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For the first time in Central Asia, GSMA’s flagship summit — M360 Eurasia — is taking place in Uzbekistan’s Tashkent on May 21–22. The annual conference gathers global leaders in telecoms, technology, and government to discuss the region’s digital future.

On the sidelines of the event, Kursiv Uzbekistan spoke with Vivek Badrinath, Director General and Member of the GSMA Board, about why Uzbekistan was chosen as host and what the region needs to accelerate its digital transformation.

— Why was Tashkent selected as the host city for M360 Eurasia this year, and what does it represent in terms...

The Centre for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR) has released its analysis of regional business activity in Uzbekistan for April 2025, highlighting significant growth across key economic indicators. The Data from the Central Bank, Tax Committee, Customs Committee and the Uzbek Republican Commodity Exchange (UzEx) indicate that recent reforms foster a solid foundation for enhanced business and investment activities.

📈 Tax Revenues Surge by 18.7%

In April, Uzbekistan’s tax revenues increased by 18.7% compared to last year. Notable regional increases include:

Tashkent has opened its doors to the GSMA M360 Eurasia 2025 summit, uniting leaders from telecom, tech, policy, and finance. Held on May 21, the event marks a major milestone for Uzbekistan as it positions itself as a digital hub for the region.

Organised in partnership with the Ministry of Digital Technologies and hosted by Beeline Uzbekistan, the summit gathers global stakeholders to address key issues shaping the future of mobile connectivity and innovation in Eurasia.

Kursiv Uzbekistan attended the opening day and presents the key highlights.

Regional Priorities: Bridging Gaps and Driving Growth

The summit launched with...

Uzbekistan has tightened penalties for human trafficking by introducing new amendments to the country’s Criminal Code, the government announced.

Under the updated law, trafficking involving forged documents is now punishable by 5 to 10 years in prison, an increase from the previous maximum of 8 years. If the crime results in the death of a victim, the penalty rises to up to 15 years of imprisonment.

The Legislative Chamber approved the stricter sentencing measures in September 2024.

Earlier this year, several Uzbek nationals were rescued from forced labour in Myanmar. They had been lured with promises of high-paying...

As of May 2025, 7 mln residents of Uzbekistan speak Russian, making it the country’s most widely spoken foreign language. The figure was announced at the Tochka Rosta (Growth Point) tech forum at IT Park Uzbekistan.

The share of Russian-speaking citizens in Uzbekistan has reached 18.5% of the population.

English ranks second, spoken by 5 mln people, while Turkish holds third place with 1 mln speakers.

Other notable foreign languages in Uzbekistan include:

Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that Russia detained a citizen of Uzbekistan who was...

The World Bank has approved a $200 mln concessional loan to Uzbekistan to modernise the country’s irrigation and drainage systems. The Uzbek government will provide an additional $23.2 mln from the state budget.

The project will be implemented across five regions: Karakalpakstan, Bukhara, Kashkadarya, Namangan and Surkhandarya. Planned work includes concreting irrigation canals, upgrading pumping stations, and introducing modern water management systems.

As a result, the quality of irrigation services will improve on 232,000 hectares of agricultural land. More than 180,000 users, including 80,000 women, will gain more reliable access to water.

The initiative is expected to save around...

China has announced plans to allocate an additional $500 mln to the World Health Organisation (WHO), positioning itself as its largest financial contributor, replacing the United States, Reuters reports.

The funding is planned over five years and includes an increase in annual membership contributions and voluntary donations for specific WHO projects. The disbursement and use of the funds will still require coordination and approval.

Until recently, the U.S. was the top sponsor of the WHO. However, in January 2025, President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of the U.S. from the organisation, with official membership set to expire in early...

South Korea has granted $3.8 mln to support the development of Uzbekistan’s statistical system through 2028, according to the country’s National Statistics Committee (UzStat).

The funding will be used to implement innovative digital technologies and international data collection and processing standards. One key initiative includes developing a computerised system for conducting interviews with respondents and integrating administrative data sources.

In addition, the grant will cover the procurement of new equipment and support international training programs for Uzbek statistical staff.

Kursiv Uzbekistan reports that Uzbekistan ranked 12th in the international Open Data Inventory (ODIN) ranking.

Uztemiryulkonteyner JSC has launched a new logistics route for cargo shipments from China to Uzbekistan, in cooperation with China’s Vostosun Group UC.

The new route was discussed on May 20 during a meeting between Mirziyod Mirkhamidov, head of Uztemiryulkonteyner, and Gao Wei Hua, CEO of Vostosun Group UC.

According to the plan, goods from China will be shipped by sea to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas and transported by rail through Iran and Turkmenistan to Uzbekistan.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Uztemiryulkonteyner sent its first freight train from India to Kazakhstan via a newly established corridor.

Uzbekistan plans to introduce a 30-day visa-free regime for U.S. citizens, according to a new presidential decree signed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The country will also simplify entry for Azerbaijan, Russia and Kazakhstan citizens, who will be allowed to enter Uzbekistan using either a passport or ID card. Teenagers under 16 will be permitted entry using a “kinder passport”.

The decree also outlines plans to facilitate visa procedures for Uzbek nationals entering the United States, with negotiations to be led by Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Boosting Tourism from Key Regions

Regional authorities across Uzbekistan will be responsible...

Uzbekistan exported natural gas worth $199.7 mln in the first four months of 2025, an 85% increase year-on-year, according to the National Statistics Committee.

The bulk of these exports went to China, with data from the General Administration of Customs of China showing that $143 mln worth of Uzbek gas was purchased by Beijing between January and April.

At the same time, Uzbekistan significantly reduced gas imports, which fell by 65.2% over the year to $150.5 mln.

In late April, it was reported that Tashkent had not yet signed a contract for importing Russian gas. The potential supply...

On the eve of the Termez dialogue on the connection between Central and South Asia, themed as “Building a common space of peace, friendship, and prosperity” (Termez, May 19–21, 2025), an interview was held with the Ambassador of Afghanistan to Uzbekistan, His Excellency, Abdul Gaffor Therawi.

The conversation was conducted by Mirshohid Aslanov, Director of the Center for Progressive Reforms, and Otabek Akramov, Expert at the Center.

Today, many believe that Afghanistan is going through a unique phase in its history. How would you describe the overall mood in Afghan society at the moment? What changes have taken place...

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has carried out the first charter flight under its newly launched Homecoming program, which offers voluntary repatriation for undocumented migrants.

The flight from Houston transported 64 migrants to Honduras and Colombia. All participants chose to return home voluntarily.

Launched in early May, the Homecoming initiative allows migrants to register their departure using the CBP Home mobile app. Each individual receives $1,000 in financial assistance and retains the possibility of legally returning to the United States.

DHS officials view voluntary return as safer and more humane than standard deportation. According to the...

Dubai and Tashkent, May 20, 2025:  VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON), a global digital operator («VEON» and together with its subsidiaries, the «Group»), announces that its digital operator Beeline Uzbekistan celebrated the opening of its new headquarters in the Tashkent IT Park on May 20th. The new Beeline Uzbekistan headquarters in IT Park will be home to Beeline Uzbekistan’s employee base of around 2,000, including the operator’s digital services teams, VEON AdTech and Beelab (the developer of Beeline Uzbekistan’s fintech platform Beepul), as well as tower operator National Tower Infrastructure LLC. 

IT Park houses Uzbekistan’s leading technology, digital and communications companies and...

The World Bank (WB) will provide Uzbekistan with a concessional loan of $35 mln to support the country’s digital transformation, according to the financial institution’s press service.

In addition, the Uzbek government will contribute $5.7 mln in co-financing.

The funds will support a national project to improve citizens’ and businesses’ access to geospatial data.

According to the World Bank, Uzbekistan’s rapid urbanisation has increased pressure on land resources and public services, making it harder to access accurate geospatial information.

The project will be implemented under the supervision of the Cadastral Agency and will include two core components.

A new...

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and his wife arrived in Hungary for an official visit, according to the head of state’s press service.

At the Budapest airport, the presidential couple was received by Hungarian Minister of Economic Development Márton Nagy.

The Uzbek leader is scheduled to meet with the Hungarian government and business community representatives during the visit. He will also participate in the informal summit of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS), taking place on May 21.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Uzbekistan and Hungary have reached a defence cooperation agreement.

Singapore’s Changi Airport has expressed interest in launching direct flights to Tashkent, according to a statement from Uzbekistan Airports’ press service.

The potential air connection was discussed on May 20 during a meeting between representatives from both sides. Singaporean officials emphasized that Tashkent holds strategic significance as a hub between Europe and Asia.

Following the discussions, the parties agreed to begin working on logistics and marketing strategies to initiate a direct air route between the two countries.

Changi Airport has been in operation since 1981 and spans an area of 13 square kilometers. In 2024, it served 67.7 million...

Between January and March 2025, 198,100 children were born in Uzbekistan, according to the National Statistics Committee. This marks a 3.7% decline compared to the same period last year.

In 193,400 cases, mothers gave birth to a single child. Another 4,600 births involved twins, while 137 cases included triplets or more.

Earlier, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that children from low-income families will be able to attend after-school programmes free of charge.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed the law ratifying the Treaty on Allied Relations between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. The official document is available on the legal portal Lex.uz.

The two countries signed the treaty in August 2024.

Uzbekistan’s Senate stated that the law provides a legal foundation to further strengthen bilateral relations.

Earlier, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that Azerbaijan was the leading buyer of Uzbek carpets between January and April 2025.

Uzbekistan will introduce a visa-free regime for citizens of Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman starting from June 2025. The move is part of a presidential decree by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev aimed at developing the country’s tourism industry.

The government plans to increase tourism service exports to $4 bn by the end of the year and establish over 370 new tour operators.

Authorities expect the number of foreign tourists to reach 15.8 mдn, with domestic travellers projected at 40 mдn by year-end.

In April, Uzbekistan welcomed over one million foreign tourists for the first time in a single month...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide advisory support to Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Health and Ministry of Economy and Finance to develop the country’s healthcare services. The ADB will involve its Office of Markets Development and Public–Private Partnership (PPP) to lead this initiative.

The bank will assist in modernising five hospitals across Uzbekistan, with a focus on engaging private investors. The main priority is to improve the quality of medical services.

«This programme shows how PPPs can deliver inclusive outcomes in Uzbekistan’s healthcare sector,» said Kanokpan Lao-Araya, ADB Country Director for Uzbekistan.

The...

As of early April, there were 8.9 CVs submitted per open vacancy in Uzbekistan’s IT sector, down from 10.3 in the same period last year.

The highest level of competition this year was among network engineers, with 67 applicants for each vacancy.

Art directors (26 applicants per vacancy) and analysts (19) also faced strong competition.

Among technical and IT directors, testers, and project managers, the number of candidates per position ranged from 12 to 16.

Earlier, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that Uzbekistan’s telecom market is projected to grow by 12.5% in 2025.

Most high-liquidity stocks listed on the Republican Stock Exchange Toshkent showed mixed performance during the week of May 12–16.

Meanwhile, the UCI stock index remained virtually unchanged.

According to data compiled by Kursiv Uzbekistan, the biggest gain of the week came from Uzbektelecom, whose shares rose by 3.96%. Other top performers included Alokabank’s common shares (+2.38%) and preferred shares of the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex (+1.11%).

On the downside, the sharpest drop was seen in Uzbekinvest, whose shares fell by 7.40%. Other notable declines came from Chilonzor Buyum Savdo Kompleksi common shares (-5.79%) and Dori-Darmon (-2.46%).

Kursiv Uzbekistan also...

Snipers from Uzbekistan have claimed the gold medal at the international competition Most Advanced Sniper Team, held from May 5 to 16 in Isparta, Turkey, according to the Uzbek Ministry of Defense.

The tournament brought together more than 40 teams from 15 countries, including Pakistan, Qatar, Azerbaijan, Italy and the UAE. Observers from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, the UK and Kuwait also attended.

The snipers competed across 15 grueling challenges, which included shooting while wearing gas masks, firing from cover, helicopters and boats, as well as completing tasks at night and after running with heavy gear and weapons.

This marks Uzbekistan’s...