News

The Uzbek Commodity Exchange (UZEX) achieved a remarkable net profit of over 227.2 bln soums in January-September 2024, signifying a substantial 42.3% increase compared to the same period in 2023.

The trading floor experienced a notable revenue surge from 278.6 bln to 311.1 bln soums over the year. The volume of transactions reached an impressive 118.3 trln soums at the beginning of October this year, reflecting a commendable 15.1% increase in annual terms.

The volume of transactions at stock exchange trades surpassed 87.1 trln soums, marking a substantial 21.1% increase over the...

Uzbekistan’s Committee for Veterinary and Livestock Development is preparing a three-year desert restoration programme. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev‘s press office announced that the document is in progress.

Recently, the President reviewed the Yashil Makon project and instructed the committee to lead the initiative. The programme is expected to secure a $50 mln grant by 2025. The agency has been entrusted with managing 16 bln hectares of pastures.

Kursiv Uzbekistan reports that Uzbekistan is ready to implement irrigation measures.

Uzbekistan-based cargo carrier My Freighter has recently commenced flights between Zhengzhou, China and Liège, Belgium. The company announced this on its LinkedIn page. The flights are scheduled to operate four times weekly, utilising a Boeing 767-300 airliner for deliveries.

The company highlighted that introducing this new route aims to meet the increasing demand for cargo transportation between Europe and Asia. My Freighter has been active in the air cargo market since 2020 and plans to expand its fleet to 20 aircraft by 2027.

The airline specialises in transporting hazardous goods and perishable products. In the first...

The Afghan Football Federation has appointed Usmon Toshev from Uzbekistan as the head coach of the country’s national team, TOLOnews reported.

The new head coach, Toshev, has replaced British Ashley Westwood. According to the publication, he signed a one-year contract.

Toshev was previously the head coach of the Tajik national team and holds a valid coaching license from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that the transfer price of Uzbek footballer Abdukodir Khusanov doubled.

Uzbekistan has implemented legal measures to address domestic violence against children, as reported by the Uzbek Ministry of Justice.

On 21 October, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a law introducing changes to the country’s Administrative and Criminal Codes to address this issue.

Reconciliation applications in cases of family violence can now only be filed at the trial stage.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that 14 children were repatriated to Uzbekistan from St. Petersburg.

The Uzbek authorities are taking proactive steps to improve irrigation in the country. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s press service reported that irrigation measures to be implemented, including drilling wells in 27 districts and planting trees using the terrace method on hillsides and mountains. These efforts aim to cover 500 hectares with green plantings, contributing to environmental sustainability.

During the Yashil Makon project review, it was highlighted that the increased frequency of dust storms in Uzbekistan is a concern. This is attributed to global climate change, depletion of water bodies, illegal tree cutting and uncontrolled grasing.

Kursiv Uzbekistan...

According to the president’s assistant, Saida Mirziyoyeva, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) provides Uzbekistan with expert assistance in the fight against cancer.

During a meeting with Nigina Abaszadeh, the head of the UNFPA office in Uzbekistan, they discussed a program focused on addressing breast and cervical cancer, as well as child and maternal mortality. Saida Mirziyoyeva shared on her Telegram channel that UNFPA is willing to offer Uzbekistan expert and technical support in these crucial areas.

Kursiv Uzbekistan reports that Saida Mirziyoyeva paid attention to a digitalising healthcare project in Uzbekistan.

Tashkent’s administration has been tasked with creating a comprehensive plan by the end of the year. This plan should incorporate a strategy to build a drainage system and artificial reservoirs. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev gave this directive during a meeting focused on the Yashil Makon project.

The leader voiced concerns about the city’s drainage system, emphasising that the recent heavy rain has highlighted existing issues. In addition to repairing the drainage system, Mirziyoyev suggested the implementation of a water collection system for watering plants.

The president emphasised the importance of district heads personally addressing the capital’s...

Uzbekistan has agreed to supply equipment for synchrotron laboratories with the Italian research centre Elettra in Trieste, the Uzbek Ministry of Higher Education and Science reported.

The delegation, led by Deputy Minister Sarvarkhan Buzrukhanov, visited an Italian research center. The discussions included training scientific staff, securing international grants and building synchrotron laboratories in Uzbekistan.

Synchrotrons, a particle accelerator, are utilised in nuclear physics, biology and medicine research. Their radiation is employed to analyse protein structures, study the properties of new materials and even examine archaeological artifacts.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reported that Uzbekistan...

In the East Kazakhstan Region, the country’s longest bridge, which is 1.3 km-long, has been put into operation, as the Transport Ministry’s press service reported.

The two-lane bridge connects six districts and can carry up to 80,000 vehicles daily. The bridge cost 61.4 bln KZT ($136.5m) to build. During the opening ceremony, Kazakhstani Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov mentioned that residents had eagerly anticipated the bridge for a long time.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that the bridge from Babur Street to Tashkent International Airport is temporarily closed to cars due to repair work.

In Karakalpakstan, the construction of a customs terminal is nearing completion at the Dovut-ota border post, as reported by the Uzbek Customs Committee.

The six-hectare terminal, located on the border with Kazakhstan, aims to enhance the operations of customs, veterinary and other authorities.

The terminal’s opening aligns with the finalisation of the 240-km Kungirot-Beynau road section, which will notably improve the efficiency of foreign economic activities through Dovut-ota.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that the construction of a border post to link Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan had commenced in the Namangan region.

According to data from the country’s Statistical Agency, Uzbekistan’s foreign trade turnover we reached $42.8 bln, marking a 7.7% increase compared to the same period in the previous year.

The value of exports in foreign trade surpassed $19.7 bln, reflecting an 11.5% increase from the previous year. In the same period, the country imported goods totalling $28.4 bln, representing a 5.2% increase in imports.

Previously, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported a 12% growth in Uzbekistan’s trade with the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) -September 2024, up 7.7% ($3.5 bln) compared to the same period last year, according to...

Industry professionals from Uzbek and foreign companies will be leading lectures and masterclasses on forging a successful career in IT for young professionals in 19 cities nationwide.

The IT Roadshow will feature expert guidance on securing initial employment or transitioning to freelance work, rapidly acquiring new skills, optimizing a LinkedIn profile, leveraging AI tools for professional growth and initiating IT startups. Esteemed speakers at the IT Roadshow will include:

The construction of eight new incineration plants in Uzbekistan is a significant step towards managing the country’s waste and generating renewable energy. With the capacity to process 4.7 mln tonnes of waste annually and produce 2.1 bln kWh of electricity, these plants will substantially contribute to Uzbekistan’s energy sector, the press office of the President of Uzbekistan reported.

The involvement of investors from China, the UAE and South Korea, with a total investment of around $1.3 bln, demonstrates a solid commitment to the country’s sustainable development. The targeted locations for these plants reflect a comprehensive approach to waste management.

On October 21, the price of a 5-gram gold bar in Uzbekistan hit a record high of 5.75 mln soums, the Central Bank of Uzbekistan reports. The previous record stood at 5.74 mln soums on October 18.

As of October 21, a 10-gram bar increased to 11.5 mln soums, while a 20-gram bar rose to 23 mln soums. The price for a 50-gram bar soared to 57.5 mln soums.

On Friday, October 18, the prices were 5.74 mln soums for a 5-gram bar and 11.4 mln soums for a 10-gram bar.

The gas production in Uzbekistan reached 33.4 bln cubic metres by early October 2024. This marks a 4.8% decline compared to the previous year.

As gas production falls, the country has boosted imports of mineral fuels by 59.2%, bringing the total to $3 bln. Of this amount, $1.2 bln comes from gas imports.

In late August, Alexey Miller, the head of Gazprom, announced that the Russian company had increased gas supplies to Central Asian countries, including Uzbekistan.

For the first nine months, Uzbekistan’s gas exports totalled $479.5 mln, reflecting a 16.5% annual increase. TASS reports, citing the...

FAW Trucks, a Chinese company, will invest $100 mln to establish a truck factory in Andijan, according to the regional government administration.

Construction will begin in November. The factory will have the capacity to produce up to 10,000 trucks each year. A delegation from FAW Trucks visited the future site within the “Ipak Yuli” free economic zone (Silk Road).

In 2023, FAW Trucks launched truck assembly in partnership with UzAuto Trailer and Vodiy Universal Majmua. The company also promised to explore the production of electric trucks powered by clean energy.

FAW Trucks operates as a subsidiary of...

Large solar and wind power plants in Uzbekistan have produced 4 bln kWh of electricity since the start of the year, the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Uzbekistan reports.

Currently, the country has one wind power station and nine solar power stations, with a total capacity of 2.7 GW. By midday on October 20, solar stations had generated nearly 3.5 bln kWh of energy, while the wind station contributed 506 mln kWh.

The generation of electricity from alternative sources is on the rise. In 2023, solar power stations produced only 800 mln kWh of electricity. It took...

Starting on November 15, Uzbekistan Airways will begin flights from Tashkent to Lahore, Pakistan, according to the agency Dunyo.

“The simplification of the visa process for Pakistanis and the introduction of direct flights is great news for the Pakistani community. This shows that Uzbekistan’s leader is committed to restoring interregional connections,” said Honorary Consul of the Republic of Uzbekistan Najib Mushtaq Vohra.

He added that Pakistani citizens can now use Tashkent as a transit hub.

Additionally, plans are underway to launch new routes between the two countries in the future.

Uzbekistan and the European Union (EU) aim to expand economic cooperation, the Ministry of Investments, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan announced.

The ministry’s head, Laziz Kudratov, met with the EU Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Toivo Klaar, to discuss ongoing projects in geology, the chemical industry, and energy and explore new areas for collaboration.

The Ministry of Investments reported that 997 companies in Uzbekistan currently involve European investment.

Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Uzbekistan in September.

According to the Minister of Transport, Ilkhom Mahkamov, the Trans-Afghan railway project is set to commence in 2025.

«I expect the project’s foundation to be laid in 2025. Given the construction’s complexity, it will take at least five years to complete,» Mahkamov told Daryo during the “Week of International Initiatives.”

The minister noted that the primary challenge involves building the railway through Afghanistan.

The railway, running from Termez to Peshawar, will allow Central Asian countries to access Pakistan’s ports, reducing costs and speeding up freight transport.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports on plans to complete the Trans-Afghan railway by...

Sergey Mironov, the leader of the Russian party Spravedlivaya Rossiya, proposed introducing a visa regime with Uzbekistan after the Consulate General of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Kazan urged fellow countrymen not to join the ranks of the Russian army.

“Why didn’t they urge them not to receive maternity capital? Or to forgo other benefits? That’s acceptable! But defending the country that feeds you is not. Visa regime! And only that! We don’t need such ‘citizens’,” Mironov wrote on the social network X.

The head of the Milliy Tiklanish party, Alisher Kadyrov, responded to the post. He stated that...

The Netherlands and Germany are reportedly discussing a plan to send illegal Afghan migrants to Uzbekistan, The Times reports.

Several European leaders have called for the swift establishment of deportation centres outside the EU to handle migrants who lack legal grounds to stay in the union, including those from Afghanistan and Syria whom European countries cannot send back due to humanitarian concerns.

Italy has already established the first deportation centre outside the EU and transferred a group of 16 illegal migrants to Albania. The Netherlands is considering sending asylum seekers to Uganda.

Discussions about a potential agreement on deporting...

Uzbekistan aims to grow its gross domestic product (GDP) to $200 billion by 2030, with nominal GDP per capita rising above $5,000, announced Behzod Khamraev, Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of Uzbekistan.

The regulator has revised its economic growth forecast upward. Earlier, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev stated that the country’s GDP would reach $160 billion within the next five years.

The Central Bank estimates that by the end of 2024, the economy will expand to $111 billion, with nominal GDP per capita exceeding $3,000 for the first time.

Uzbekistan’s economy grew by 6.6% in the first nine months of...