News

Uzbekistan’s external debt rose to $68.4 bn in the first quarter of 2025, according to the latest external sector report from the Central Bank. The figure reflects both public and private sector borrowing and highlights the country’s continued access to international financing amid strong investor confidence.

Of the total, $35.8 bn corresponds to public debt, while $32.6 bn is held by private (corporate) borrowers. Despite the increase, the report notes that most of the debt is concessional and considered moderate in terms of debt sustainability.

Investment and Exports Support External Stability

Foreign investment remains a core source of...

Full-scale construction of the international China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway is now underway, according to Kyrgyz Deputy Prime Minister Bakyt Torobaev. Speaking on July 3, 2025, he announced that building works began on June 30, marking a major milestone in the long-anticipated transport project.

Although official construction was launched on 27 December 2024 with addresses from the presidents of Kyrgyzstan, China and Uzbekistan, on-the-ground implementation has now entered an active phase.

The railway line will stretch over 304 kilometres across Kyrgyzstan. Valued at $4.7 bn, the project involves major infrastructure components, including 29 tunnels—three of which will be among the longest...

Uzbekistan plans to launch its own ferry operations in the Caspian Sea to accelerate external trade shipments, according to Minister of Transport Ilhom Makhkamov. In an interview with Uzbekistan 24, he emphasised the strategic importance of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s recent visit to Azerbaijan in boosting both economic and transport ties.

The Middle Corridor, a key trade route for Uzbekistan, passes through Azerbaijan and remains vital for export and import flows. Makhkamov confirmed that preferential tariffs for container transport via Azerbaijan have been extended until the end of 2026, offering up to 70% discounts.

Joint ferry operations and regional...

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov will make a state visit to Tajikistan on July 8–9 at the invitation of President Emomali Rahmon, the Kyrgyz presidential administration has announced.

The official programme includes high-level talks between the two presidents, as well as meetings with the speakers of both chambers of parliament and the prime minister of Tajikistan. According to Sagynbek Abdumutalip, head of the foreign policy department in the Kyrgyz Presidential Administration, the visit will cover a broad agenda, from regional security to economic cooperation.

The parties are expected to sign a joint communiqué and a number of bilateral agreements...

Tajikistan and China have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in transport and logistics following a bilateral meeting on 2 July during the 12th Meeting of SCO Transport Ministers in Tianjin.

The talks were held between Azim Ibrohim, Minister of Transport of the Republic of Tajikistan, and Liu Wei, Minister of Transport of the People’s Republic of China. The two sides discussed a wide range of collaborative projects designed to improve cross-border connectivity, logistics efficiency and regional transit potential.

Key topics included the creation of vehicle maintenance facilities for electric cars in Dushanbe, allocation of temporary storage facilities in...

The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic officially launched the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Code on July 4, 2025. The initiative, developed with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, aims to expand women’s access to finance and strengthen their role in the economy.

Chairman of the National Bank Melis Turgunbaev emphasised the macroeconomic importance of the move, noting that women-led small and medium businesses contribute significantly to GDP.

Key changes include simplified access to unsecured loans and reduced reserve requirements for financial institutions issuing loans under women-focused programmes. Ten financial institutions have already joined the initiative, including banks, microfinance...

Uzbekistan’s agricultural sector is set to benefit from new international partnerships following a successful business visit by a delegation from the Fergana region to Germany, Agronews reports. Key agreements were reached with Polish partners, marking a major step forward for local producers looking to expand into European markets.

A highlight of the trip was the signing of a $10 mln export contract between the Beshagro Eksport company, based in Besharyk district, and European buyers. The agreement will see locally produced dried fruits delivered to Europe, boosting trade ties and offering Fergana’s farmers new financial opportunities.

$15 Mln Fruit...

Residents of Uzbekistan submitted 58,691 Schengen visa applications in 2024 — the highest number in the past decade. Compared to 2023, demand grew by 26.2%, according to data from SchengenVisaInfo.com.

How Many Schengen Visas Were Approved for Uzbekistan?

In total, 51,604 visas were issued to Uzbek citizens last year. This corresponds to an approval rate of 87.29%. On average, 1.51 visas were granted per 1,000 residents of the country.

At the same time, 9,250 applications were denied — a 15.76% rejection rate. The number of rejections rose by more than 1,200 compared to 2023. The denial rate per capita stood at 0.27 per 1,000 residents.

Which Schengen Countries Received...

As of July 6, 2025, Uzbekistan’s solar and wind power plants have generated a combined 5 bn kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity since the beginning of the year, the Ministry of Energy reports.

At present, 11 solar photovoltaic stations and 4 wind power stations with are installed. Their total capacity reaches 4,119 megawatts (MW). They are operating across 10 regions of Uzbekistan.

The latest figures show a significant increase from previous years. In 2022, following the grid connection of the first solar plants in Navoi and Samarkand, the country produced 434 mln kWh of green electricity. This rose to nearly...

Uzbekistan’s telecom market is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 12.7% over the next three years — more than double the projected pace across the CIS. According to new research by Nexign and TelecomDaily, modernisation of infrastructure, 5G rollout and digital service expansion will drive this growth.

Between 2020 and 2024, the value of Uzbekistan’s telecom sector doubled from UZS 10.2 trln to UZS 20.9 trln. Although growth slowed slightly in 2024 due to market saturation in basic services, the country still posted an 18.6% increase over the previous year — outpacing Kazakhstan (11%), Kyrgyzstan...

Visitors planning to use the Tashkent Metro should be aware of recent changes: cash payments at ticket counters have been suspended at several key stations. The announcement, made via the metro’s official Telegram channel, marks a shift towards a fully cashless fare system.

Ticket offices are now closed at the following stations:
Mirzo Ulug’bek, Xalqlar Do’stligi, Paxtakor, Hamid Olimjon, Pushkin, Do’stlik, Toshkent, Oybek, Tinchlik, Shahriston, Bodomzor, Minor and Abdulla Qodiriy.

In their place, automated machines will be installed on a trial basis to make buying tickets quicker and more efficient.

Better Value for Tourists Using Card or App

While...

Uzbekistan is constructing six new hydropower plants (HPPs) on the Naryn River in Namangan Region with a combined capacity of 228 MW. According to Uzbekhydroenergo, this is the largest hydropower initiative in the region’s history.

The first facility in the cascade, HPP-1, is scheduled to launch before the country marks 34 years of independence in September. The announcement was made by Uzbekhydroenergo Chairman Abdugani Sanginov.

Once operational, the plants are expected to generate around 1 bn kWh annually. This would supply electricity to approximately 430,000 households.

The project aims to improve energy reliability in the eastern part of Uzbekistan...

On July 5 2025, Tashkent hosted the Uzbekistan–South Korea Business Forum, held during the official visit of a delegation from the South Korean city of Ulsan, the government portal reports. The event brought together more than 100 representatives from business and government circles of both countries, underscoring their growing economic partnership.

The forum was co-chaired by Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev and Ulsan Mayor Kim Doo Gyeom, who highlighted the strong momentum in bilateral ties and reaffirmed their readiness to expand economic cooperation.

Green Energy Agreement with Major Korean Corporations

A key outcome of the forum was...

US President Donald Trump has warned that countries aligning with BRICS’ «anti-American agenda» will face a 10% tariff, raising concerns for Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Both countries obtained official BRICS partner status on January 1, 2025.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated there would be «no exceptions» to the new tariff policy. The announcement comes months after he threatened to introduce 100% tariffs on BRICS states if they attempted to replace the US dollar in global trade. At the time, Russian officials said no such discussion had taken place within the group.

Uzbekistan currently holds...

Kazakhstan delivered a commanding performance at the World Boxing Cup 2025, hosted in Astana under the aegis of World Boxing, with its fighters securing numerous gold and silver medals, Kazinform reports.

Among the standout international victories, Uzbekistan’s Navbakhor Hamidova stunned the boxing world by defeating Olympic and triple world champion Busenaz Sürmeneli of Turkey, clinching gold in the 65 kg category with a unanimous decision.

Tashkenbay, Orolbay and Akkalykov Lead Kazakhstan’s Charge

World Champion Sanjar Tashkenbay claimed his third win of the tournament and the gold medal in the 51 kg division, dominating the final against the Philippines...

Five prominent Palestinian religious leaders from Hebron, including Wadi al-Jaabari, have proposed the creation of a new local governance model — the «Hebron Emirates» — as an alternative to the Palestinian Authority. The Wall Street Journal reported the development, citing a letter addressed to Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat.

In the letter, the sheikhs offered to recognise Israel as a Jewish state, renounce support for terrorism and join the Abraham Accords — a regional normalisation initiative between Israel and several Arab countries. In return, they ask Israel to recognise the Hebron Emirates as the official representative of the Arab...

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has classified the 2014 arrest of Gulnara Karimova, daughter of Uzbekistan’s first president, as unlawful and arbitrary. The conclusion appears in a document published on the website of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

According to the report, authorities detained Karimova without a warrant and placed her under house arrest for 18 months along with her child. One court hearing reportedly took place in her kitchen on 21 August 2015.

«The judgment itself did not attempt to conceal that the hearing occurred...

Centrum Air redirected its Samarkand–St Petersburg flight to Helsinki due to airspace closure over Russia’s northern capital following a drone attack, the airline’s press service reported.

The company stated that updated information regarding the aircraft’s arrival time in St Petersburg would be announced later.

Centrum Air also notified passengers of several changes to its domestic flight schedule on 6 July. Flight C6091 from Tashkent to Urgench departed at 08:40 and landed at 10:10. The departure of flight C6094 from Urgench to Samarkand was moved to 10:40, while flight C6092 from Samarkand to Tashkent was rescheduled to 12:40.

Flight...

Authorities delayed UTair flight UT 881 from St Petersburg to Samarkand by 30 minutes due to temporary restrictions at Pulkovo Airport. The disruption followed an overnight drone attack in the Leningrad Region.

The flight was scheduled to depart at 11:05 local time but was rescheduled for 11:35, with boarding beginning at 10:55. According to official data, air defence systems intercepted three unmanned aerial vehicles overnight, prompting heightened security measures at the airport.

As a result, at least 11 flights were cancelled and more than 60 delayed.

Pulkovo has since resumed normal operations. Uzbekistan Airways is expected to...

OPEC+ has agreed to increase oil production quotas by 548,000 barrels per day in August 2025, according to the organisation’s press service. Analysts had expected a more modest rise of around 411,000 barrels per day.

The decision reflects the bloc’s view on the resilience of the global economy, steady energy demand and a decline in oil inventories worldwide. The move follows a gradual upward adjustment in production since April 2025.

Despite the planned quota increases, Brent crude prices climbed 5.1% over the past month. Market uncertainty intensified amid ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran and a US airstrike...

Elon Musk has confirmed his intention to form a new political party, following the results of an online poll he conducted on X. The American billionaire said the party aims to challenge the current two-party system and block costly or disadvantageous legislation.

Musk stated that the new political force could secure two to three seats in the US Senate and up to ten in the House of Representatives. This, he believes, would be enough to make the party’s voice decisive in key debates between Republicans and Democrats.

He first floated the idea after a public disagreement with...

Uzbekistan’s national women’s football team have secured a place in the play-offs of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup for the first time in 23 years after defeating Nepal, the Ministry of Sports reported.

The decisive match took place on 5 July at the Bunyodkor Stadium in Tashkent. Uzbekistan had previously beaten Sri Lanka and Laos. The fixture against Nepal was critical — the winner would qualify for the Cup while the loser would exit the tournament.

Uzbekistan took the lead in the opening minute with a goal by Diyorakhon Khabibullayeva, assisted by Feruza Turdiboyeva. Ten minutes later, Lyudmila Karachik...

Sotheby’s has auctioned a rare copy of the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution, which abolished slavery, for $12 mln, My Weekend reports. Including fees, the total price reached $13.7 mln.

The document bears the signature of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. The 13th Amendment was passed by the US Senate in 1864 and by the House of Representatives in 1865.

Some US states only ratified the amendment decades later. Among them were Kentucky in 1976 and Mississippi in 1995.

The buyer, hedge fund manager Ken Griffin, also purchased a signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation from...

Russia’s recognition of Afghanistan’s caretaker government has sparked cautious optimism among Afghan economic experts and business leaders, who see the move as a potential catalyst for regional trade and investment.

Currently, Afghanistan maintains over $300 mln in annual trade with Russia. With Moscow now officially recognising the Islamic Emirate, stakeholders anticipate the possibility of easing financial restrictions and re-establishing formal commercial channels.

According to Khanjan Alokozai, board member of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, the decision marks a shift with economic implications.

«Recognition by a regional power like Russia could support both...