Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine have agreed to introduce unified transit permits for freight transport. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Transport.
The relevant intergovernmental agreement was signed on May 15 of this year at a meeting of the TRACECA Intergovernmental Commission in Astana. It provides for the introduction of a single transit permit form in all five countries.
The document will allow carriers to cross the territories of several participating states using a single form without additional documents. The decision aims to eliminate administrative barriers and speed up transit.
AZERBAIJAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, transit permits, UKRAINE, UZBEKISTAN
British energy company BP announced the acquisition of a 40% stake in a production-sharing agreement covering six oil and gas exploration blocks in the Ustyurt region of Uzbekistan. This marks the company’s return to traditional energy investments.
BP had previously scaled back its exploration activities in the region in 2021 as part of a “green” energy strategy adopted under former CEO Bernard Looney, who committed to reducing oil and gas production by 40% by 2030.
Since then, the company has refocused on fossil fuels.
“We believe Uzbekistan has significant resource potential and view this as an opportunity to support the exploration and development of the country’s oil and gas resources,” said Joe Cristofoli.
BP, GAS, OIL, UZBEKISTAN
According to data for January–February 2026, Ukraine ranked second among the largest suppliers of chocolate products to Uzbekistan. This was reported by the National Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan.
According to official data, in the first two months of 2026, Uzbekistan imported approximately 6,600 tons of chocolate products worth $27.7 million from 34 countries. At the same time, the volume of imports decreased by 1,100 tons compared to the same period last year.
Russia remains the largest supplier of chocolate to Uzbekistan, with a volume of 4,407 tons. Ukraine ranks second with 607 tons. Next are Turkmenistan with 209.1 tons, Kazakhstan with 201.8 tons, and Turkey with 190.7 tons.
Thus, Ukrainian producers maintain a strong position in the Uzbek chocolate market, trailing only Russian suppliers and outpacing other regional exporters.
According to Fixygen, on April 1 of this year, Uzbekistan issued sovereign international bonds denominated in local currency on global financial markets for an amount equivalent to $1 billion, at a historically low interest rate of 12.25%. This was reported by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
For comparison: the yield on similar three-year issues in previous years was significantly higher—16.625% in 2024 and 15.5% in 2025. The decline in borrowing costs reflects growing confidence among global investors in the republic’s macroeconomic stability and the reform agenda outlined in the “Uzbekistan-2030” Strategy.
Demand from foreign investors was overwhelming.
During the auction on April 1, nearly 50 major funds from the U.S., Europe, Asia, and the Middle East submitted bids totaling 24.3 trillion soums, which was four times the initial offering. As a result, bonds worth 12.2 trillion soums were successfully placed. Notably, the final yield was even lower than the yield on Uzbekistan’s domestic financial market.
The relevant agency highlighted the uniqueness of the event: this issuance of Eurobonds in the national currency became the largest transaction of its kind in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa over the past 15 years. The success of the placement confirmed the stability of the country’s economy even amid ongoing geopolitical tensions worldwide.
On March 25 of this year, the President of Uzbekistan reviewed a presentation on the establishment of the Tashkent International Financial Center, the launch of the International Center for Digital Technologies, and the introduction of Islamic finance mechanisms into the banking system.
It was noted that the current geopolitical situation opens up additional opportunities for attracting international capital, and it is important for Uzbekistan to promptly take advantage of this window of opportunity. To achieve the goal of attracting more than $50 billion in investments this year, the focus is on simplifying market access for investors, creating a transparent business environment, adopting international legal standards, and offering additional incentives.
The key areas identified are the development of the financial and digital sectors, as well as the diversification of banking services through Islamic finance. It is expected that the institutions being established will ensure an influx of new types of investment, job creation, export growth, and the improvement of workforce skills. The initiatives include:
Following the presentation, the President instructed that the practical implementation of certain initiatives be accelerated, emphasizing their importance for the development of a modern and competitive economy.
The Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan invites everyone to participate in the 2026 Tashkent International Marathon, which will take place on April 5, 2026, in Tashkent.
The marathon is timed to coincide with the celebration of the national holiday Navruz and aims to strengthen international friendship, foster cooperation, and promote a healthy lifestyle. The event is organized in accordance with World Athletics requirements and is aimed at obtaining World Athletics Label Road Race status, which guarantees a high level of organization and compliance with international standards.
The program includes the following distances:
• Marathon (42.195 km)
• Half Marathon (21.097 km)
• 10 km
• 5 km
• 2 km (race for people with disabilities)
• 3 km (Nordic walking)
• Kids Run (1 km, 600 m, 400 m)
