Uzbekistan

On March 5, a videoconference meeting on the development of the pharmaceutical industry was held in Uzbekistan under the chairmanship of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. During the meeting, Azizkhodja Abbaskhodjaev, founder of Grand Pharm Trade, highlighted that business conditions for entrepreneurs have significantly improved in recent years. According to him, taxes have halved, financial operations have become easier, and trust has been established with foreign partners.

Uzbekistan is launching a project to recycle phosphogypsum waste and produce sulfuric acid, aimed at addressing environmental issues and developing the chemical industry. This was announced by Odil Temirov, Chairman of the Board of the state-owned company "Uzkimyosanoat," in an interview with the "Uzbekistan 24" television channel.

In Uzbekistan, courts handled 153 criminal cases related to corruption offenses in 2025, resulting in 252 deputy mayors (hokim yordamchisi) being held criminally liable. This information was reported by the press secretary of the Anti-Corruption Agency, citing data from the Supreme Court. Additionally, five deputy mayors faced other punitive measures, highlighting the government's purported efforts to combat corruption, though the scale of cases suggests deep-rooted systemic issues.

Based on a decision by Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on March 6, the international agreement on preferential trade between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan has been officially confirmed. This deal marks a significant step in strengthening economic cooperation and boosting trade volume between the two nations.

Uzbekistan's energy system has faced a record-breaking load. On Wednesday, March 11, 2026, the country recorded an absolute peak in electricity consumption for the first month of spring. The daily indicator reached 267 million kWh, which is 14 million kWh higher than the same day last year.

In Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the National Agency for Social Protection, in collaboration with UNICEF, organized a seminar focused on pressing issues in inclusive education. The main topic of the meeting was the behavioral barriers faced by parents when attempting to enroll their children in inclusive kindergartens and schools, marking a significant step toward creating an equal-opportunity educational environment in the country.

The government of Uzbekistan has developed a comprehensive project for a radical transformation of the system providing psychiatric and narcological care to the population. According to the draft presidential decree "On Measures to Transform the System of Providing Narcological and Psychiatric Care to the Population," the salaries of psychiatrists, narcologists, medical psychologists, and suicidologists may be doubled through the introduction of a 100% bonus for work in conditions of increased danger and harmfulness. This bonus will be provided starting January 1, 2027, to all specialists working in multidisciplinary polyclinics and specialized institutions, regardless of their position.

The Uzbek government has officially confirmed that in 2025, eight assistants to local district governors (hokim yordamchisi) were involved in corruption crimes. This was announced by Marat Juraev, First Deputy Minister of Poverty Reduction and Employment, during a press conference at the Content Preparation Center on March 12. According to him, nearly 9,000 neighborhoods across the country have active assistants to district governors, with their direct employers being the district governor's offices, although methodological support for their activities is provided by the Ministry of Employment.

According to the Tashkent city administration, traffic will be temporarily restricted on a section of Temur Malik Street in the Mirzo Ulugbek District. The restrictions apply to the segment from the intersection with Mirzo Ulugbek Street to the intersection with Sultoniy Street. All types of motor vehicles are affected, although the exact start and end dates for the restrictions have not been specified in the announcement.

Uzbekistan's cotton harvest in 2024 has reached a record level, with official data indicating over 3.5 million tons collected. This represents a 10% increase compared to the previous year and is noted as a significant achievement in the country's agricultural sector. However, despite this success, challenges such as water scarcity, soil salinization, and labor issues in the cotton cultivation process continue to persist.

In Tashkent, repair work has commenced at the intersection of Temur Malik and Buyuk Ipak Yuli streets, leading to temporary traffic restrictions in the area. This has resulted in changes to the routes of several bus lines.

In Tashkent, at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a discussion was held on the draft presidential decree to create a unified state control system in the field of food safety in Uzbekistan. The meeting involved members of the Public Council for Entrepreneurship Support under the President and representatives of expert groups.