Uzbekistan hosted senior women leaders and officials from Central Asia and Azerbaijan in Bukhara as the regional dialogue platform founded in 2020 expanded cooperation on science, artificial intelligence, sustainable development and women’s leadership.

More than 220 national and international participants gathered in Tashkent for the sixth Anti-Corruption Forum, where officials, experts and development partners discussed transparency, digital governance, public accountability and regional cooperation against corruption.

A Russian court ordered the deportation of an Uzbek citizen after accusing him of unauthorized missionary activity for praying in public in St. Petersburg, marking another similar case involving Uzbek nationals in Russia this year.

Uzbekistan’s Academy of Sciences says there is no reason for public concern over recent reports about hantavirus - a new global virus, stressing that the dangerous Andes strain capable of limited human-to-human transmission has never been detected in the country.

A nationwide survey of nearly 13,000 respondents found Uzbekistan’s family happiness index reached a “high” level in 2026, with family values, demographic stability and satisfaction with family life ranking among the strongest indicators.

Uzbekistan and regional partners review initiatives to expand Central Asian tourism through visa facilitation, joint routes, improved border infrastructure, and international promotion efforts under the Silk Road framework.

UAE-based AMEA Power has launched major energy projects in Uzbekistan, including battery storage facilities in Tashkent and Bukhara and a $1.06bn wind power plant in Karakalpakstan, aimed at expanding renewable energy capacity and strengthening the country’s power infrastructure.

Uzbekistan plans to send its first national astronaut into space by October 2028, with negotiations underway with the United States, Russia and China as the country prepares a nationwide astronaut selection and training program focused on scientific research missions.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met SOCAR and BP executives on May 13 to expand cooperation in oil and gas projects in Uzbekistan, including development on the Ustyurt Plateau and plans to open a SOCAR representative office in the country.

Uzbekistan reports major expansion in its energy sector driven by $35bn investment, rising generation capacity, and new renewable and storage projects aimed at increasing green energy share above 50% by 2030.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita on May 13 to review cooperation in population development, including reproductive health, gender equality, maternal and child health, and demographic programs in Uzbekistan.

BP has acquired a 40% stake in a production sharing agreement for six oil and gas blocks in Uzbekistan’s North Ustyurt region, joining Uzbekneftegaz and SOCAR in the country’s first upstream project involving the company.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev approved a long-term program to expand and modernize the Tashkent Metro, aimed at increasing passenger capacity and improving service quality, safety, and financial sustainability.

UzNIF raised $603.6mn in its IPO, with demand exceeding supply by more than four times and anchor investors including BlackRock, Franklin Resources, and Redwheel committing $300mn.

Kazakhstan is preparing to introduce Islamic mortgage products based on Sharia principles, with Otbasy Bank planning to launch interest-free housing finance and deposit services as the country expands its Islamic finance sector and diversifies banking products.

Twenty Uzbek citizens deported from Sweden for violating migration laws arrived in Tashkent on a charter flight as Uzbekistan continues strengthening international cooperation on migration management, repatriation procedures and protection of citizens abroad.