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.
Russian oil company Lukoil plans to expand its activities in Uzbekistan, with potential areas including geological exploration, hydrocarbon development and retail fuel sales. The plans were discussed during a meeting between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Lukoil founder Vagit Alekperov.
Uzbekistan’s grape exports have grown rapidly. In January-August 2025, the country exported 86,200 tonnes of fresh grapes worth $78.3 million to 19 countries but can it turn these crops into a recognisable international product?
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates are exploring a new railway through Afghanistan that could open another route for Central Asian cargo to Pakistan’s seaports.
Central Asian businesses and experts are proposing closer digital integration across Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, with the aim of making it easier for technology companies to operate across a regional market of more than 80 million people.
Over the past few years, Uzbekistan has expanded its startup ecosystem, IT exports and digital infrastructure - all highlighted recently as the country hosted ICTWEEK 2026. The next challenge is turning that growth into a larger part of the economy.
The Persian Gulf is becoming an increasingly important partner for Uzbekistan’s technology sector. ICTWEEK Uzbekistan 2026 shows that interest is not limited to startups: companies from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Oman are looking at data centres, fintech, cloud services, AI and others.
In a workshop in Margilan, in eastern Uzbekistan's Fergana Region, silk threads are still being transformed into brightly coloured atlas and adras fabrics using techniques passed down through generations.
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