This is the second of four articles in AnewZ's series examining how conservationists are working to protect and repair damage done to the Aral Sea which lies between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have signed regional and commercial agreements worth more than 80 billion tenge ($146 million). The deals aim to expand cooperation between the two Central Asian neighbors in trade, transport, industry and cross-border development.
More than 100 Afghan business representatives travelled to Uzbekistan this week for a business forum aimed at expanding trade and investment, as Uzbek investors also expressed interest in Afghanistan’s mining sector.
Kazakhstan's grain sector faces a difficult season as drought reduces harvest prospects while mounting security risks in the Black Sea threaten to redirect cheaper Russian grain into Central Asian markets.
Uzbekistan welcomed 6.56 million foreign tourists in the first six months of 2026, a 24.9% increase compared with the same period last year, according to the National Statistics Committee. The figures underline the country's growing appeal as one of Central Asia's leading travel destinations.
Foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) have concluded talks in Kyrgyzstan, approving key documents for the upcoming Bishkek summit. Discussions focused on regional security, economic cooperation, transport links and shared challenges.
The Turkmenbashi International Seaport has launched pilot cargo transit operations using the electronic TIR system on the Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan transport corridor, marking a step towards fully digital customs procedures across the region.
Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have agreed to advance studies for the Trans-Afghan railway during talks in Uzbekistan on Wednesday, as both countries seek to expand freight links between Central and South Asia.
Türkiye and Syria are aiming to increase annual bilateral trade to $10 billion as Ankara strengthens economic ties with Damascus under Syria's post-Assad government.
Kazakhstan is set to invest $22.2 million in the development of a new communications satellite, KazSat-3R, as the Central Asian nation prepares to replace its ageing KazSat-3 spacecraft before it reaches the end of its operational life in 2029.
Afghanistan recorded 483 suspected cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) and 21 deaths in June 2026, a 174.4% increase from May, with the World Health Organization (WHO) linking the surge to livestock contact and animal slaughter during Eid al-Adha.
Türkiye's parliament has approved a two-year extension of the country's military deployment in Somalia, reinforcing deepening security ties between Ankara and Mogadishu as the Horn of Africa nation continues to battle terrorism, piracy and other security threats.
Tashkent attracted $4.3 billion in foreign direct investment and loans during the first half of 2026, reinforcing its position as Uzbekistan’s leading destination for investment as the capital continued to outpace the national economy.
Kazakhstan’s main oil export route has been disrupted after the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) suspended crude intake following drone attacks on tankers near its Black Sea terminal.
Pakistan stepped up its economic engagement with the U.S. during Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb's visit to Washington this week, holding talks on investment, development finance and access to international capital markets as Islamabad seeks to broaden its economic partnerships.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has expressed its deepest condolences following the confirmed deaths of five Afghans in Nimroz province, while the search continues for 14 others.
Uzbekistan and Italy's Tuscany region have agreed to expand cooperation in trade, investment, education and culture following talks between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Tuscany Governor Eugenio Giani in Tashkent.
Kazakhstan and Georgia will begin testing a digital permit exchange system for international road freight on 22 July, replacing paper permits with an electronic platform designed to streamline cross-border transport.
Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler visited northern Cyprus to mark the 52nd anniversary of Türkiye's 1974 military intervention, as Ankara reaffirmed its support for Turkish Cypriots and renewed its call for international recognition of the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Aid organisations in Afghanistan are struggling to keep women in work as Taliban restrictions force them to spend more on male guardians, transport and separate workplaces, a June 2026 survey has found.
Uzbekistan and Türkiye have agreed to expand the range of products eligible for preferential tariff treatment, signing a protocol that adds eight new tariff lines to their Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA). The move increases the total number of covered product categories from 12 to 20.
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