News

The South Korean government and the People’s Power Party have agreed to strengthen measures against workplace bullying following the death of freelance anchorwoman Oh Yoanna at a local TV station.

Lawmakers and government officials discussed possibly inspecting the MBC television station where Oh worked. She passed away last year amid allegations of harassment from colleagues.

The government and the party are deeply concerned that a young woman lost her life due to conflicts with coworkers and that the company failed to take necessary action.

If the TV station does not conduct an internal investigation, the government and the party...

Photo: Adolat.uz
Unofficial information circulating in Uznet suggests that the Presidential Administration will be reduced by 50%, along with a decrease in the number of employees across various departments, according to Sherzod Asadov, spokesman for the head of state.

Asadov emphasised that staff optimisation is an ongoing process occurring in all government agencies. The priority is to eliminate redundant functions and enhance the efficiency of state administration and the performance of officials.

«The extent and details of this process will become clear only after conducting relevant studies and analyses,» the spokesman added.

He also...

On February 7, the dollar decreased by 12.84 soums, reaching a rate of 12,957 soums at the currency exchange. The Central Bank of Uzbekistan has set the dollar’s exchange rate at a similar level.

At banks’ exchange offices, the dollar is purchased for 12,895 to 12,945 soums and sold for 12,975 to 13,030 soums.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports on forecasts regarding the dollar exchange rate in Uzbekistan, published by the S&P agency.

In 2025, Uzbekistan plans to increase its service exports to $8.5 bn, announced President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during an online meeting on the development of the sector.

The volume of services is expected to grow by 15%, reaching $82 bn, the president added. It is anticipated that the income of Uzbeks working in this sector will reach $2.5 bn this year.

Mirziyoyev also highlighted the uneven development of the service market across the regions of the republic and the high level of shadow economy.

Furthermore, the head of state criticised the low level of IT services in Nishan, Yangikurgan, and...

Uzbekistan aims to attract 1 mln tourists through the organisation of concerts and business forums, as proposed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during a meeting on the development of the service market.

To achieve this goal, the head of state instructed the development of a programme for cultural and economic events.

Mirziyoyev added that organising international-level concerts in six tourist centres across the country would help increase tourist flow.

Additionally, Uzbekistan will launch a three-year programme for the restoration of historical sites.

Plans also include the introduction of the Umrah Plus tourist package for pilgrims from Malaysia and Indonesia. Mirziyoyev...

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has instructed to increase the number of Uzbek universities and institutes in the rankings of leading global universities (top 1000) from two to ten in the coming years, as reported by the press service of the head of state.

Over the past eight years, 125 universities have been opened in the country, including 23 branches of foreign educational institutions. However, the export of higher education last year amounted to only $26 mln, which does not reflect the available potential.

Mirziyoyev also noted that 15 cultural centres were handed over to the business sector. Investors contributed...

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev instructed regional governors to establish 21 multidisciplinary clinics in the border regions of the country. The initiative was presented by the head of state during an online meeting on the development of the service market.

Mirziyoyev pointed out that there are no such medical facilities in the Tashkent and Namangan regions.

In total, over 300,000 foreigners used the services of Uzbekistan’s border medical institutions in 2024, he added. For instance, a private clinic in the Airitom international trade zone on the border with Afghanistan treated 15,000 foreigners.

Additionally, the export of medical services from...

Uzbekistan’s service market is now valued at $65 bn, which is 3.5 times higher than in 2018. This information was revealed during an online meeting on the development of the sector, with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in attendance.

The biggest growth has been seen in sectors such as IT, finance, healthcare, education, and tourism. The meeting highlighted that this market growth is driven by increased income levels and rising demand for new types of services.

The head of state added that the large-scale programme for the development of services, implemented three years ago, is now yielding results.

In 2025, the...

Any leader who delays digitalisation is opposed to the policy of transparency, stated the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, during a meeting on the development of the service market.

The head of state instructed the government to develop key performance indicators (KPIs) for heads of departments and regional governors, as well as to set specific tasks and deadlines for digitalisation. He emphasised that increasing competitiveness in the service sector is directly linked to the level of digitalisation in regions and industries.

Additionally, the Cadastre Agency is required to swiftly complete the creation of the property registry.

The President also...

In 2024, Uzbekistan imported tea worth $50.6 mln from abroad, the State Statistics Committee reports.

The total import volume exceeded 33,300 tonnes, with more than 26,800 tonnes purchased from China.

Kenya emerged as one of the largest tea suppliers, delivering 1,600 tonnes. Other major exporters included Iran (1,200 tonnes), India (965 tonnes), and Russia (578 tonnes).

Uzbekistan is planning to establish 154 gastronomy and tourism streets that will operate around the clock. The initiative was announced during a meeting on the development of the service sector, with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in attendance.

In addition, 72 coastal recreation zones will be built across the country, and 62 parks will be renovated in collaboration with entrepreneurs.

Regional hokimiyats have also been tasked with repairing 50 interdistrict roads.

In the country’s regions, 1,100 driver projects in the service sector have been approved. A total of UZS 1 trln will be allocated for their implementation.

On Wednesday, February 5, Uzbekistan signed a communiqué establishing diplomatic relations with Somalia, the Dunyo news agency reports.

The document was signed by Uzbekistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ulugbek Lapasov, and his Somali counterpart, Dahir Osman, in New York.

By the end of 2024, Uzbekistan had established diplomatic relations with 12 countries across Africa, America, and Europe.

Somalia is located in East Africa, bordering Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Kenya. The country was formed through the unification of southern and northern territories in 1960. As of the end of 2024, Somalia’s GDP was estimated at $12.03 bn.

Since the early 1980s, Somalia...

In 2024, Uzbekistan imported ice cream from Russia worth $5.2 mln, marking a 12% increase compared to 2023, according to RIA Novosti.

Uzbekistan ranked second among the largest importers of Russian ice cream, with Kazakhstan taking the top spot, importing ice cream worth $19.8 mln.

China ranked third with imports valued at $2.7 mln. In total, Russia exported $32.7 mln worth of ice cream abroad last year.

It is worth noting that in 2024, Uzbekistan imported goods from Russia valued at $7.9 bn, while Uzbekistan’s exports to Russia amounted to $3.6 bn.

In December 2024, the price of 100 square metres of land in Tashkent stood at UZS 352 mln, reflecting a decrease of UZS 10 mln compared to the same period in 2023, according to data from the Central Bank of Uzbekistan.

The cost of land in the capital was 3.5 times higher than in Tashkent region, where prices averaged UZS 100 mln per 100 square metres.

Throughout the past year, the price of newly built properties across the country increased by 11.4% in soums, while in US dollars, the rise was 6.7%. On the secondary market, prices went up...

In 2024, the national digital ecosystem Uzum transferred UZS 1.2 trln in taxes to the budget of Uzbekistan, as reported by the press service of the company to Kursiv Uzbekistan.

The volume of contributions grew by 28% compared to the previous year. Uzum secured second place in the list of the largest taxpayers in the private sector.

By the end of 2024, every third Uzbek citizen used the marketplace and other services offered by Uzum. The company’s workforce increased by 3,000 employees.

The founder and CEO of Uzum, Jasur Jumayev, highlighted the company’s role in supporting small and medium-sized businesses. According...

US government vessels will now be able to transit the Panama Canal free of charge, the US State Department has announced.

«US government ships can now pass through the Panama Canal without paying fees,» the State Departmentstated in an official post on the social media platform X.

The department noted that this decision will result in annual savings of millions of dollars for the US federal budget.

The political debate over the Panama Canal has intensified following Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election. Late last year, he threatened to bring the canal back under American control, citing its strategic economic and security importance.

As previously reported

Global demand for gold in 2024 reached a record high of 4,900 tonnes, reflecting a 1% year-on-year increase, according to a report by the World Gold Council (WGC).

In monetary terms, this figure amounted to $382 bn, driven by high gold prices.

According to the WGC’s estimates, investor interest in gold surged by 25% year-on-year, surpassing 1,100 tonnes. This growth was primarily fuelled by exchange-traded fund (ETF) investments in the second half of 2024.

The WGC also highlighted that central banks have been purchasing over 1,000 tonnes of gold annually for the third consecutive year. In 2024, they acquired 1,045 tonnes, with the National Bank being the largest buyer, followed by India’s and Turkey’s central banks.

Uzbekistan has expressed interest in importing coal from Afghanistan to achieve trade balance, according to the Tasnim news agency.

This statement was made by an Uzbek delegation during a meeting with representatives of the Afghan Ministry of Industry and Commerce in Kabul.

Uzbekistan has previously shown interest in Afghan coal. In mid-May last year, it was reported that Tashkent planned to purchase 1 mn tonnes of coal. Afghanistan, a neighbouring country, has significant reserves of coking coal, with major deposits located in the northern provinces of the country.

Last year, Uzbekistan’s total imports of mineral fuels amounted to $3.9 bn, marking a 50.1% increase compared to 2023. Coal accounted for $180.2 mn, reflecting an 11.8% decline year-on-year.

Uzbek-Afghan trade turnover for 2024 exceeded $1.1 bn, with the bulk...

The BRICS bloc will not be able to find an alternative to the US dollar, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated in an interview with Fox Business.

«They (BRICS members – Ed. Kursiv Uzbekistan) may try to challenge our status as the world’s reserve currency, but there is no alternative on the horizon,» he said.

Earlier, the Iranian government announced that the republic would be ready to adopt a unified BRICS currency should the organisation’s members decide to create one.

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov clarified that the organisation is not currently discussing the creation of a single currency.

Chinese tech company ByteDance, the owner of social media platform TikTok, has introduced a new service called OmniHuman-1, which allows users to generate videos from images using artificial intelligence (AI), according to TechCrunch.

Analysts from the publication noted that the videos generated by OmniHuman-1 are currently among the most realistic available.

«AI for deepfakes (a term used for videos or images generated by AI – Ed.) has become a mainstream consumer product. There are numerous applications capable of inserting a person into a photograph or making someone appear to say something they never actually said. However, most ‘deepfakes’ – particularly videos...

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited the Museum of Islamic Art during his trip to Malaysia, according to the Press-Office of the Uzbek President.

Established in 1998, the Museum is located near the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur. It features over 10,000 Islamic art exhibits, including unique Quran manuscripts, jewellery, ceramics and coins.

The Museum’s collection includes about 200 exhibits created during various historical periods in what is now modern-day Uzbekistan.

Kursiv Uzbekistan reports that in late January of this year, Mirziyoyev also visited the Center of Islamic Civilisation, which is currently under construction.

The Ministry of Justice of Uzbekistan has officially registered Samarkand flatbread as a geographical indication, according to a report from the department’s press service.

This designation aims to protect the exclusive rights of local entrepreneurs to use the name and to prevent counterfeit products from entering the market.

Justice Minister Akbar Tashkulov presented the registration document to Adiz Boboyev, the regional governor.

Previously, other items such as Kokand knives, Margilan atlas, Margilan adras, Zaamin tandirgush, and Gijduvan shashlik have also been registered as geographical indications.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Taste Atlas included Shakarob salad Achichak on...

The Humo payment system, operated by JSC National Interbank Processing Center, may soon have a new chairman of the board, according to an announcement on the Unified Portal of Corporate Information.

An extraordinary meeting of shareholders is scheduled for February 21. The agenda includes the early termination of the contract with the current chairman, Shukhrat Kurbanov. Following this, the shareholders will elect a new chairman and supervisory board members.

In early January, the Paynet service owned the Humo payment system, purchasing a state stake in the company for $65 mln.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports on potential changes...

Uzbekistan is set to launch a daycare service for children with disabilities aged between 3 and 18, following a decree from President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

These day care services will be available in Tashkent, Karakalpakstan and five other regions of the republic starting March 1. By October 1, the service will expand to the remaining regions.

Entrepreneurs will provide daycare services under the principles of public-private partnership (PPP). Businesses will receive a subsidy of 25% of the basic calculation value (BCV) or 27%, depending on the child’s age, for each day of service provided.

The subsidy will be increased by...