News

The inaugural South Korea–Central Asia Summit, originally scheduled for 2025, will now take place in 2026, according to Yonhap News Agency.

First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Yoonjoo explained that the current political situation in South Korea was among the reasons for the delay.

«We aim to organise the summit at the earliest and most convenient time for both sides,» he told the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs and unification.

The summit idea emerged in June last year during former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s visit to Central Asian countries...

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has married American broadcaster Lauren Sánchez, according to Vogue. The couple is celebrating their wedding in Venice, Italy, from June 26 to 29, in what many have dubbed the wedding of the century.

For both Bezos and Sánchez, this is their second marriage. They became engaged in spring 2023.

The celebration has drawn major attention, with around 250 high-profile guests in attendance, including actor Leonardo DiCaprio and talk show host Oprah Winfrey.

Venice residents staged protests against the event, reportedly planning to block off streets and canals. In response, Bezos and Sánchez asked...

Mongolia will export 2,000 tonnes of horse meat and halal mutton to Uzbekistan, according to Montsame news agency following discussions between representatives of both countries.

The parties agreed on a unified quarantine and tariff policy to ensure uninterrupted trade. Tashkent also expressed interest in purchasing 100,000 Mongolian sheep and goats. In 2024, Mongolia already exported 7,000 sheep to Uzbekistan.

They also discussed cooperation in livestock farming, agri-industry, and veterinary services.

By early June 2025, Uzbekistan had imported live animals worth \$44.6 mln — up 7.8% year-on-year. Imports of meat and meat products totalled \$268 mln, marking a...

Uzbekistan’s Central Bank imposed penalties worth UZS 16.6 bn ($1.3 mln) on 52 financial institutions over the course of 2024, according to Governor Timur Ishmetov during a report to the Senate of the Oliy Majlis.

Ishmetov announced that the regulator had also drafted legislation to strengthen oversight of borrowing by enterprises considered key to the national economy.

Addressing the growing instalment payment sector, he noted that the market reached UZS 8.5 trillion ($687.1 mln) last year. Of this amount, 26% was accounted for by two microfinance institutions, 7% by banks, and 67% by private businesses.

To increase transparency, the...

In late June, Uzbekistan’s uranium producer Navoiyuran issued debut Eurobonds worth $300 mln on the London Stock Exchange, the company announced on its website.

«The initial interest rate on the five-year Eurobonds, totalling $300 mln, was set in the range of 7.250–7.375%, and the order book was officially opened,» the statement read.

Navoiyuran has become the first Uzbek company to list securities on the London exchange. Finasia Capitals acted as the financial advisor, Dentons provided legal support, and Deloitte served as the external auditor.

Demand from 93 investors exceeded $1.3 bn, oversubscribing the offer by 4.3 times. This enabled the company to lower the interest...

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a new law on the resolution and liquidation of banks in Uzbekistan, which will come into force on September 25, 2025.

The Central Bank has been designated as the responsible authority for bank resolution — a set of measures aimed at restoring the stability of financial institutions. It will also be in charge of preparing resolution plans for systemically important banks. According to the law, these plans must be reviewed at least once a year or whenever a bank undergoes significant structural or financial changes.

Resolution measures will apply when a bank becomes...

Three new investment projects totalling $35 mln have been launched in the Kokand Free Economic Zone (FEZ), according to the Fergana Regional Administration.

Kursiv Uzbekistan reports that...

On June 27 in Minsk, during the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) summit, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with President of Russia Vladimir Putin.

The two leaders discussed the current state of bilateral relations and prospects for future cooperation.

It was noted that Uzbekistan and Russia are successfully developing trade and economic partnerships, implementing joint projects, and strengthening regional ties. Cultural and humanitarian exchange between the two countries is also growing.

Vladimir Putin told journalists that he discussed the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine with both Shavkat Mirziyoyev and UAE Crown Prince Khalid Al Nahyan...

Several banks in Uzbekistan will open their currency exchange points and money transfer offices over the weekend, according to the Central Bank of Uzbekistan.

The list includes:
Agrobank, Apexbank, Asia Alliance Bank, BRB, Ipoteka Bank, Milliy Bank, Orient Finans Bank, Tenge Bank, Trastbank, Universalbank, Kapitalbank, Hamkorbank, SQB, Asaka Bank, Anor Bank, Garant Bank and Hayot Bank.

Additionally, 24/7 ATMs and mobile banking apps will also be available for currency exchange transactions.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that the Central Bank will assess the risk profile of all banks in 2025.

Uzbekistan’s junior freestyle wrestling team placed third overall in the team standings at the Asian U17 Wrestling Championship, according to the country’s National Olympic Committee.

The championship was held in Vietnam, where Uzbek freestyle wrestlers earned a total of nine medals:

On the final day of the competition, the team won two silver and three bronze medals, securing their position as third in the medal count.

🥈 Silver medals were claimed by Ulugbek Rashidov and Abdumalilk Jaloliddinov.

🥉 Bronze medals went to Mirjalol Mukammilov, Shakhobiddin Nurmanov, and Fakhriddin Nasriddinov.

Kursiv...

At the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed a number of initiatives aimed at deepening cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

Trade and Technical Regulation

Mirziyoyev called for accelerating the coordination of initiatives aimed at simplifying trade procedures and harmonizing technical regulation systems. He emphasized Uzbekistan’s interest in joining digital trade support mechanisms, including systems for technical regulation, digital transport corridors, and the Eurasian Reinsurance Company.

Digital Cooperation

The president proposed the adoption of a special program for digital cooperation. This would cover:

Since early 2023, Uzbekistan’s State Environmental Oversight Inspectorate has issued 4,700 orders demanding compensation for environmental damage totaling 322 b UZS, according to the Ministry of Ecology.

Key findings:

The inspectorate conducted over 3,500 raids, uncovering 111,000 violations of environmental law and issuing 115 billion UZS in administrative fines.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports on Tashkent’s efforts to create a digital registry of city trees.

Financial stability, the development of a risk culture in banks, and personalized supervision are the key goals of the Central Bank of Uzbekistan in transforming its regulatory system. This was stated by Nigora Begmatova, Head of the Risk Management Department of the Central Bank, during the conference «Current State and Prospects of Risk Management, Compliance Control, and Internal Audit in Companies and Banks of the Republic of Uzbekistan» held on June 25, 2025. The event was organized by Orient Finans Bank. According to the regulator, the Central Bank will assess the risk profiles of all banks in...

Telegram’s message translation feature is temporarily down. Both the automatic translator and the menu-based option are not working. Users attempting to access the feature receive a message saying: «Translation temporarily unavailable.»

The issue is affecting users in various countries, but the cause of the outage and a timeline for restoration remain unknown. Telegram has not yet issued an official statement.

The disruption began on the evening of June 26.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that 64% of Uzbeks use artificial intelligence (AI) in their work.

Deputy Director of Uzbekcosmos joins UCast podcast and explain that Space exploration is different that we imagine. Photo: AI

Uzbekistan is exploring the possibility of launching a constellation of Earth Observation (EO) satellites, according to Mukhriddin Ibragimov, Deputy Director of the national space agency Uzbekcosmos, who spoke on the UCast podcast.

He noted that the domestic market for EO data is still in its infancy, with users limited to Uzbekcosmos, a few government bodies, and an emerging private sector.

«It’s mainly us, a few other state agencies, and a private sector that’s just beginning to...

On June 28–29, residents and visitors in the Samarkand region can attend the International Hot Air Balloon Festival in the Urgut District, according to Uzbekistan’s Tourism Committee.

Alongside balloon launches, the event will feature a cultural program with folk ensembles, DJs and a symphony orchestra.

Guests can enjoy exhibitions of national costumes, painting, and calligraphy, as well as motorcycle shows and horse riding. The culinary highlight will be the baking of a record-setting 75-meter lavash.

Urgut is about 40 minutes by car or taxi from Samarkand. Public transport takes 1.5 to 2 hours.

Kursiv Uzbekistan reports on the...

The third and final season of the global hit series Squid Game is now available on Netflix, with all six episodes released on June 27.

The finale follows Seong Gi-hun as he returns to the deadly survival game in an attempt to end the inhumane experiment behind it.

Created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, Squid Game is a South Korean drama-thriller that premiered on September 17, 2021. The first two seasons attracted over 600 mln views, making it the most popular show in Netflix history.

Earlier, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that production on the upcoming Harry Potter series will begin at the end of 2025.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to supporting journalists and strengthening media development as a key priority of the New Uzbekistan policy.

In a congratulatory message to media professionals, Mirziyoyev stated:

“We still have much to do to address pressing challenges such as ensuring objectivity and rule of law in mass media, enhancing professional skills, and adopting modern methods of information dissemination.”

The president also highlighted Uzbekistan’s recent progress in journalism. The country is now home to 2,400 media outlets, most of which are privately owned. He noted that ongoing...

At least 64% of employees in Uzbekistan use artificial intelligence (AI) in their work, according to a survey by HeadHunter, seen by Kursiv Uzbekistan. For 22% of respondents, using AI has already become part of their daily routine.

AI tools are most commonly used by employees in industry, IT, finance, and accounting. Most respondents apply neural networks for tasks such as information search and filtering, report writing, and responding to routine messages.

Only 5% of employees are currently willing to delegate document completion or client communication to AI systems.

The majority of respondents see AI development and workplace automation as part of technological progress. Around 54% describe generative technologies as helpful tools that save time and...

London-listed TBC Bank Group, which operates the leading financial services group in Georgia and the largest digital banking ecosystem in Uzbekistan, announces its acquisition of a majority stake in BILLZ, Uzbekistan’s leading retail management SaaS platform, further strengthening its offering for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the country. 

Subject to standard regulatory approvals, this strategic partnership agreement signifies a landmark deal for Uzbekistan’s rapidly developing tech sector and ranks among the top M&As in the country over the past three decades. It will see TBC Uzbekistan, the Group’s digital banking ecosystem in Central Asia, partnering with BILLZ and incorporating the...

Cocaine production, consumption, and seizure volumes reached an all-time high in 2023, according to the latest United Nations report on global drug trends.

Experts say cocaine output rose by 34%, reaching 3,700 tonnes, while global seizures surged by 68% to 2,300 tonnescompared to the previous year.

The number of cocaine users worldwide has grown significantly, rising from 17 mln in 2013 to 25 mln in 2023. The UN warns that producers are increasingly targeting Asian and African markets, contributing to a sharp rise in cartel-related violence beyond Latin America.

Cocaine is now the fourth most consumed drug globally, following cannabis, opioids, and amphetamines.

Earlier, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that smugglers attempted...

Tashkent has begun creating a digital registry of trees with the support of the Zamin Foundation, according to the organisation’s press service.

Authorities plan to compile a unified electronic database covering green spaces across the capital. By the end of this year, the registry is expected to include at least one mln trees.

The Ministry of Ecology and the Digital Development Department of the Tashkent city administration are developing the online platform.

The Zamin Foundation stated that the digital registry will enable full tracking of trees and integration with government information systems related to urban planning, land use, and development. The...

Fitch Ratings has upgraded Uzbekistan’s long-term foreign currency sovereign credit rating from ‘BB-’ to ‘BB’, assigning a stable outlook, the agency stated in its latest report.

Fitch attributes the upgrade to accelerated reforms and strong economic growth prospects.

«The rating continues to reflect Uzbekistan’s low government debt, substantial external and fiscal buffers, and strong potential growth, balanced by relatively low GDP per capita,» the agency noted.

In 2023, Uzbekistan’s consolidated budget deficit reached 3% of GDP, performing better than the government’s earlier estimate of 4%. Fitch projects the deficit will remain at 3% in both 2025 and 2026.

The agency also...

Jennifer Lopez will perform three concerts in Central Asia as part of her Up All Night: Live in 2025 tour:
📍 Astana – August 1
📍 Tashkent – August 7
📍 Almaty – August 10

Tickets are now on sale, and Kursiv Uzbekistan compared prices in both countries—revealing it’s more expensive to sit in Uzbekistan, but more expensive to stand in Kazakhstan.

Ticket prices were taken from Ticketon.kz (Kazakhstan) and Iticket.uz (Uzbekistan), then converted to USD using the average exchange rate for June 2025.

Ticket Price Comparison:

🔹 The most expensive...