Samarkand is hosting the 59th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), where global leaders have gathered to discuss regional growth, as the bank unveils a major $70 billion initiative to strengthen energy and digital connectivity across Asia and the Pacific.
A central announcement of the forum is a major programme led by the ADB to support cross-border energy integration and digital infrastructure development through to 2035.
The initiative will focus on linking regional power grids, expanding electricity trade between countries, and improving broadband access, particularly in remote and landlocked areas. According to officials, the programme aims to enhance economic integration, reduce energy costs and improve digital inclusion across the region.
ADB President Masato Kanda stated that energy and digital access will define the region’s future, with plans to connect 22,000 kilometres of power lines, integrate 20 gigawatts of renewable energy, and improve electricity access for 200 million people. The initiative is also expected to create hundreds of thousands of jobs and significantly reduce emissions.
Held under the theme “Crossroads of Progress”, the meeting in Samarkand brings together more than 4,000 delegates from more than 100 countries, including government officials, financial institutions and private-sector leaders.
Discussions are centred on green transformation, energy transition, digitalisation, food security and strengthening supply chains, all seen as critical to long-term economic resilience.
Major international institutions, including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, are also taking part, highlighting the forum’s role as a key platform for global economic dialogue.
Uzbekistan has been a member of the ADB since 1995 and remains one of its largest partners, with a total project portfolio approaching $16 billion.
The country is hosting the annual meeting for the second time, underscoring its increasing role in regional cooperation and its ambitions to position itself as a key hub for connectivity and development across Central Asia.
The discussions in Samarkand are expected to shape future approaches to infrastructure, investment and regional integration, as countries seek to balance economic growth with sustainability and resilience.
U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to make the Strait of Hormuz part of U.S. territory have been mocked by Iran's Deputy Foreign Ministe...
For fishermen along Pakistan’s southwestern coast, the consequences of the U.S.-Iran conflict are being felt far from the battlefield....
At least 47 people have been killed after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off eastern Indonesia early on Saturday, ...
Hundreds of flights have been cancelled or rerouted at Catania Airport over the past week as ash from Mount Etna’s ongoing eruption continues to disrupt air travel in Sicily.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
The U.S. will impose unprecedented measures on Iran in order to economically isolate the country, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said.
Wildfires across England and Wales have reached their highest level on record, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council, as firefighters struggle to contain outbreaks following a spell of extreme heat.
Record rainfall in Japan killed eight people and stranded thousands of travellers at Tokyo's Narita Airport on Friday, as flooding disrupted transport and cut power to 20,000 homes.
For fishermen along Pakistan’s southwestern coast, the consequences of the U.S.-Iran conflict are being felt far from the battlefield.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry has expressed regret over the death of a 21-year-old pregnant woman killed by gunfire across the border in Tajikistan’s Darvoz district. Dushanbe has issued a formal protest to Kabul over the incident, which it said involved a violation of its airspace.
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan all reported blackouts on Friday, which Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry said had been caused by a "sudden change in the power flow" from the Central Asian grid.
The United Nations has urged sustained international engagement with Afghanistan five years into Taliban rule, warning that restrictions on women and terrorism concerns risk undermining gains from improved security.
Iran says the U.S. war and military presence in the region have worsened marine pollution around the Strait of Hormuz, calling for environmental protection to form part of future arrangements governing the strategic waterway.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment