Islamic finance assets in Central Asia are forecast to grow from $285 million in 2022 to $6.3 billion by 2033, with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan leading the regional expansion due to high demand, population growth, and policy reforms.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared on Thursday that Pakistan will no longer receive water from rivers over which India holds rights, escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
The World Bank has approved a $200 million concessional credit to help Uzbekistan modernize its irrigation and drainage infrastructure, aiming to cut water losses and improve energy efficiency across five regions.
Uzbekistan is stepping up to become a leading tourism hub in Central Asia, unveiling an ambitious roadmap under Presidential Decree No. PD-87 with transformative targets for 2025–2026."
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán reaffirmed strong bilateral ties and strategic cooperation ahead of the upcoming Turkic States Summit.
During President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s visit to Budapest, Uzbekistan and Hungary agreed on over €1.5 billion in new joint projects and outlined further cooperation in trade, finance, and culture.
Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and advancing cooperation in trade, transport, energy, and regional initiatives.
The World Bank has approved $35 million in concessional credit to help Uzbekistan improve access to geospatial data and support urban development.
Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov met with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy in London to discuss strengthening bilateral relations, covering trade, investment, culture, and global challenges. Both sides signed a Cooperation Program for 2025-2026 to deepen their partnership.
The Tazhen border checkpoint on the Kazakhstan–Uzbekistan border will remain closed for an additional four months, until September 1, 2025, according to Kazakhstan’s State Revenue Committee (KDG) of the Ministry of Finance.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev will pay official visits to Hungary and Slovenia from May 19 to 22, holding talks with top leaders and participating in key bilateral and multilateral events.
The World Bank has approved a $100 million concessional loan to Uzbekistan to help integrate renewable energy into power grids and enhance electricity reliability in key regions. The national grid operator will contribute an additional $50 million to the five-year program.
Transport ministers from China and Central Asian countries signed two memoranda of understanding to enhance digitalization and streamline cross-border freight operations, aiming to unlock greater economic, trade, and humanitarian cooperation potential in the region.
On May 15, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received a Turkish delegation led by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz to strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, particularly in trade and investment.
Uzbekistan has proposed a new law requiring bloggers and influencers with over 10,000 followers to pay taxes and follow strict rules on content verification, moderation, and advertising. The draft aims to regulate growing online influence amid rapid internet use growth in the country.
Uzbekistan is accelerating its efforts to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasizing swift progress on key negotiations and reforms to complete the accession process by 2026.
A high-level Afghan delegation led by Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat CEO Dr. Abdul Bari Omar arrived in Tajikistan to take part in a key meeting on the CASA 1000 energy project, joining regional and international partners to accelerate progress on the major cross-border power initiative.
Kyrgyzstan’s Prime Minister Adylbek Kasymaliev and EU Special Representative for Central Asia Eduards Stiprais discussed expanding energy projects and deepening bilateral and regional cooperation in the region.
Turkmenistan signed key agreements with Malaysia’s Petronas and Abu Dhabi’s ADNOC to boost cooperation in the oil and gas sector. The deals strengthen ties between Turkmennebit, Turkmengaz, and their partners, paving the way for expanded projects and enhanced energy collaboration.
Kazakhstan and Afghanistan reaffirmed cooperation during a phone call between their foreign ministers, highlighting the strategic importance of the Trans-Afghan Railway in boosting regional trade and connectivity.
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