Trade along the Middle Corridor is accelerating, opening new opportunities for Central Asia and the South Caucasus as countries strengthen transport links between China and Europe. Cargo volumes reached around 4.7 million tonnes in 2025, up from less than one million tonnes in 2021.
Kazakhstan says the North Aral Sea’s water volume has risen by 24 per cent since 2022, reaching 23.4 billion cubic metres. The figures were unveiled at the COP31 climate conference in Antalya, Türkiye, as the country outlined ambitious plans to accelerate restoration.
Uzbekistan has launched 145 investment projects worth $7.8 billion in its Bukhara region, aiming to create more than 14,000 jobs, boost industrial production and exports, and drive economic growth beyond the capital, Tashkent.
Tajikistan has banned electronic cigarettes and nicotine delivery systems, becoming the latest Central Asian country to outlaw their production, import and sale as part of a wider push to protect public health.
Central Asia could gain up to $640 million a year from closer energy cooperation, but strained electricity grids threaten to limit those gains, with Kazakhstan particularly exposed to regional power shortages and growing pressure on its network.
Uzbekistan is launching a new fashion academy in Tashkent to help local clothing manufacturers build their own brands, sharpen design skills and compete in international markets.
Kazakhstan could begin building its first nuclear power plant in 2027, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on 28 October, according to Azertac. But as Central Asia steps up its energy ambitions, which countries are investing in nuclear power and which are pursuing alternatives?
Uzbekistan has launched Apple Pay and Google Pay, allowing customers at several local banks to make contactless payments using their smartphones and other compatible devices.
Uzbekistan is moving into a new phase in the development of Islamic finance, with the country’s first Islamic banking licence issued shortly before a regional forum in Samarkand brought together industry players to discuss how the sector can expand across Central Asia.
Uzbekistan summoned Iran’s ambassador following claims by several Iranian diplomatic missions that the historical and architectural heritage of Samarkand belongs to Persian or Iranian-Islamic civilisation, Tashkent's Foreign Ministry said.
Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has approved a new alphabet, bringing the Latin-script Uzbek alphabet closer to other alphabets used in the Turkic world.
Investing in children means more than funding schools and hospitals. At a major international summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, leaders and experts called for a joined-up approach to healthcare, education and social protection to improve children's lives.
The C5+1 ministerial meeting in Samarkand has strengthened economic ties between the U.S. and Central Asia, with Uzbekistan securing 54 agreements and initiatives worth around $12 billion with U.S. companies and institutions.
More than 200 U.S. business leaders have joined Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Uzbekistan as Washington steps up efforts to turn closer diplomatic ties with Central Asia into trade and investment deals.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Sunday for talks with Central Asian officials, as the Trump administration seeks to strengthen ties with a resource-rich region bordering China, Russia and Iran.
Uzbekistan welcomed 10.3 million foreign tourists in the first nine months of 2026, up 20.4 per cent year-on-year, as the Central Asian nation pushes towards its ambitious goal of attracting 20 million visitors annually by 2030.
Uzbekistan's freight volumes along the Middle Corridor have doubled in five years, highlighting the growing importance of Azerbaijan and the Port of Baku as key links in its trade routes to Europe.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is in Baku for the seventh Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Summit on 14–15 October, as Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan seek to turn stronger political ties into deeper economic cooperation.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will depart on Saturday (17 October) on a five-day trip to India and Uzbekistan, the State Department said, adding that he will discuss energy cooperation in India.
Georgia and Uzbekistan are aiming to nearly quadruple annual trade to $1 billion, up from $267.6 million in 2025, as the two countries seek to strengthen economic ties and expand transport links.
Georgia is seeking to join the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan transport route as part of efforts to boost trade and strengthen access to international markets. The country is also investing in transport infrastructure and deepening economic ties with Uzbekistan.
YouTube star Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, visited Tashkent on 9 October for a fan event organised by Uzbekistan’s Art and Culture Development Foundation. The visit marked his first trip to Central Asia.
Uzbekistan has unveiled plans to deepen economic ties with Central Asia and Azerbaijan, proposing shared artificial intelligence infrastructure, a critical minerals alliance and a regional trade strategy extending to 2035.
Uzbekistan and Russia have a portfolio of more than 200 joint projects worth almost $6 billion, as the two countries continue to expand regional and business ties. The projects were discussed during the third meeting of the Council of Regions of Russia and Uzbekistan, held in Fergana, Uzbekistan.
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