News

The first 2025 pre-order for the Chevrolet Cobalt will open on Tuesday, January 7, at 10:00, UzAuto Motors announced.

Customers in Uzbekistan will be able to purchase the vehicle in two configurations: GX-Style Plus AT and GX Midnight AT. Both versions come equipped with automatic transmission and engine compartment protection.

Pre-orders can be made through the UzAvtoSavdo website and mobile app. The company has promised to provide updates on the remaining stock and each customer’s queue number via a Telegram bot.

After signing the contract, buyers will have seven days to complete payment. Failure to do so will result...

Qanot Sharq will suspend flights operated on Airbus A320 aircraft from January 20 to March 6 due to operational requirements, the company’s press service announced.

From 20 January to 5 March, the Samarkand-Tashkent route (NN18) will be temporarily unavailable. The Tashkent-Moscow route (NN701) will also be suspended from 25 January to 1 March.

Additionally, flights from Moscow to Tashkent (NN702) will be paused from January 25 to March 1, while the Fergana-Moscow route (NN703) will be suspended from January 24 to February 28.

A detailed list of cancelled flights is available on the airline’s official Telegram channel.

On January 6 several banks in Uzbekistan began selling the US dollar at rates exceeding UZS 13,000, noted Kursiv Uzbekistan’s correspondent.

Infinbank exchange offices sold the US dollar at UZS 13,000, while KDB Bank Uzbekistan set the rate at UZS 13,005. Orient Finans Bank, Tenge Bank, and Hamkorbank also offered the currency at UZS 13,000.

Nuriddin Lafizov, the head of Alif in Uzbekistan, told Kursiv Uzbekistan that the US dollar is projected to reach an exchange rate of 13,700–13,800 sums by the end of this year.

From January to November 2024 Uzbekistan exported 178,300 televisions valued at $33 mn, according to the country’s Statistics Agency.

Russia accounted for the largest share of exports receiving 60,700 units. Azerbaijan and Turkey followed, importing 50,500 and 17,100 units, respectively.

As of the beginning of December 2024, Uzbek enterprises produced lighting and household appliances worth UZS 21.7 trln reflecting an annual growth rate of 4%.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Uzbekistan exported textiles worth $2.6 bn in the same 11-month period.

Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn reported a 15.2% increase in revenue for Q4 2024 reaching a record $64.7 bn, according to Reuters citing the company’s report.

Foxconn attributed this growth to strong demand for equipment used in artificial intelligence (AI) systems. A significant portion of the company’s revenue also came from partnerships with Apple and other major technology companies.

Foxconn produces electronics for Sony, Canon, Nvidia, Microsoft, and other tech giants. It is the largest company in Taiwan employing over one million people across its divisions.

On January 3 ahead of the report’s release Foxconn’s shares closed 0.8% lower. However...

Graduates of the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan and the Tashkent Islamic University will no longer receive salary bonuses, as outlined in a presidential decree by Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the state budget.

The decree nullifies a previous resolution by Uzbekistan’s Cabinet of Ministers that provided financial support to university graduates. This resolution in effect since 2003 allowed graduates to receive a monthly bonus of 20% of their salaries.

The bonus is applied to public and private organisations employees working in their respective fields.

In 2018 the benefit was extended to include graduates of the International Islamic Academy...

China’s Extol Global Capital plans to implement four investment projects in Nurafshon, Tashkent Region, according to the regional khokimiyat’s press service.

The company intends to invest $12.5 mn in creating a cluster for the production of construction materials. Additionally, the investors plan to construct multi-storey residential buildings, a hotel complex, cafes, and restaurants within the Nurafshon Business City area.

Extol Global Capital also plans to establish a cosmetics manufacturing facility in Nurafshon.

The total estimated cost of the four investment projects is $106 mn, which is expected to create over 2,000 jobs in the city. The city administration and...

From January to November 2024, Uzbekistan exports 106,600 tonnes of mung beans worth $85.5 mn, according to the press service of the Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan.

China is the largest importer, receiving 96,300 tonnes of Uzbek mung beans. Kazakhstan ranks second with 5,300 tonnes.

Other key importers include Russia (1,400 tonnes), the Netherlands (689 tonnes), and South Korea (332 tonnes). An additional 2,500 tonnes go to other countries.

Bilateral trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Pakistan could reach $1 bn in the coming years, according to Alisher Tukhtaev, Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Pakistan.

He highlighted the positive trend, noting that trade volume has grown from $122 mn in 2019 to $387 mn in 2023.

Tukhtaev also mentioned the launch of direct flights between Tashkent and Lahore and announced plans to open routes from Karachi to Uzbekistan. To further boost trade and investment, the ambassador proposed organising B2B meetings between business communities from both countries.

Uzbekistan produced 1,500 tonnes of butter from January to November 2024, according to the State Statistics Agency.

Butter production rose by 56% compared to the same period in the previous year. However, the growth rate slowed significantly—from January to November 2023, butter production nearly tripled.

From December 2023 to December 2024, prices for oils and fats in Uzbekistan increased by 11.8%.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that consumer prices in the country rose by 9.8% over the past year.

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...