Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin opened the session with a welcoming speech on behalf of the Government of Kazakhstan. He emphasized the significance of the visit of the Mongolian parliamentary delegation, led by Chairman of the State Great Khural Dashzegviin Amarbayasgalan - the first of its kind in over two decades.
According to Zhumangarin, the visit highlights the high level of mutual trust and the readiness of both countries to deepen cooperation.
"Kazakhstan and Mongolia are united not only by geography and the shared history of the Great Steppe, but also by cultural traditions and spiritual closeness. Our peoples have maintained friendship and good neighborliness for centuries. Today, new opportunities are opening up to bring cooperation to a new level," he said.
Source: Official information resource of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan
The meeting focused on promising areas of economic and social partnership. Plans include restoring direct air travel between the capitals, expanding flight routes, and constructing a highway to link Central and East Asia. In agriculture, the two countries see potential in joint production of eco-friendly products.
Discussions also covered science and education, with Kazakhstan offering educational grants to Mongolian students and training programs in engineering, IT, and other sectors. Cooperation in mining and energy was also on the agenda.
Zhumangarin called on business leaders to play a central role in strengthening bilateral ties.
"The successful development of business relations depends on the active involvement of entrepreneurs. I urge the business community to identify promising projects and move toward practical implementation. I am confident that today's meeting will lay the foundation for future agreements and successful contracts," he said.
In the first seven months of 2025, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Mongolia reached $74mn, a 3.6% increase compared to the same period last year. Kazakhstan's exports amounted to $71.5mn, dominated by processed and agricultural goods.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan has adopted a resolution introducing new measures to simplify the sale of land plots through electronic auctions and improve state services in the cadastral sector. The resolution came into effect on September 4, 2025.
The new measures aim to strengthen control over non-agricultural land plots allocated for entrepreneurial and urban development, allow the combination of land plots purchased with leasehold rights at auctions, ensure stability in land-legal relations, and enhance the investment climate in small industrial zones and youth entrepreneurship zones (YEZ).
To streamline public services, reduce bureaucratic barriers, and encourage modern housing construction, the resolution outlines specific steps.
Directorates of industrial zones will act as customers for the sale of land plots in small industrial zones and YEZs via electronic online auctions. Lists of YEZs in remote and desert regions will be approved and updated by the Jokargi Kenes of Karakalpakstan and regional councils.
From September 5, 2025, vacant land plots in these areas will be offered at a starting price of UZS 1 (less than a dollar), and a dedicated section, “Vacant Land Plots in Remote and Desert Areas,” will be created in the Yerelektron automated information system.
Winners of auctions for leasehold land plots intended for multi-apartment housing construction will sign electronic contracts with district or city governments, registered with the Organization of Electronic Auctions.
The contracts set out obligations including 15 days to prepare pre-project documentation, 2 months to complete design work, and 3 months to start construction, followed by the commissioning of the facility. Land plots will be withdrawn and re-auctioned if these requirements are not met.
A monitoring system will track all stages of construction and development on land plots sold at electronic auctions for entrepreneurial and urban development purposes through the “Online Mahalla” platform.
Starting October 1, 2025, allocations of land plots to participants in special economic zones and legal entities for public needs, public-private partnership projects, or social partnerships must be reflected in official land ownership documents.
The ministry reported that the first conference on attracting investments in Afghanistan’s energy sector was held in Kabul, bringing together representatives of the Afghan government, delegations from Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan, as well as international organizations and diplomatic missions.
During the event, a financial agreement was signed to build 220–500 kV power transmission lines and substations across Afghanistan. Construction on the project has already begun and is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2027. Officials noted that the initiative will help expand cooperation between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan in the electricity sector.Source: Ministry of Energy
“This conference will serve as an important step in developing the Afghan economy and the region’s sustainable energy infrastructure,” the Uzbek ministry said in a statement.
Uzbekistan also reaffirmed its commitment to support Afghanistan’s energy development in the future. Planned areas of cooperation include modernizing distribution networks, introducing smart metering systems to boost efficiency and transparency, and providing technical expertise to ensure reliable power supply.
The announcement follows agreements signed in mid-August, when Afghanistan’s state-owned power company DABS and Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Energy concluded four contracts worth $243mn. The projects cover the expansion of the 500 kV Surkhan–Dasht-e-Alwan transmission line by 1,000 megawatts, the expansion of the Arg'andah substation by 800 megavolt-amperes (MVA), the construction of the Sheikh Mesri substation in Nangarhar province, and the expansion of the 220 kV Kabul–Nangarhar (Sheikh Mesri) transmission line.
Afghanistan currently imports about 80% of its electricity. Uzbekistan is its largest supplier, followed by Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran. However, supply disruptions remain frequent due to grid outages, infrastructure limitations, and debt-related disputes.
He claimed that in Tashkent, builders are required to pay unofficial fees of up to $200,000 to secure approval for house construction. In response, the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services stated that the permitting process is fully digitalized, transparent, and free from human involvement.
