AGP Executive Report

Energy & Infrastructure Push: Uzbekistan is moving fast on pumped-storage power, launching pilot projects that will eventually add three plants totaling 1,400 MW by 2032, boosting hydropower capacity and grid flexibility. Finance & Global Links: Uzbekistan officially joined the New Development Bank, a BRICS-backed lender, aiming to unlock more infrastructure and sustainable-development funding. Diplomacy & Trade: Qatar is exploring fresh trade and investment cooperation with Uzbekistan, while Uzbekistan and the OSCE are lining up a new roadmap to expand work on cybercrime, digitalization/AI, youth, and the green agenda. Water & Climate Resilience: Experts are warning that food insecurity and water scarcity are rising, urging climate-smart tech—while Uzbekistan continues basin-level water management efforts and soil-salinity work in the Aral Sea region. Social & Human Capital: A nationwide pediatric audiology screening is underway for children in specialized boarding schools, and a new national reading movement is being launched to strengthen independent thinking in the AI era. Business & Connectivity: Fly Khiva will start direct Istanbul–Termez flights, and Uzbekistan is pitching innovation projects at the “Kelajak uchun” forum.

CIS & Regional Diplomacy: Kazakhstan’s PM Bektenov joined the CIS Council of Heads of Government in Ashgabat, with talks also covering trade, transit, transport, energy and agriculture. OSCE Roadmap: In Tashkent, Uzbekistan met OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioğlu and agreed to draft a new cooperation roadmap, with priorities ranging from cybercrime and AI to youth programs and the green agenda. Water & Climate Resilience: Kashkadarya hosted the 5th Zarafshan River Basin Council meeting, pushing practical steps under a climate-resilient water management project, while civil society also fed into outcomes from the 8th Central Asian Climate Change Conference. Health & Inclusion: Uzbekistan launched nationwide pediatric audiology screening for children in specialized boarding schools under the “I Want to Hear!” project. Digital & Space: Uzbekistan discussed satellite communications development with Amazon’s LEO partner, aiming for secure digital services. Disaster Response: Navoi Region crews continue clearing mudflow damage after heavy rainfall. Sports Support: APEX Insurance became a general insurance partner of the Uzbekistan Football Association, backing teams and staff with coverage and development initiatives.

CIS Parliament Push: Uzbekistan’s Senate Chair Tanzila Narbaeva joined a CIS IPA Council meeting in St. Petersburg, where the CIS agenda is now turning to an autumn assembly in Ashgabat—showing Central Asia’s steady push for regional parliamentary coordination. Water Security: In Kashkadarya, the 5th Zarafshan River Basin Council meeting has started, with field visits across irrigation sites under a climate-resilient water management project that also brings in partners from Tajikistan. Diplomacy with OSCE: In Tashkent, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioglu and agreed a new roadmap, with priorities spanning cybercrime, digitalization/AI, youth, and the green agenda. Trade & Investment: Uzbekistan held talks with Adani and AD Ports on energy, chemicals, critical minerals, and logistics corridors—while a separate Uzbekistan–Afghanistan business push in Kabul focused on textiles, cotton processing, leather, and joint factories. Everyday Economy: Korean food corners are set to open in Korzinka supermarkets, and Uzbekistan is also scaling a sweet cherry value-chain program with FAO and China’s OCOP initiative.

Migration Policy in Focus: Uzbekistan just hosted the first Tashkent International Migration Forum (May 18–19), bringing nearly 600 specialists to push safe, legal labor migration. The talks zeroed in on rights protection, training and language support, and better social guarantees—ending with a package of practical steps, including the opening of the INTIL language and vocational center in Tashkent and about 20 new agreements signed with major foreign employers to make labor mobility more transparent and stable. Trade & Industry Push: At the Syria–Uzbekistan Economic Forum in Aleppo, Uzbek electrical firms showcased products and SamFerre signed a memorandum aimed at entering the Syrian market through B2B deals and export deliveries. Regional Economic Ties: Uzbekistan–EAEU trade topped $18 billion in 2025, with officials pointing to transit and industrial cooperation as the next growth lever. Urban Development at WUF13: Uzbekistan’s representatives at the World Urban Forum in Baku stressed sustainable housing and a citizen-friendly push for clearer city terminology. Water & Environment Watch: A new ranking flags Turkmenistan’s extremely high freshwater withdrawal per person, driven mainly by irrigation for cotton—raising fresh pressure on regional water governance.

Metro Funding Boost: President Mirziyoyev has approved $84.3m in state financing to expand the Tashkent Metro through 2030—aiming for 1.8m daily riders, 79 stations and 103km of track, alongside governance changes to bring in more independent oversight. Aviation Digital Leap: IATA rolled out its Baggage Community System (BCS) to help airlines and airports move toward the newer BIX baggage messaging standard without breaking older systems. Water & Utilities Modernization: Bukhara’s water utility received 45 modern vehicles to speed repairs and emergency response as Uzbekistan continues upgrading water infrastructure. Tourism & Hospitality: Reikartz launched a premium “Dacha Charvak” retreat with just four duplex units, opening in June 2026. Weather Protection for Farmers: Uzhydromet deployed anti-hail rockets across Namangan to weaken storm cells and reduce crop damage. Capital Markets Milestone (context): Uzbekistan’s first dual IPO via UzNIF began trading in London and Tashkent, signaling deeper market opening.

Capital Markets Move: Uzbekistan just pulled off its first dual IPO, with UzNIF starting trading on both the London Stock Exchange and Tashkent—selling a 31% stake for about $603.6m (up to ~$692m if fully topped up) and drawing $2.8bn in demand, a clear signal that the state is opening more assets to global investors. Weather Protection for Farmers: Uzhydromet deployed anti-hail rockets across Namangan to weaken storm cells and protect crops, firing 57 Alazan-6 rockets in targeted districts. Digital Push in Education: The “Ishonch-2030” program is expanding digital transformation in schools, training teachers and leaders across regions to use ICT and AI tools in classrooms and school management. Creative Economy Boost: Uzbekistan’s Senate approved incentives to grow the creative sector, including tax breaks for specialists and foreign contractors tied to creative-industry projects.

SOCAR Expansion: SOCAR is pushing deeper into Africa, adding to its growth plan after a new upstream investment move tied to Eni’s Baleine field off the Ivory Coast—signaling more regional energy ambitions beyond the Caspian. Aral Sea & GDI: A Uzbek expert linked to the Tianshan Award is highlighting China–Uzbekistan cooperation on reviving the Aral Sea as a model for the Global Development Initiative. Digital Push: Uzbekistan keeps accelerating school digitalization under “Ishonch-2030,” training teachers to use ICT and AI tools in classrooms and management. Investment Momentum: Uzbekistan’s UzNIF IPO is framed as a milestone for investor confidence and rule clarity, ahead of the 5th Tashkent International Investment Forum in June. Governance & Safety: The Senate is asking for a report on emergency monitoring systems after 82 emergency situations were recorded in 2025, while lawmakers also approved steps to boost the creative economy. Trade & Food: Kashkadarya has started early watermelon exports, with shipments moving to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia.

Uzbekistan’s investment push goes global: The Uzbekistan National Investment Fund (UzNIF) has been listed on the London Stock Exchange, a milestone framed as proof that reforms are becoming more “understandable” for international investors ahead of the 5th Tashkent International Investment Forum on June 16–18. Automotive momentum: President Mirziyoyev reviewed plans to expand vehicle assembly—Volkswagen is set to begin assembly in Uzbekistan—while local supply chains and credit-based car sales keep widening. Digital education: The “Ishonch-2030” push is expanding digital transformation in schools, training teachers across regions with ICT and AI tools. Creative economy boost: The Senate approved incentives to grow Uzbekistan’s creative sector, including tax breaks for eligible specialists and foreign contractors (2026–2030). Safety and resilience: Senators asked for a report on the emergency monitoring system after 82 emergency situations were recorded in 2025. Regional trade: Kashkadarya has started early watermelon exports, with shipments moving to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia.

World Urban Forum momentum: Uzbekistan’s Shavkat Mirziyoyev is in Baku for WUF13, pushing a Smart Cities Alliance and a UN-Habitat “Green City” award, while also meeting UN-Habitat to draft a joint roadmap on safer, more affordable housing and greener urban planning. Green economy & tech showcase: Eco Expo Central Asia 2026 is set to spotlight green startups and clean-tech, with organizers expecting major international participation. Circular energy push: Germany’s GLOTECH plans to expand energy-efficiency projects in Ferghana, including audits and modernization for industry and buildings. Trade, culture, and regional ties: Uzbekistan registered a Gijduvan ceramics geographical indication, and the US–Turkic Business Alliance has launched in New York to connect entrepreneurs across Turkic states. Clean hydrogen angle: Uzbekistan’s airport operator signed an MoU to secure SAF and eSAF from a Khorezm green hydrogen biorefinery—another step toward industrial-scale clean fuels.

OTS Summit Pushback: Kazakhstan’s President Tokayev says the Organization of Turkic States is not becoming a military alliance, stressing it’s a platform for trade, tech, culture and people-to-people ties—while also calling for stronger Turkic unity and an AI/digital cooperation agenda. Uzbekistan at WUF13: In Baku, Shavkat Mirziyoyev thanked Ilham Aliyev for WUF13’s “flawless” organization and used the housing-and-cities forum to highlight the global shelter crisis and Uzbekistan’s readiness to contribute to urban rebuilding. Bilateral Momentum: Serbia’s Vucic met Mirziyoyev in Baku, pointing to new opportunities in energy, infrastructure, digitalization and transport corridors. Local Value From Minerals: Central Asia is urging more processing and jobs from critical minerals, not just exports of raw materials. Agriculture Tech Link: Samarkand and UC Davis expand cooperation on virus-free seedlings, phytosanitary standards and export-ready crops. Finance & Rules: Uzbekistan’s Central Bank opens a draft to tighten payment-operator licensing via beneficial-owner transparency.

World Urban Forum spotlight: Azerbaijan’s WUF13 in Baku is drawing major global media attention, with the UN-backed agenda focused on safe, resilient cities and housing policy—already pulling tens of thousands of participants from 180 countries. Uzbekistan on the move: Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is set to attend WUF13’s Leaders’ Summit in Baku, while Tashkent also pushes forest and greening diplomacy at UN forums and backs practical climate resilience steps. Green & land reforms: Uzbekistan plans to bring 938,000 hectares of rainfed and pasture land into use via digitized, auction-based allocation and targeted finance. Energy safety and low-carbon ties: Uzbekistan and ROSEN expand oil & gas safety cooperation, and energy officials join low-carbon seminars with China. Regional integration: Uzbekistan continues to frame Turkic-world integration around digital corridors and AI cooperation, as BRICS diplomacy runs in parallel.

Beekeeping for jobs: TİKA has launched a beekeeping project in Kashkadarya for women and young entrepreneurs, with training and modern hives for 20 participants—aimed at steady rural income and better biodiversity through pollination. Land mobilization: President Mirziyoyev signed a decree to bring 938,000 hectares of rainfed and pasture land into agricultural use, using auction-based private-sector access plus $300m in state-backed financing. Energy safety upgrade: Uzbekistan and ROSEN Group agreed to expand oil-and-gas safety cooperation, focusing on risk-based inspections and stronger regulatory capacity. Global climate and forests: Uzbekistan presented forest initiatives at a UN forum, highlighting “Yashil Makon” tree-planting and desertification concerns. Urban spotlight: Mirziyoyev will attend the World Urban Forum in Baku to push safe, sustainable housing and climate-resilient cities. Digital and payments momentum: The Central Bank opened a draft on payment licensing rules to boost beneficial-owner transparency, while UZCARD and Mastercard move to expand cashless and cross-border digital payments. Regional business links: A US–Turkic Business Alliance has launched in New York to connect entrepreneurs and investment projects across Turkic states.

Turkic Integration Push: Uzbekistan’s President Mirziyoyev used the OTS informal summit in Turkistan to argue that Turkic-world integration is a “long-term strategic” priority, pointing to new institutions like the Turkic Investment Fund and a green-financing council. Digital Payments & Rules: The Central Bank of Uzbekistan opened a draft update to payment-operator licensing, aiming to tighten beneficial-ownership transparency and align procedures with global anti–money laundering standards. BRICS Diplomacy: Uzbekistan sent First Deputy FM Bahromjon Aliev to BRICS foreign ministers in Delhi, stressing innovation-led growth and reform of global governance. Energy & Industry Deals: Talks with EDF focused on expanding generation and modernizing infrastructure; Uzbekistan also discussed mining equipment production with Swedish Ferrit. Tech & Culture: Tashkent hosted Global Tech Weekend with 120 speakers, while Khiva’s Lazgi festival drew international performers. Senate Calendar: Uzbekistan’s Senate plenary is set for 18 May, with bills spanning e-commerce, digital labeling, and protections for children and women.

Central Banking Overhaul: Uzbekistan’s Central Bank has opened a draft for public comment on new payment rules, aiming to tighten licensing transparency by defining “beneficial owners” and aligning procedures with global anti–money laundering standards. Turkic Integration Push: President Mirziyoyev told the Organization of Turkic States summit in Turkestan that Turkic-world integration matches long-term strategic interests, while also backing AI and a “Digital Turkic Corridor.” BRICS Diplomacy: Uzbekistan joined BRICS foreign ministers in Delhi, with its deputy FM stressing innovation-led growth and reforms to global governance. Parliament on the Move: The Senate is set for a plenary session on 18 May, with draft laws ranging from e-commerce and WTO alignment to child and women’s protections. Energy & Industry Deals: Talks with EDF explore energy cooperation, while Swedish Ferrit discussed launching mining equipment production in Uzbekistan. Sports & Culture: Uzbekistan’s presence at a global tech festival and a new viticulture cooperation push with Grapa Global keep the week’s momentum beyond politics.

Turkic Digital Push: President Mirziyoyev used the OTS summit in Turkestan to propose a Digital Turkic Corridor, a strategic AI cooperation network, and a Turkic cybersecurity alliance, arguing the Turkic bloc must integrate faster as global trust in institutions weakens. Tech on the Ground: Tashkent hosted Global Tech Weekend (15–17 May) with 120 speakers, while Uzbekistan also moved on digital finance—UZCARD and Mastercard signed to expand cashless payments and cross-border settlements, with cybersecurity front and center. Regional Connectivity: Uzbekistan and Russia are working on a Trans-Afghan Railway feasibility study for a Termez–Mazar-i-Sharif–Kabul–Peshawar corridor, reviving an idea paused after Afghanistan’s political shifts. Human Rights & UN Ties: Uzbekistan met UN bodies on women’s rights (CEDAW) and broader volunteer cooperation, while also discussing multilateral progress with UN leadership. Business & Finance: The Legislative Chamber approved a law for a Tashkent International Financial Center, aiming for a separate legal regime to attract investors.

Green Corridor Momentum: Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan met in Tashkent to push the Green Energy Corridor, reviewing cross-border renewable power plans and new transmission lines after recent state-level groundwork. Finance & Mining: Uzbekistan held talks with Société Générale on investment banking, eurobonds and syndicated loans, including rare-earth and mining financing. Food Security Push: Turkmenistan’s Agro Pack Turkmenistan-2026 drew international firms as FAO-backed efforts target modern farming, packaging and reduced import dependence. Water Governance Warning: A new global focus is emerging on water as the climate era’s biggest governance gap—hitting food, energy and stability. Human Capital & Women’s Leadership: Uzbekistan hosted major women’s leadership discussions in Bukhara, linking empowerment with innovation and economic growth. Local Development: Samarkand published a draft master plan through 2045, setting rules for growth, transport and green heritage protection.