News

Global food prices dropped by 2.1% in 2024, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

In December, the FAO Food Price Index decreased by 0.5% compared to November’s figures.

The organisation noted that sugar and wheat experienced the most significant price declines over the year. Due to a strong sugarcane harvest, global sugar prices fell by 13.2% compared to the 2023 average. Over the same period, cereal prices dropped by 9.3%, driven primarily by falling wheat prices, while rice and maize recorded slight price increases by the end of the year.

The average price...

The Religious Affairs Committee of Uzbekistan uncovers illegal Umrah trip services, the committee’s press service reports.

During inspections, the committee found that travel agencies in three cities of the republic are sending pilgrims without the necessary licences — Saxiy Travel (Margilan), Anor Tour (Denau), and Sokin Travel (Tashkent).

The committee fines Saxiy Travel 200 basic calculation units (UZS 75 mn).

The case files for Anor Tour and Sokin Travel are referred to law enforcement agencies.

Since last summer, organisers of Umrah trips in Uzbekistan without licences have faced fines. To send pilgrims, organisers must pay a fee to obtain...

On Saturday, 4 January, the PM2.5 concentration in Tashkent’s atmosphere exceeded the permissible limit by 8.5 times, according to IQAir data.

It is important to note that PM2.5 consists of fine particles of asphalt, dust, and heavy metals.

As of the morning of 4 January, Uzbekistan’s capital ranks 19th in the list of cities with the most polluted air.

A New York court rejects Donald Trump’s request to dismiss the case against him involving document falsification due to his victory in the U.S. presidential election. The court will announce the verdict on January 10, Reuters reports.

The agency notes that this will happen just ten days before Trump’s inauguration. This is an unprecedented case in the history of the United States.

The judge who rejects the request states that the verdict will not involve prison time or probation.

Trump faces charges of falsifying financial documents related to payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Kursiv Uzbekistan...

The State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan reports that customs revenue increased by 8% in 2024 compared to the previous year. Khusan Tangriyev, the head of the Committee’s information service, shares the update.

In total 1.3 mn freight vehicles, 676,000 freight wagons, and approximately 40 mn passengers cross the border in 2024. Throughout the year, 17,000 entrepreneurs benefit from customs preferences and receive UZS 49.6 trln in customs benefits. They also utilise payment deferrals totalling UZS 6.6 trln.

The Committee’s efforts to digitalise and streamline customs procedures generate an additional UZS 8.4 trln for the budget.

Customs...

Uzbekistan has cut the prize fund for the International Silk Uzbekistan Fashion Week from $2 mn to $1 mn, with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signing the decree.

Earlier this year, the President supported hosting the event, which will take place in January 2024.

Leading global fashion houses will showcase their talent at Silk Uzbekistan Fashion Week, competing to create garments from Uzbek silk.

Organisers plan to hold the event biennially in May.

Starting this April Spanish authorities will stop issuing golden visas, which grant residency permits in exchange for investments, the Official State Gazette reported.

Residency permits already issued will remain valid until they expire. Applicants who submit their requests before the amendments take effect will still be able to obtain residency.

Most investors secured residency permits by purchasing real estate worth €500,000. Others gained them by investing in shares of private or public companies.

Alif will use $3 mn from the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) to expand its Nasiya instalment service, the company told Kursiv Uzbekistan.

The investment banks TMT Global Advisers and Ansher Capital acted as financial advisers to Alif.

The Nasiya service allows customers to purchase goods that are in line with Islamic financing principles.

Nuriddin Lafizov, CEO of Alif in Uzbekistan, announced that the company plans to issue Islamic bonds, known as sukuk, to support its growth further.

Apple has agreed to pay $20 to users of its voice assistant Siri who raised concerns about unlawful eavesdropping, as reported by Reuters.

The company plans to allocate a total of $95 mn to settle the lawsuit. Millions of Apple product users joined the class-action suit, claiming that their conversations were recorded by Apple devices and shared with advertising companies for targeted ads.

For example, users noticed ads for Air Jordan sneakers and Olive Garden restaurants appearing shortly after relevant conversations. One plaintiff received advertisements for private healthcare services following a private conversation with their doctor.

The affected users...

Eggplants, lemons, tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers have decreased in price over the year, according to a report from the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan. The price increase affected potatoes, garlic, carrots, beets, and onions.

Eggplants saw the most significant price drop, falling by 44%. Lemons came in second with a decrease of 35.3%. Tomatoes are now 29.6% cheaper, and cucumbers have dropped by 28.6% compared to the previous year.

Prices for bell peppers and bananas remained almost unchanged compared to last year, with decreases of 6% and 2.7%, respectively.

The largest price increase was for potatoes, which rose...

China has imposed restrictions on the supply of dual-use goods to US defence companies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China has announced.

The export ban applies to 28 US companies including divisions of Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon.

Chinese authorities have stated that the initiative aims to safeguard the security of China.

In addition, Beijing has revoked entry permits for senior executives from ten American companies, including divisions of General Motors and General Dynamics. The US defence firms are also prohibited from investing in China’s economy.

Uzbekistani company JN Distribution has started exporting beef and poultry products to Kuwait, according to the Dunyo agency.

The export has been organised under an agreement between JN Distribution and High Concorde Company for General Trading & Contracting. The two parties signed the document following a trade exhibition in Kuwait on December 15-16.

The first batch of Uzbek meat products under the Fadl brand was sent to Kuwait just before the New Year.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that in 2024, Uzbek agricultural enterprises increased meat production by 25.5%.

Uzbekistan has entered the top ten major trading partners of Russia for January–October 2024, according to RBC, citing the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation.

The country ranks tenth on this list accounting for 1.4% of Russia’s total trade turnover over the ten months.

The top three largest trading partners of Russia are: China (33.8%), India (8.8%), and Turkey (8.3%). Prior to the sanctions imposed on Russia, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States were also included in the list.

From January to November 2024 Uzbekistan registered 72,900 small enterprises, excluding farms and dehkan (peasant) holdings, the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan reported.

One in three small enterprises listed trade as their main activity. Over the year the country saw the establishment of 26,400 new trade businesses, nearly 12,400 industrial enterprises, and 8,700 agricultural businesses.

In the same period of 2023 Uzbekistan registered 81,000 small enterprises. Trade, industrial production, and agriculture also topped the list of sectors most popular among small businesses that year.

By the end of November 2024, 400,900 small enterprises were operating in Uzbekistan...

Tashkent’s air pollution levels exceeded the normal limit by ten times on January 3, according to data from the IQAir platform at 10:40 AM.

The capital’s air contains PM2.5 particles, which consist of dust, asphalt, and car tyre debris.

The platform reports that the air in the capital poses a risk to people with respiratory conditions.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Uzbekistan has declared 2025 as the “Year of Environmental Protection and Green Economy.”

Uzbekistan imported 16,400 electric vehicles (EVs) in 2024, a 23% decrease compared to 2023, according to Deputy Minister of Energy Umid Mamadaminov.

By the end of last year the country had a total of 44,000 electric vehicles, with 25,000 of them located in Tashkent, Mamadaminov added.

The number of charging stations in Uzbekistan reached 2,900.

Kazakhstan requires a powerful nuclear power plant (NPP) and the country may see the construction of more than one such facility, according to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in an interview with the publication Ana Tili.

«It is clear that Kazakhstan needs a powerful nuclear power plant; I am convinced of this. Furthermore, I do not rule out the possibility that we will soon build a second or even a third nuclear power plant,» stated the President of Kazakhstan.

He highlighted that the nuclear industry has the potential to provide a «significant boost» to the local economy, which is currently facing challenges...

Uzbekistan attracted $1.9 bn in foreign direct investment from January to September 2024, marking a 7% increase compared to the previous year, according to the Central Bank’s balance of payments report.

By early October, portfolio investments stood at $1.7 bn primarily driven by international bond transactions.

The report also highlights that Uzbekistan’s international investment position reached $16.3 bn by October 1, a 29% increase since the start of the year.

Earlier OSINT’s analyst Oliver Alexander raised these assumptions.

The claims of a plane being shot down near Aktau have no basis said Maulen Ashimbayev, Speaker of Kazakhstan’s Senate, speaking to journalists in Astana, according to TASS.

Ashimbayev stated that certain individuals are using such allegations for personal gain. He called the spread of such statements unethical and incorrect.

Kanat Bozumbayev, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister, stressed it is too early to draw conclusions about the damage to the plane. He noted that appropriate expert assessments would take place as part of the ongoing criminal investigation.

«I am not in a...

The Central Bank of Turkey reduced its key interest rate by 250 basis points, bringing it down from 50% to 47.5% annually. This marks the first rate cut in two years.

The reduction exceeded analysts’ expectations. A Bloomberg survey showed most experts predicted the rate would drop to 48.25%.

JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank anticipated a smaller cut of 150 basis points. Citigroup and Bank of America however correctly forecasted the rate reduction to 47.5%.

Uzbekistan has removed excise taxes on mobile communication services. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the law approving the changes.

The law offers temporary tax breaks to the IT sector and the publishing and printing industries.

Entrepreneurs can claim incentives for hiring students, young professionals, and individuals from low-income families.

From next year businesses adopting alternative energy sources will receive partial tax exemptions.

At the same time, the law eliminates profit and turnover tax benefits for export-oriented enterprises. This adjustment supports Uzbekistan’s preparation for WTO membership.

Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented on the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in Kazakhstan. The statement was shared on the Telegram channel of Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov.

«We are deeply saddened by the tragic crash in Aktau (…). On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we offer our heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims during this difficult time,» the statement said.

Saidov also wished a swift recovery to those injured.

The previous day an Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed in Aktau. It had been flying from Baku to Grozny but was diverted to an...

In the first ten months of 2024, Kyrgyzstan boosted its petrol exports to Uzbekistan by 95% increasing from $1.3 mn to $2.7 mn. Tazabek reported citing the National Statistical Committee of Kyrgyzstan.

From January to October Kyrgyzstan sold nearly 5.8 mn litres of petrol to Uzbekistan, with an average price of 45 cents per litre.

Kyrgyzstan’s petrol exports to Afghanistan also surged by 90 times reaching $28.5 mn. During the same period Kyrgyzstan sold almost 62 mn litres of petrol to Afghanistan at an average price of 46 cents per litre.

Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Economics and Finance will receive UZS 96 trillion from the national budget for 2025, according to the relevant law.

The ministry will direct UZS 18.5 trillion to the Pension Fund. Another UZS 2.8 trillion will go to the Fund for Financing Educational Loans.

The ministry will also distribute UZS 18.4 trillion in regulatory transfers to local budgets. It will allocate UZS 15.1 trillion for redistributable funds.

In addition, the ministry will channel UZS 2.5 trillion to housing programmes for Uzbek citizens and UZS 9.1 trillion to development programmes.