AnewZ Morning Brief – 18 May 2026
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 18th of May, covering the l...
Trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan has reached $1 billion, reflecting expanding economic cooperation and strengthening political ties between the two countries.
The figure was highlighted during a meeting in Istanbul between Marlen Mamataliev, Speaker of the Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament) of Kyrgyzstan, and Tanzila Narbaeva, Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan.
The officials discussed prospects for enhancing interparliamentary cooperation, as well as expanding trade, economic and cultural ties.
Both sides noted that improved bilateral relations in recent years have contributed to rising trade volumes, more diversified exports, and stronger business cooperation.
A key factor behind the growth has been the resolution of long-standing border disputes. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, sections of the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border remained contested, leading to periodic tensions over land, water resources and access to enclaves in the Fergana Valley.
Progress accelerated after 2017, when Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan intensified political dialogue and signed agreements delimiting large sections of the border. In 2022, Sadyr Japarov and Shavkat Mirziyoyev ratified a landmark border agreement covering the remaining disputed areas. The deal included land swaps and provisions for the joint management of water resources, particularly the Kempir-Abad (Andijan) reservoir.
The agreement effectively finalised most of the approximately 1,400-kilometre border and was described by both sides as a historic step towards stability and cooperation.
Further progress was achieved in March 2025, when Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan signed a trilateral agreement determining the junction point of their shared borders, helping to stabilise one of the most sensitive areas in Central Asia.
Experts note that resolving border issues has significantly reduced tensions in the Fergana Valley, improved cross-border mobility and created more predictable conditions for trade and investment.
Economic ties between the two countries have shown consistent growth. Trade turnover reached $846 million in 2024 and continued to rise in 2025 before hitting the $1 billion mark.
Officials from both countries emphasised that the current level of cooperation is not the ceiling. They highlighted the importance of expanding industrial cooperation, improving transport and logistics connectivity, and strengthening business-to-business links.
In addition to economic cooperation, both sides pointed to growing cultural and humanitarian exchanges, including increased tourism and people-to-people contacts.
Analysts say that the combination of resolved border issues, stronger political trust and expanding economic cooperation is laying the foundation for sustained growth in bilateral trade and deeper regional integration.
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Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, taking victory in a final overshadowed by a boycott over Israel’s participation and the war in Gaza.
At least eight people were injured after a driver rammed a car into pedestrians in the northern Italian city of Modena, authorities said on Saturday. Four of the victims were reported to be in serious condition.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington could destroy Iran’s infrastructure “in two days,” while Tehran warned the U.S. would face growing economic costs from the conflict. The remarks came as Hezbollah reported new attacks on Israeli forces despite an extended Lebanon ceasefire.
At least eight people have died and 32 others were injured after a freight train collided with a public bus at a railway crossing in Bangkok on Saturday (16 May), triggering a fire that quickly spread through the vehicle.
U.S. President Donald Trump says China's Xi Jinping agreed Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran prepares a new shipping mechanism. Tensions over the U.S. blockade and stalled nuclear talks continue to disrupt global oil supplies.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has held a series of high‑level meetings with world leaders and delegations on the sidelines of the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Baku, with discussions focusing on energy, economic cooperation and international partnerships.
Thousands of displaced families in Gaza are facing growing infestations of rats and insects as worsening sanitation conditions and mounting waste deepen the humanitarian crisis across overcrowded camps, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
Uzbekistan has launched a nationwide environmental initiative titled ‘Day Without Cars’, which will take place twice a month as part of efforts to improve air quality and reduce vehicle emissions.
The thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum will open in Baku on Sunday, bringing together government representatives, city leaders, urban planners, international organisations, businesses and civil society to discuss the future of sustainable urban development.
Matiul Haq Khalis, Director General of Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency, has travelled to Baku to attend the 13th World Urban Forum, where climate change and safer cities will be discussed.
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