Mutual trade between Central Asian countries reached $12.3 billion in 2025, nearly doubling compared to 2020, according to analysts at the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB). The figure underlines how Central Asia is increasingly emerging as a more interconnected regional market after years of relative
Uzbekistan is taking a new step to position itself as an international filming destination with the launch of Global Cinema Weekend, an industry platform designed to connect cinema, tourism, and the creative economy. The initiative was formalized through a memorandum signed between the National PR-C
Uzbekistan and China have agreed to expand cooperation on environmental protection, including the development of early warning systems for dust and sandstorms, according to Uzbekistan’s National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change. The agreement was discussed during a meeting between Aziz Abdukh
Uzbekistan’s first national exhibition at Milan Design Week 2026 has closed with strong international recognition, drawing large crowds and earning praise from critics for its focus on culture, craft, and environmental change. Titled When Apricots Blossom , the exhibition ran from April 20 to 26 at
Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan have agreed to establish new public parks in each other’s capitals as part of broader efforts to expand bilateral cooperation, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade has reported . The announcement followed an official visit to Azerbaijan from April 22 to 2
A woman from Uzbekistan has publicly accused the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein of sexually abusing her over several years after she was recruited as a teenager with promises of a modeling career in the United States. According to the BBC, the woman, identified only as Roz
Russia is ready to help Uzbekistan prepare and send its first national cosmonaut into orbit and launch its first artificial satellite, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov was quoted as saying by TASS. Manturov noted that Uzbekistan has set an ambitious goal of entering space explorati
Kazakhstan is looking to deepen energy cooperation with Uzbekistan, with several joint projects already moving into the implementation stage, Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said on the sidelines of the RES 2026 regional environmental summit in Astana, according to BAQ.KZ. “Exchange of experience
American translator and scholar Mark Reese has won a copyright infringement case in Uzbekistan after a court ruled that his translated work had been distributed without permission. According to Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Justice, the Uchtepa Interdistrict Court for Civil Cases in Tashkent ordered an e
A large-scale corruption case involving Gulnara Karimova, the daughter of Uzbekistan’s last president Islam Karimov, is set to go to trial on April 27 at the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona, Switzerland, according to a Finews report and official Swiss sources. The proceedings mark a significant
On May 20, the United Nations General Assembly adopted by consensus a Kyrgyzstan-backed resolution titled “Peaceful Settlement of Border Disputes,” Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Ministry announced . More than 40 countries co-sponsored the document. The resolution was presented by Kyrgyzstan jointly with Taji
Tajikistan and the United Nations will co-host the 4th High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action “ Water for Sustainable Development ” 2018-2028 next week, as Central Asia and other regions face increasing water scarcity because of climate change, higher consumption,
Several Central Asian countries rank among the world’s highest consumers of water per person, according to data compiled by the Worldometer portal. The figures, based on statistics from UN agencies including UNESCO and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), place Turkmenistan first globally
Leaders of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) are holding an informal summit in the city of Turkistan, focused on artificial intelligence, digitalization, and economic integration, as Central Asia gains importance as an alternative trade corridor between Europe and China. The meeting brings tog
Payments to World War II veterans ahead of Victory Day continue to vary significantly across Central Asia, with Turkmenistan offering one of the lowest levels of support in the region. At a government meeting on April 24, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, discussing traditional commemorative events f
The Antalya Diplomacy Forum , from April 17 to 19, brought together heads of state, foreign ministers, and senior officials at a tense moment in international politics. The official theme, “Mapping Tomorrow, Managing Uncertainties,” reflected the backdrop: war in the Middle East, pressure on trade,
Government officials, telecom executives, investors and startup founders gathered in Samarkand this week for GSMA M360 Eurasia 2026 , an event focused on one of the region’s biggest questions: how to turn expanding connectivity into long-term economic growth. Held on May 20-21, the summit brought to
Tajikistan’s Somon Air expects the delivery of new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in the next few months, in a fleet expansion designed to strengthen the airline as a growing player in Central Asia’s aviation sector. The national carrier, which aims to offer new intercontinental routes, said its manageme
As Turkmenistan works to modernize food production, representatives from dozens of foreign companies were in the country this week for meetings on the agricultural and food industries as well as the packaging of goods. The Agro Pack Turkmenistan-2026 event reflected the Central Asian country’s effor
Fuel prices at gas stations in Dushanbe have risen sharply since early March, increasing on average by 8-9%. The increase has been driven by domestic factors as well as adverse developments in the global energy market. The most widely used AI-92 gasoline has risen in price from $1.05 to $1.13 per li