58,200 Uzbek citizens held residence permits in Türkiye.

Tashkent and Ankara plan to discuss joint tourism projects at the upcoming Strategic Cooperation Council.

Earlier, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that businesses in Uzbekistan would receive subsidies to build modular hotels.

From January to April 2025, more than 59,000 marriages were officially registered across Uzbekistan, according to the State Statistics Agency.

Samarkand region topped the list, with 6,400 couples getting married during this period.

Kashkadarya came in second, reporting over 6,300 newly formed families.

Meanwhile, Navoi and Syrdarya regions saw the lowest number of marriages.

Earlier, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that the country’s population is approaching 38 million.

The pavilion Garden of the Past and Future, showcasing contemporary Uzbek design, will make its debut at the London Design Biennale on June 5. Visitors will be able to explore suzani works by Madina Kasimbayeva, as well as furniture pieces by Tigran Erdman and Timur Parmanov, among others.

The pavilion is organised by Uzbekistan’s DNA Strategic Communications Agency, with the design developed by NAAW Studio from Almaty.

«The pavilion draws inspiration from the magnificent gardens that surrounded Samarkand during the reign of Amir Temur,» DNA said in a statement.

The agency also...

International ratings agency S&P Global Ratings has revised Uzbekistan’s sovereign credit rating outlook from stable to positive, while affirming the long- and short-term foreign and local currency ratings at ‘BB-/B’.

The outlook upgrade reflects the country’s robust economic growth, progress on structural reforms, including energy tariff adjustments, and the government’s commitment to fiscal consolidation.

«We expect ongoing reforms and favourable gold prices to support exports, budget revenues, and overall macroeconomic stability,» the agency stated.

Key Factors Behind Upgrade

Tajikistan’s lower house of parliament has ratified the agreement on the demarcation of the border junction with Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, TASS reports.

The presidents of the three countries signed the document in late March this year during a meeting in Khujand. Tajik President Emomali Rahmon described the deal as historic.

TASS noted that during the Soviet era, the borders between the three republics were administrative and never formally legalised.

Following the collapse of the USSR, unresolved border issues sparked recurring tensions. The most recent clash between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in 2022 claimed the lives of over 100 people on both sides.

Uzbekistan-based company Nosirxon-Muslim plans to invest in a new plastic granule production facility in Kyrgyzstan, according to the Kyrgyz Republic’s Trade Mission in Uzbekistan.

The plant will use local polyethylene waste as its primary raw material. The recycled granules will be used to manufacture composite panels.

Nosirxon-Muslim currently produces aluminium and composite panels under the Trade, Alu-Magnit, and Yasar brands. These panels are used for façade and interior finishes, public infrastructure, and advertising structures.

Earlier, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that China is ready to invest in cotton fibre processing plants in Surkhandarya.

Mobile technologies will add $270 bn to Eurasia’s economy by 2030. The forecast comes from GSMA’s Mobile Economy Eurasia 2025 report released this week in Tashkent. The report highlights rising smartphone adoption, 5G growth, and AI’s role in public services.

GSMA M360 Eurasia took place on May 21-22 in Tashkent, its first time in Uzbekistan.
The event gathered telecom operators, ministers, and innovators to discuss digital inclusion and infrastructure.

The summit was co-hosted by Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Digital Technologies and Beeline Uzbekistan, part of VEON. Talks focused on improving regional connectivity and supporting languages often left out of AI models.

The GSMA M360 Eurasia summit, held in Uzbekistan’s Tashkent on May 21–22, gathered telecom operators, policymakers, and tech leaders from across the region. Kursiv Uzbekistan spoke with Kaan Terzioğlu, VEON Group CEO about why Uzbekistan was chosen to host the summit, how taxation impacts investment, and which technologies will define the region’s future.

Uzbekistan’s digital policy gains global recognition

— Why was Tashkent selected as the host city for M360 Eurasia this year, and what does it represent in terms of the region’s ambitions and future?

— Tashkent was selected because of the country’s clear commitment to...

Uzbekistan will introduce a new healthcare delivery model and digitise the sector under a presidential decree signed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the Ministry of Justice reports.

The digital transformation aims to reduce the workload on medical personnel by 30% and significantly cut the use of paper-based documentation.

Authorities also plan to increase the share of family doctors in providing healthcare to 70% across the country.

The new model will roll out in pilot districts from July 1, 2025, with full implementation scheduled in Samarkand region from January 2026.

Earlier, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that the country adopted a...

Uzbekistan produced just over 15 bn cubic metres of natural gas from January to April 2025, according to data from the State Statistics Committee. This marks a drop from the same period in 2024, when output exceeded 15.3 bn cubic metres.

While domestic production declined, Uzbekistan ramped up its fuel exports. As of early May this year, gas exports rose by 85%, reaching $199.7 mln. China accounted for the majority of this volume, purchasing $143 mln worth of gas.

Meanwhile, the country cut back on gas imports. Over the past year, import volumes fell to $150.5 mln.

Earlier...

For the first time in Central Asia, GSMA’s flagship summit — M360 Eurasia — is taking place in Uzbekistan’s Tashkent on May 21–22. The annual conference gathers global leaders in telecoms, technology, and government to discuss the region’s digital future.

On the sidelines of the event, Kursiv Uzbekistan spoke with Vivek Badrinath, Director General and Member of the GSMA Board, about why Uzbekistan was chosen as host and what the region needs to accelerate its digital transformation.

— Why was Tashkent selected as the host city for M360 Eurasia this year, and what does it represent in terms...

The Centre for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR) has released its analysis of regional business activity in Uzbekistan for April 2025, highlighting significant growth across key economic indicators. The Data from the Central Bank, Tax Committee, Customs Committee and the Uzbek Republican Commodity Exchange (UzEx) indicate that recent reforms foster a solid foundation for enhanced business and investment activities.

📈 Tax Revenues Surge by 18.7%

In April, Uzbekistan’s tax revenues increased by 18.7% compared to last year. Notable regional increases include:

Tashkent has opened its doors to the GSMA M360 Eurasia 2025 summit, uniting leaders from telecom, tech, policy, and finance. Held on May 21, the event marks a major milestone for Uzbekistan as it positions itself as a digital hub for the region.

Organised in partnership with the Ministry of Digital Technologies and hosted by Beeline Uzbekistan, the summit gathers global stakeholders to address key issues shaping the future of mobile connectivity and innovation in Eurasia.

Kursiv Uzbekistan attended the opening day and presents the key highlights.

Regional Priorities: Bridging Gaps and Driving Growth

The summit launched with...

Uzbekistan has tightened penalties for human trafficking by introducing new amendments to the country’s Criminal Code, the government announced.

Under the updated law, trafficking involving forged documents is now punishable by 5 to 10 years in prison, an increase from the previous maximum of 8 years. If the crime results in the death of a victim, the penalty rises to up to 15 years of imprisonment.

The Legislative Chamber approved the stricter sentencing measures in September 2024.

Earlier this year, several Uzbek nationals were rescued from forced labour in Myanmar. They had been lured with promises of high-paying...

As of May 2025, 7 mln residents of Uzbekistan speak Russian, making it the country’s most widely spoken foreign language. The figure was announced at the Tochka Rosta (Growth Point) tech forum at IT Park Uzbekistan.

The share of Russian-speaking citizens in Uzbekistan has reached 18.5% of the population.

English ranks second, spoken by 5 mln people, while Turkish holds third place with 1 mln speakers.

Other notable foreign languages in Uzbekistan include:

Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that Russia detained a citizen of Uzbekistan who was...

The World Bank has approved a $200 mln concessional loan to Uzbekistan to modernise the country’s irrigation and drainage systems. The Uzbek government will provide an additional $23.2 mln from the state budget.

The project will be implemented across five regions: Karakalpakstan, Bukhara, Kashkadarya, Namangan and Surkhandarya. Planned work includes concreting irrigation canals, upgrading pumping stations, and introducing modern water management systems.

As a result, the quality of irrigation services will improve on 232,000 hectares of agricultural land. More than 180,000 users, including 80,000 women, will gain more reliable access to water.

The initiative is expected to save around...

China has announced plans to allocate an additional $500 mln to the World Health Organisation (WHO), positioning itself as its largest financial contributor, replacing the United States, Reuters reports.

The funding is planned over five years and includes an increase in annual membership contributions and voluntary donations for specific WHO projects. The disbursement and use of the funds will still require coordination and approval.

Until recently, the U.S. was the top sponsor of the WHO. However, in January 2025, President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of the U.S. from the organisation, with official membership set to expire in early...

South Korea has granted $3.8 mln to support the development of Uzbekistan’s statistical system through 2028, according to the country’s National Statistics Committee (UzStat).

The funding will be used to implement innovative digital technologies and international data collection and processing standards. One key initiative includes developing a computerised system for conducting interviews with respondents and integrating administrative data sources.

In addition, the grant will cover the procurement of new equipment and support international training programs for Uzbek statistical staff.

Kursiv Uzbekistan reports that Uzbekistan ranked 12th in the international Open Data Inventory (ODIN) ranking.

Uztemiryulkonteyner JSC has launched a new logistics route for cargo shipments from China to Uzbekistan, in cooperation with China’s Vostosun Group UC.

The new route was discussed on May 20 during a meeting between Mirziyod Mirkhamidov, head of Uztemiryulkonteyner, and Gao Wei Hua, CEO of Vostosun Group UC.

According to the plan, goods from China will be shipped by sea to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas and transported by rail through Iran and Turkmenistan to Uzbekistan.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Uztemiryulkonteyner sent its first freight train from India to Kazakhstan via a newly established corridor.

Uzbekistan plans to introduce a 30-day visa-free regime for U.S. citizens, according to a new presidential decree signed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The country will also simplify entry for Azerbaijan, Russia and Kazakhstan citizens, who will be allowed to enter Uzbekistan using either a passport or ID card. Teenagers under 16 will be permitted entry using a “kinder passport”.

The decree also outlines plans to facilitate visa procedures for Uzbek nationals entering the United States, with negotiations to be led by Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Boosting Tourism from Key Regions

Regional authorities across Uzbekistan will be responsible...