News

On Thursday, November 14, the concentration of harmful PM2.5 particles in Tashkent’s air surpassed the safe limit by 15.8 times, reports the IQAir monitoring platform.

Tashkent ranked sixth in the list of cities with the highest air pollution levels.

The Uzbek capital sits between Hanoi (Vietnam) in fifth place and Jakarta (Indonesia) in seventh.

PM2.5 consists of tiny dust particles, tyre debris, asphalt, and heavy metal compounds. These particles enter the body through inhalation and can cause cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

Uzbekistan secured 10th place among the world’s largest gold producers in 2023, with an output exceeding 119.6 tonnes, according to TASS.

China, Russia, and Australia led global production with 378, 321, and 293 tonnes, respectively.

On October 30, gold prices surged to record highs, following a 50 basis point cut in the US Federal Reserve’s interest rate.

Uzbekistan’s gold and foreign currency reserves also rose, reaching a record $43.1 bln by November 1, a $2 bln increase in October.

Starting December 1, 2024, Uzbekistan Railways JSC will increase tariffs by 30% for domestic freight transport using its wagons, according to the company’s press service.

The company stated that this rise aims to cover increasing costs for maintaining and modernising its wagon fleet. The new rates will apply to universal, specialised wagons and tank cars.

Uzbekistan Railways highlighted that this move aligns with a presidential decree effective since January 2024, which shifts tariff regulation for freight wagon and container rentals from state control to a market-driven approach.

The car sales in Uzbekistan reached 95,400 units in October, representing a 6% decline from September and a sharp 43% drop compared to the same period last year, according to the Centre for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR).

Sales of locally produced cars saw the steepest decline, falling 20% from September to 30,200 units. CERR noted reduced activity in the used car market as well. In October, buyers purchased 60,400 used cars. This number held steady month-on-month but showed an almost twofold annual decrease.

Despite the overall market decline, sales of foreign-made and electric vehicles surged. Sales of imported cars...

After the price of AI-80 petrol surpassed ten mln soums per tonne on November 7, the Competition Committee of Uzbekistan decided to limit further price increases. Several market participants confirmed this information with Kursiv Uzbekistan.

Starting November 13, the maximum allowable increase in the AI-80 petrol price will be capped at 5% of the seller’s original fuel price. Additionally, the limit on the purchase of petrol from the Bukhara refinery through exchange trading will remain in effect, set at four tonnes of fuel per day.

Over the past month, AI-80 quotations increased by 3.8%, from 9.8 million to...

The COP29 Climate Change Conference served as the platform for discussions between Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on advancing Uzbekistan’s membership in the WTO.

Both leaders welcomed the steady progress in negotiations and highlighted ongoing efforts to align Uzbekistan’s laws with WTO standards, including steps to phase out export subsidies.

They also discussed training programs for Uzbek specialists in international trade and explored measures to support Uzbekistan’s goal of completing accession talks in the near future.

Uzbekistan and the Czech Republic will develop a roadmap to boost trade turnover and a programme for industrial cooperation. This agreement was reached by the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Petr Fiala, in Baku during the COP29 climate conference.

The two sides also discussed revitalising the work of the Intergovernmental Commission and expanding cultural and humanitarian exchanges.

During the talks, both parties highlighted that the Czech Republic is a key European partner for Uzbekistan. In recent years, trade turnover between the two countries has doubled, and the number of joint projects...

Uzbek chess player Nodirbek Abdusattorov will compete in the 6-Tata Steel Chess India tournament, according to the UzChess Telegram channel.

The event will take place in Kolkata, India, from November 13-17, with a prize fund of $41,500.

The tournament will have two winners — one for rapid and one for blitz chess. Players will compete in nine rounds of each format.

Earlier, Abdusattorov helped Uzbekistan’s team win the eighth round at the Chess Olympiad.

Kyrgyz lawmakers ratified a $56 mln agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to support sustainable tourism and environmental initiatives around Issyk-Kul lake, according to Tazarbek.

A major share of the funding will upgrade the ageing sewage infrastructure in Cholpon-Ata, a popular resort town. The project includes new wastewater treatment facilities and pumping stations, addressing a system that currently serves only two-thirds of tourist areas.

Beyond wastewater management, ADB funds will help build a tourist information centre and restore the petroglyph museum. Additional funds will enhance local parks and establish a cycling path along the lake’s coast.

City...

In October, average prices in Tashkent’s secondary housing market dropped by 1.5% compared to September, settling at $1,100 per square metre, according to data from the Centre for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR) in a release received by Kursiv Uzbekistan.

Beyond the capital, secondary housing saw notable price drops in the regions of Namangan (down 3.5%), Khorezm (down 3.2%), and Samarkand (down 2.5%). Syrdarya and Andijan regions recorded the most significant price hikes, with increases of 3.3% and 5.1%, respectively.

Karakalpakstan remains the cheapest area for property, where prices rose to $328 per square metre in October.

Overall, secondary property...

On November 13, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan signed a landmark agreement at the COP29 Summit to work together on developing and transmitting green energy.

The three nations aim to drive joint efforts to combat climate change, aligned with the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals.

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that expanding renewable energy sources is both an investment in the future and a duty to future generations.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports at the end of the first nine months of 2024, residents of Uzbekistan received a total of 8.9 bln soums for selling surplus electricity generated by their...

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has proposed the establishment of an International Centre for Assessment of Climate Losses and Damage. He emphasised the importance of developing United Nations declarations that ensure river ecosystems’ health and environmental safety.

This proposal was made during his address at the World Leaders Summit plenary session, which took place during the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku.

Mirziyoyev also suggested the creation of a regional bank of genetic resources in Uzbekistan to increase plant resistance to climate change. Additionally, he proposed...

Photo: Presidential Press Office

Finland will participate in the work of the UN Trust Fund for the Aral Sea region. This was discussed during a meeting between the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, on the sidelines of the COP29 summit.

The leaders also talked about preparations for the upcoming Intergovernmental Commission meeting and the business forum scheduled to take place in Helsinki in January 2025.

They agreed to develop a program for industrial cooperation focusing on several sectors, including metallurgy, chemistry, telecommunications, and electrical engineering.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Mirziyoyev...

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan held several informal meetings with world leaders at the COP29 summit in Baku, as reported by the President’s press office.

During the summit, he spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Chairwoman of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Additionally, Mirziyoyev has scheduled over ten meetings and discussions with leaders from various countries to address critical issues related to international cooperation and to strengthen ties in multiple fields.

From November 1 to November 8, 2024, the Tashkent Republican Stock Exchange experienced significant changes in its shares. During this period, the UCI index increased from 627.45 to 629.67, and the total transaction volume on the exchange surpassed 8 billion soums, with nearly 5,000 buy and sell transactions taking place.

The shares that demonstrated the highest growth

During this period, UzAuto Motors experienced the most significant growth among highly liquid shares, increasing from 63,000 soums to 69,000 soums, which represents a growth of 9.52%. Additionally, shares of Ipak Yuli Bank also yielded positive results, rising from 140 soums to...

At the summit in Riyadh, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud.

The leaders discussed plans to initiate joint projects focusing on green energy, transportation modernization, and the agricultural sector. They also addressed preparations for the second Central Asia-Gulf Arab Council summit, scheduled to be held in Samarkand in 2025.

President Mirziyoyev expressed gratitude for the arrangements made for Hajj and Umrah for Uzbek citizens. Additionally, regional issues were discussed, including efforts toward the peaceful resolution of conflicts in the Middle East.

Kursiv Uzbekistan reports that Mirziyoyev proposed...

The Central Bank of Uzbekistan has announced an auction to place state short-term treasury bills, as stated in a message on the regulator’s Telegram channel.

The auction should begin at 11:00, and primary dealers are invited to participate.

The total volume of the treasury bond issuance will be 200 bn soums, with each bond having a nominal value of 1 million soums. The term of circulation for these bonds is 364 days.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that the Central Bank of Uzbekistan has identified risks associated with issuing bonds in foreign currency.

On Tuesday morning, November 12, Tashkent was ranked third among the world’s cities with the most polluted air, according to data from the IQAir portal.

The concentration of PM2.5 (dust, particles from car tires, asphalt, and heavy metal compounds) in the air of the Uzbek capital exceeded the safe limit by 18 times.

The highest levels of air pollution were recorded in Lahore, Pakistan, and Delhi, India.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that environmental inspections are initiated in Tashkent to address air pollution.

Photo: NOC Uzbekitan

Uzbekistan’s team won five medals on the first day of the Central Asian nations’ indoor track and field tournament in Urumqi, China, as reported by the Uzbek National Olympic Committee (NOC).

The gold medalists included Dostonbek Abdumutalov in the under-16 shot put event, Anastasia Silchenkova in the under-16 1,500 meters, Angelina Silchenkova in the under-16 1,500 meters, and Angelina Grechkina in the under-18 long jump. Amir Nagaev also secured a gold medal in the adult high jump event.

Oybek Zarifjonov earned a bronze medal in the under-18 shot put event.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports ten...

Photo: yeiferr / Rihabay

According to the competition organisers, participants in a youth hackathon proposed ways to use artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to create a smart and safe city.

Eighteen teams from Fergana Oblast and various regions of Uzbekistan participated in the hackathon organised by the Technovation Girls program and Yandex Uzbekistan. The teams developed prototype AI applications to enhance accessibility, comfort, and safety in urban environments.

The winning projects included innovations for people with disabilities, applications for smart parking and waste bins, a social services aggregator for motorists, an AI algorithm to optimise road traffic, and an application that...

Photo: AleksTaurus / Depositphotos

The Ministry of Economy and Commerce of Kyrgyzstan has signed an agreement to purchase a pavilion at the International Trade Centre (ITC) in Termez, as reported by the Kyrgyz Trade Representation in Uzbekistan.

The Ministry of Economy anticipates that this purchase will enhance the exports of Kyrgyz manufactured goods and agricultural products to Afghanistan. The Trade Mission referred to the Termez ITC as a crucial hub along Central Asia’s most significant trade routes.

The financial details of the agreement between the Ministry of Economy of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Termez International Trade Centre have...

Environmental inspections of greenhouses and other businesses that use solid fuel for heating have begun in Tashkent, as reported by the press service of the capital’s khokimiyat.

These inspections were initiated in response to complaints about air pollution and the city’s deteriorating environmental situation and surroundings. Environmental inspectors assess whether energy equipment is being used in compliance with regulations and whether filters have been installed to reduce air emissions.

All facilities that have the potential to pollute the atmosphere will be monitored, including greenhouses, restaurants, and establishments that cook food over an open flame.

A working group composed of...

Photo: Roman Fedotov / Kursiv Uzbekistan

The final day of Uzbekistan Fashion Week (UFR) took place on the 48th floor of the Piramit Tower residential complex in Tashkent on November 10.

The event featured the UFR Awards ceremony and the Anor collection show.

This collection showcased gold, silver, white and beige shades, symbolising purity and lightness.

During the Awards Ceremony, top stylists and photographers were celebrated.

Among the attendees were singer Lola Yuldasheva and Maryam Tillyaeva, the granddaughter of the country’s first president, who received the award for Best Fashion Blogger.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has expressed readiness to provide war-affected Palestinian children and women with free treatment in Uzbek clinics. The head of Uzbekistan said this in his speech at the extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit.

He emphasised the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities, the creation of safe humanitarian corridors and the start of negotiations, calling for constant attention to these issues by the UN and the Security Council.

The President said the Palestinian people have the right to establish an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital within the 1967 borders and expressed...