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Uzbekistan’s trade, accommodation, and food service industries maintained robust growth in the first quarter of 2025, with Gross Value Added (GVA) in these sectors reaching 39.1 trillion soums (approximately $3.8 billion), according to data from the National Statistical Committee.
This marks an 8.8% year-on-year increase in real terms, reflecting a steady expansion of the country’s services sector, which has become a vital engine of Uzbekistan’s broader economic development strategy.
The current growth builds on a multi-year upward trend:
Though annual growth rates have fluctuated slightly, the overall trajectory remains positive. After peaking at 107.2% in 2023, growth slowed modestly to 104.6% in 2024 before rebounding to 108.8% in the first quarter of 2025.
Economic Significance
The trade and hospitality sectors are increasingly integral to Uzbekistan’s economic diversification goals, especially as the country moves away from a traditional reliance on extractive industries. The expansion of these industries is also creating jobs, stimulating domestic consumption, and attracting private investment.
The government has prioritized improvements in business regulation, infrastructure, and digitalization to support continued development in services. Analysts suggest that if the current pace continues, Uzbekistan is well-positioned to expand its role as a regional hub for commerce and tourism in Central Asia.
The Oligarch’s Design is an investigative documentary exploring how financial power, political influence and carefully constructed narratives can shape conflict and public perception.
Japan has lifted a tsunami advisory issued after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the country's northeastern region on Friday (12 December), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA had earlier put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.7.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated his offer to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Ankara, at his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The talks took place on the sidelines of the international Forum for Peace and Trust in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on Friday (12 December).
The United States issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela on Thursday, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.
The resignation of Bulgaria's government on Thursday (11 December) puts an end to an increasingly unpopular coalition but is likely to usher in a period of prolonged political instability on the eve of the Black Sea nation's entry into the euro zone.
The Israeli military said Raed Saed, described as one of the architects of the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, was killed on Saturday when a vehicle was hit in Gaza City.
A flash of light followed by the sound of an explosion was observed over Gaza early on Saturday, according to witnesses, as severe winter storms worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis in the territory.
Hundreds of people gathered for a second consecutive week at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, on Friday (12 December), to support the family of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last remaining Israeli hostage whose body is believed to be held in Gaza.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for a closed-door discussion on the sidelines of the International Forum for Peace and Trust in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on Friday.
Kazakhstan has begun redirecting part of its crude exports, sending oil from Kashagan to China as the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) operates at reduced capacity.
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