Abdurakhmanov highlighted the scale of the challenge, noting that the country’s agriculture requires around 40bn cubic meters of water annually, but only 32bn cubic meters are being supplied.
“The deficit is very large. We are spending a significant portion of water on washing saline soils in Khorezm and Karakalpakstan three times a year. About 3.5bn cubic meters of water in cotton cultivation alone goes mainly to this process,” the minister said.
Abdurakhmanov also pointed to the alarming rise in salinization caused by the use of mineral fertilizers.
“Today, there are about 100,000 hectares of highly saline lands. Will so much land become wasteland?” he asked.
To address the issue, the ministry plans to support scientific research aimed at developing crop varieties resistant to salinity and boosting soil fertility.
“We will pay special attention to soil fertility until 2030. Currently, the income from one hectare of land is $2,000–$3,000. We are obliged to increase this to at least $5,000,” Abdurakhmanov stated.
Uzbekistan’s water scarcity problem is part of a wider regional challenge in Central Asia. Earlier, experts warned that water resources are shrinking due to climate change and inefficient irrigation methods. Despite rising demand, many farms continue to rely on outdated irrigation systems that waste significant amounts of water.
Another factor adding to concerns is the construction of the Qosh Tepa Canal by the Taliban in Afghanistan’s Amu Darya basin. Once operational, the canal could divert up to 20 percent of the river’s water, threatening Uzbekistan’s already limited supply.
Analysts cautioned that without urgent reforms and investment in modern water-saving technologies, the region could face severe consequences. Some even predict that within the next decade, water in Central Asia may become more expensive than gasoline.
Nearly 300 tons of food, medicine, and medical supplies were transported to Afghanistan’s Balkh region on behalf of the people of Uzbekistan to support residents of the quake-affected Kunar and Nangarhar provinces.
The aid shipment included flour, rice, sugar, pasta, confectionery, rice cakes, bottled drinking water, oil, fast food items, red beans, mung beans, 5,000 blankets, and more than 10 tons of medicines and medical supplies. Afghan officials expressed their gratitude for the assistance.
The humanitarian support comes in the aftermath of a magnitude 6 earthquake that struck Afghanistan on August 31. Latest figures show that the quake killed over 2,200 people, injured more than 3,200, and damaged or destroyed upwards of 8,000 houses.
Afghanistan has suffered repeated earthquakes in recent years. In 2023, powerful tremors in Herat province claimed over 2,400 lives, destroyed thousands of houses, and displaced tens of thousands of people.
China and the United Kingdom have also extended support to Afghanistan in the wake of the earthquake. China’s embassy, along with Chinese organizations and the Overseas Chinese Association, provided relief supplies through the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority.
Meanwhile, the UK pledged £1mn ($1.34mn) in emergency funding, to be shared between the UNFPA and the IFRC, aimed at delivering urgent aid to families in the hardest-hit regions.
The Senate of Uzbekistan has revealed in which sectors corruption is most widespread, citing findings from the Anti-Corruption Agency's analysis of court cases across the country.
According to the report presented on September 5, a high percentage of those violations of corruption-related crimes in 2024 were employees of kindergartens, schools, healthcare institutions, banks, and employment services.
The study found that the greatest damage to state interests was caused by crimes of corruption in Andijan, Tashkent, Namangan, and Syrdarya regions. Meanwhile, the overall number of cases increased in Andijan, Namangan, Tashkent, Kashkadarya, and Samarkand regions.
The Ministry of Justice also identified 337 corruption risk factors in 222 projects last year, representing 11% of more than 2,000 reviewed initiatives. The largest number of risks were found in regulatory legal documents issued by the Ministries of Economy and Finance, Ecology, Agriculture, and Higher Education.
In addition, the Senate noted that several projects bypassed mandatory anti-corruption review. The Ministries of Investments, Industry and Trade submitted six such projects, while the Ministries of Energy, Agriculture, and Foreign Affairs each submitted five.
At a government meeting in July, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev stressed that 75% of corruption crimes in Uzbekistan occur at the domestic level. He highlighted persistent problems with bureaucracy and loopholes in khokimiyats (city administrations), cadastre services, banks, and tax offices, which continue to create opportunities for corrupt practices.
During the Senate discussion, the government also proposed steps to strengthen prevention efforts. These include analyzing crime patterns to identify urgent risks, improving incentives for whistleblowers, preventing excessive workloads on state employees, and boosting the role of internal control and ethics commissions. The Senate later adopted a resolution reflecting these measures.
With this move, Uzbekistan becomes the 46th country to join the international initiative, a step that builds on recent national progress in child protection.
In May 2025, Uzbekistan adopted the law on the protection of children from all forms of violence. Authorities are now developing an inter-sectoral strategy and action plan to ensure practical safeguards for children across the country.
"Joining the partnership opens up new opportunities for Uzbekistan: learning from the experience of other countries, exchanging effective practices, and using global expertise. This is an important step towards protecting children in partnership with the global community," said Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva, First Deputy Director of the National Agency for Social Protection.
Recent data highlights the scale of challenges in addressing violence. In the first half of this year, 4,952 people were proud under Uzbekistan's administrative code provisions on domestic violence.
Of these, 3,200 were fined, and 1,752 received administrative imprisonment. Meanwhile, 231 individuals faced criminal convictions for domestic violence, including 65 sentenced to imprisonment and 166 to non-custodial penalties.
By joining the alliance, Uzbekistan aims to strengthen prevention measures, improve legal protections, and work alongside global partners to create a safer environment for every child.
Over the past eight years, nearly 70 laws and resolutions have been adopted to reorganize the judiciary, with more than 200 Public Service Centers established across the regions. Currently, over 500 services are provided on a “one-stop shop” basis, but officials noted that bureaucratic obstacles remain due to limited electronic cooperation between government agencies.
According to the plan, Uzbekistan will expand 900 public services over the next three years, simplifying 80 services annually through the “three steps” principle. In addition, 1,100 interactive kiosks will be installed in densely populated and remote areas to improve access.Source: Presidential Press Service
As part of the reforms, the requirement for 30 types of documents from citizens will be eliminated. For example, medical examination results for marriage registration and residence change confirmations for conscripts will no longer be requested, as the data will be obtained online through government information systems.
The reforms will also affect notary services. While notaries currently provide over 80 services, only 11% are online. By 2025–2027, 20 types of notarial acts will gradually be moved online. The requirement for original identity documents will be replaced with Face-ID verification.
In the forensic sector, regional expertise centers will expand their services from 15 to 25 types. New technologies, including 3D modeling of accident scenes and video-photo expertise, will be introduced, with document exchanges fully digitalized. Non-state forensic expertise will also be allowed, and a Chamber of Forensic Experts will be established.Source: Presidential Press Service
To raise awareness, targeted information campaigns will be conducted under the “smart propaganda” system, while a new “Adliya TV” platform will provide simplified explanations of laws with expert commentary.
Additionally, ministries and departments will gain the authority to adopt departmental regulatory acts. The procedure and timeline for registering such documents will be simplified, reducing the average processing time by half.
At the end of the presentation, President Mirziyoyev signed decrees and resolutions to implement the proposed measures.
