According to the Ukrainian portal Delo.ua, Uzbekistan has become one of the largest foreign buyers of Ukrainian sugar based on the results of the first three quarters of the current marketing year. During this period, Ukraine exported 504,000 tons of sugar, with the Uzbek market accounting for 12% of all shipments.
According to information from Ukrtsukor, the main importers of Ukrainian sugar also include Lebanon (21%), European Union countries (18%), and Syria (14%). In total, about half of the exported product was sent to countries in the Middle East.
Experts note that the increase in shipments to Uzbekistan indicates the strengthening of the republic’s role as one of the key markets for Ukrainian sugar in Central Asia. The rise in demand is attributed, in particular, to changes in logistics routes and a reduction in sugar shipments from the United Arab Emirates to countries in the region.
At the same time, Uzbekistan remains one of the leading buyers of other Ukrainian agricultural products. According to data from the State Customs Service of Ukraine, in January–April 2026, the republic ranked second among importers of Ukrainian frozen beef. Uzbekistan accounted for 28.1% of total exports of this product, trailing only Azerbaijan (39.1%) and ahead of China (11.2%).
Uzbekistan plans to implement a number of large-scale infrastructure projects in the fields of road and air transport, aimed at improving regional connectivity, developing logistics, and increasing the country’s transit potential.
One of the key projects will be the construction of the alternative “Tashkent–Samarkand” highway. The new 282-km road will pass through the Tashkent, Sirdarya, Jizzakh, and Samarkand regions. This first-class highway, featuring a concrete pavement and six lanes, will allow speeds of up to 150 km/h.
The project includes the construction of 12 interchanges, 91 bridges, 16 overpasses, 60 underpasses, and over 250 drainage structures. There are also plans to implement an intelligent transportation system, build terminals, roadside service facilities, and weigh stations. The goal is to accelerate negotiations with potential investors and begin construction as soon as possible.
At the same time, the modernization of aviation infrastructure is underway. Currently, seven international airports are being reconstructed, and in recent years, new airports have opened in Muynak, Kokand, Zama, Shakhrisabz, Saryasi, and Soh districts. The total number of airports in Uzbekistan has reached 18.
Particular attention is being paid to the development of the Navoi International Airport as a major logistics hub. By 2030, the number of flights here is planned to increase 2.3-fold—to 7,000 per year. Passenger traffic is expected to reach 150,000 people, and cargo traffic—45,000 tons annually. A “free port” economic zone is also planned on the airport grounds, focused on providing technical and commercial services to aircraft.
The project to build the “New Tashkent” International Airport has also been reviewed. The new aviation complex will be able to serve up to 20 million passengers per year. The project involves the construction of a terminal with an area of over 208,000 square meters, the construction of two runways, each four kilometers long, and the creation of 169 aircraft parking bays. Preparatory work and negotiations with design and contracting organizations are currently underway.
Another priority will be the development of a system to supply civil aviation with jet fuel. By 2030, jet fuel production is planned to reach 600,000 tons per year, and storage capacity is to be increased from 49,000 to 80,000 tons. New fuel complexes will be built at the airports in Navoi, Andijan, Bukhara, Urgench, and New Tashkent.
A phased transition to international standards for aircraft storage and refueling is also planned, along with the full digitization of fuel complex management and stricter monitoring of compliance with technical requirements.
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.
