News

Afghanistan has decided not to abandon the construction of dams to appease neighboring countries, as reported by Sputnik Afghanistan, citing Abdul-Latif Mansour, the acting head of the Water Ministry of the Islamic Emirate.

Mansour indicated that previous Afghan governments refrained from building large irrigation projects to benefit their neighbours. The civil war and ongoing economic challenges hindered the effective utilisation of water resources.

Now, the Taliban government aims to execute an independent water policy, even if this approach causes discontent among leaders of neighbouring nations. In November 2023, Ministerial Advisor Farooq Azam suggested using Afghanistan’s water resources as...

In 2024, the volume of Uzbekistan’s foreign trade reached $65.9 bn, reflecting an annual growth of 3.8%. The country’s largest trading partners are China, Russia and Kazakhstan, according to the State Agency of Uzbekistan.

Last year, the trade turnover with China totalled $12.4 bn, with Russia at $11.6 bn and Kazakhstan at $4.2 bn.

In 2024, Uzbekistan imported goods worth $10.4 bn from China, $7.9 billion from Russia, and $2.8 bn from Kazakhstan. On the other hand, Uzbekistan exported goods valued at $2 bn to China, $3.6 bn to Russia, and $1.4 bn to Kazakhstan.

The primary exports from...

Uzbekistan produced more than 44.5 bn cubic meters of gas by the end of 2024, which is 4.5% less than in 2023, according to the report of the Statistic Agency.

Against the backdrop of declining gas production, Uzbekistan has ramped up gas imports. Last year, purchases of foreign fuel exceeded $1.6 bn, twice as much as a year earlier. At the same time, the republic increased gas exports by 18.4%, up to $627.7 mln.

According to the agency, gas production in the republic has been falling since 2022.

At the end of 2024, Uzbekneftegaz announced plans to stabilise gas production...

According to the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the volume of cross-border money transfers to Uzbekistan reached $14.8 bn in 2024, marking a 30% annual growth.

The majority of the transfers came from Russia, totalling $11.5 bn, which represents a 29% increase compared to 2023.

Other significant sources of remittances included Kazakhstan, with $795 million; the United States, with $577 mn; and South Korea, with $534 mn.

The most common method for sending money to Uzbekistan was through money transfer systems, which accounted for $8.2 bn. Peer-to-peer transfers (P2P) amounted to $5.9 bn, while SWIFT transfers totalled...

Israel has released the first group of Palestinian prisoners, comprising 90 individuals, The Times of Israel reports.

Some of those released returned to the Palestinian cities of Ramallah and East Jerusalem. Before their transfer, Israeli security forces conducted thorough inspections.

Of the 90 released, 69 are women, including one minor. Additionally, eight young men were freed, while the remainder are adult men convicted of «relatively minor offences.»

Under the first phase of the ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian group Hamas, approximately 2,000 prisoners are expected to be released.

Meanwhile, Hamas has so far released three Israeli hostages.

In 2024, Uzbekistan welcomed 10.2 mn foreign visitors, marking a 1.5-fold increase compared to 2023, according to the State Committee for Tourism of Uzbekistan, as reported by Kursiv Uzbekistan.

The number of tourists from China increased by 1.8 times, from Italy by 1.5 times, and from India by 1.6 times over the past year.

Tourist inflows from Germany rose by 1.2 times, from Turkey by 1.4 times, and from South Korea by 14%.

It is worth noting that BBC Travel included Uzbekistan among the 25 best travel destinations for 2025, alongside the United States, Italy, and Japan.

Chinese investors contributed over $10 bn to Uzbekistan’s economy in 2024, according to the Ministry of Investments, Industry, and Trade (MIIT).

This figure was announced at the Uzbekistan-China Business Forum held in Tashkent, which brought together more than 400 entrepreneurs from both countries.

During the forum, it was highlighted that as of January 2025, over 3,300 enterprises with Chinese capital were operating in Uzbekistan. Collaborative projects with Chinese investors are being implemented across various regions of Uzbekistan, focusing on energy, light industry, and other sectors.

The total trade turnover between Uzbekistan and China reached $13.1 bn, the ministry added.

BBC Travel has included Uzbekistan in its list of the 25 best travel destinations for 2025, the State Committee for Tourism of Uzbekistan reports.

Other destinations on the list include Italy, Japan, Morocco, the United States, Australia, and Canada.

BBC Travel highlighted that tourism has become a key part of Uzbekistan’s development strategy. Citizens of more than 90 countries can visit Uzbekistan visa-free. By December 1, 2024, the country had welcomed 7.3 mn tourists, with the majority coming from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan.

President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, plans to hold a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin following his inauguration, CNN reports.

According to the publication’s sources, Trump intends to discuss the possibility of a face-to-face meeting with Putin as well as the situation in Ukraine.

“Once Trump assumes office, US and Russian officials can begin serious preparations for arranging a personal meeting,” CNN stated.

The report also highlighted that during his election campaign, Trump pledged to end the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict.

It is worth noting that the previous US President, Joe Biden, provided Ukraine with $175 bn...

Uzbekistan has concluded negotiations on its accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) with another country, according to Azizbek Urunov, the President’s Special Representative for WTO Affairs.

“Another country has finalised bilateral negotiations regarding our WTO accession. The discussions were emotional, but we succeeded. This is the true beauty of the process,” Urunov wrote on his LinkedIn page.

He further noted that Uzbekistan has now conducted negotiations with 23 countries.

From January to November 2024, Kyrgyzstan imported 16.3 mn litres of sweet non-alcoholic beverages from Uzbekistan, Tazabek reported, citing data from Kyrgyzstan’s National Statistics Committee.

Compared to the same period in 2023, imports rose 1.9 times. The value of these exports doubled, reaching $6.5 mn.

Kazakhstan remained the largest supplier of sweet beverages to Kyrgyzstan, though its exports decreased by 19% y/y to 109.4 mn litres. Russia secured the second spot, increasing its exports by nearly 15% to 29 mn litres over the same period.

Uzbekistan retained third place, doubling its share of Kyrgyzstan’s beverage imports to 10% of...

As of early December 2024, Uzbekistan’s metallurgy industry recorded production volumes of UZS 154.5 trln, a 36% increase compared to the same period in 2023, according to the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan.

Since 2020, the metallurgy sector in the country has more than doubled in size.

It is worth noting that Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Combine (AMMC) produced goods worth UZS 38 trln last year. At the same time, Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Combine (NMMC) recorded production volumes of UZS 93.9 trln.

Kazakhstan has restricted potato exports outside the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) for six months, Tengrinews reports.

The price of potatoes at the production level surged from 160 to 270 tenge per kilogram (UZS 3,900 to UZS 6,600). Retail prices have risen even more sharply, with potatoes in Astana supermarkets now selling for 455 tenge (UZS 11,100) per kilogram.

Kazakhstan’s government attributed the sharp price increase to rising exports and higher export prices. In 2024, the country’s agricultural producers exported 605,000 tonnes of potatoes, compared to 411,000 tonnes the previous year.

Uzbekistan was the largest buyer of Kazakh potatoes...

In late December 2024, US President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to bring Greenland, which is currently a part of Denmark, under US control. By January, Trump went further, suggesting that he might consider using force to take the island. Bakhtiyor Ergashev, Director of the Ma’no Research Initiatives Centre, explains the reasons behind the US interest in Greenland.

Is Trump serious about this plan?

Alongside Greenland, Trump’s ambitions extend to both Canada and the Panama Canal as potential areas of US interest.

When analysing Trump’s statements, it’s crucial to consider the changes in the global political landscape. The checks...

Uzbekistan Airways adjusted the schedule for flight HY601 from Tashkent to Moscow, originally planned for January 19, the airline’s press service announced.

The change was necessitated by the delayed arrival of the aircraft, according to UzAirways.

The revised departure time is 21:00 local time, with the aircraft expected to arrive in Moscow at 23:20 Moscow time.

The return flight, HY602, will depart from Moscow at 00:30 and land in Tashkent at 06:20.

Uzbekistan Airways flight HY336, scheduled to operate from Jeddah to Tashkent, has been delayed due to a technical fault, the airline announced.

Technical specialists are currently working to resolve the issue.

The airline has also adjusted the schedules for flights HY333 (Tashkent to Dubai) and HY334 (Dubai to Tashkent), with both flights rescheduled for 19 January.

Earlier, on January 15, an Uzbekistan Airways aircraft experienced engine failure during landing at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport. Despite the issue, the crew successfully landed the plane without incident.

The number of Uzbek citizens who have died from consuming counterfeit alcohol in Istanbul has increased to 17, according to Dunyo news agency.

Three additional deaths were reported, while five more Uzbek nationals remain in intensive care at Istanbul hospitals after consuming the fake alcohol.

The Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Ankara is actively coordinating with local healthcare authorities and supporting the victims’ families. A hotline has been established for assistance: (+90 553 541 17 17).

Uzbek fighter Bogdan Guskov defeated American Billy Elakana via submission.

The bout took place at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 311 event in Los Angeles, USA, and ended in the second round.

This victory marks Guskov’s 17th career win, with 15 of his victories achieved by early stoppage.

In 2025, Rothschild & Co. plans to participate in the privatization process of a significant state-owned enterprise in Uzbekistan.

On January 15, representatives from the company, led by Baroness Ariel Malard de Rothschild, met with the leadership of the State Assets Agency. The Baroness congratulated the agency on successfully completing the People’s IPO program and expressed the company’s commitment to contributing to Uzbekistan’s development.

During the meeting, both parties discussed plans for implementing the privatization process jointly and agreed to foster close cooperation and share experiences. The specific enterprise involved in the discussion was not disclosed.

The Rothschild & Co...

In December 2024, ChatGPT ranked fourth among the most visited websites in Uzbekistan, according to data from SEMrush.

Over the year, the platform experienced an increase of 6 mln 261 thousand visits, which translates to a remarkable 948.5% growth, bringing the total to 42.73 mln visits per month.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that the technology company OpenAI has introduced a new subscription plan for its clients called ChatGPT Pro.

Specialists with an English proficiency level of B2 and above are in high demand at IT Park Uzbekistan, as the company’s press service reported.

Knowledge of Japanese, Korean, German and English, in addition to English, is sought after, creating opportunities to work with international companies such as Sunnydays and Alex Solutions.

The most popular positions include Middle Project Manager, Senior Software Engineer, Help Desk Specialist and Frontend Engineer.

Salaries for junior specialists range from 6 to 12 mln soums per month. Middle-level specialists can expect to earn between 12 and 25 million soums, while wages for senior specialists exceed...

Kotrina Kulbite, a Lithuanian coach, will lead Uzbekistan’s women’s national soccer team, as reported by the UzA news agency.

Representatives from the Uzbekistan Football Association recently held preliminary discussions with Kulbite about her role.

During the meeting, it was emphasised that the new coach’s main objective will be to prepare the team for upcoming competitions, including the Asian Cup in 2029, the World Cup, and the Olympics.

As of mid-January, Uzbekistan’s women’s national team was 46th in the FIFA rankings.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that a coach from Uzbekistan will take charge of the Afghan national soccer...

From January to November 2024, Uzbekistan exported 125.2 thousand tons of carrots, generating $29.6 mln in revenue, according to the State Statistics Agency.

Kazakhstan was the largest buyer of Uzbek carrots, importing 50.2 thousand tons. Other significant buyers included Kyrgyzstan, which imported 41.7 thousand tons and Russia, which purchased 30.5 thousand tons.

By early December of the previous year, Uzbekistan had exported $1.4 bn worth of fruits and vegetables, marking a 30% increase compared to the same period in 2023. The primary markets for these exports were Russia, Kazakhstan and Pakistan.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that carrot prices...

The Agency for Agro-Industrial Development under the Uzbek Agriculture Ministry has announced plans to plant ten thousand hectares of industrial orchards and vineyards in the capital region.

To facilitate this initiative, the region aims to reduce the area dedicated to cotton and grain crops by 30%. Additionally, some new plantations may be established in the foothill areas, replacing low-yield orchards and vineyards.

Specialists are currently working to identify lands that have low and declining yields.

High-yielding varieties of grapes and fruit trees will be certified for the new orchards. The Ministry plans to develop recommendations for agricultural enterprises and...