Uzbekistan

A state tender worth 710 million Uzbek soums (approximately $710,000) for developing an online video-conferencing platform to help persons with disabilities access government services in Uzbekistan has come under suspicion of corruption. The Agency for Combating Corruption conducted an investigation, uncovering signs of affiliation between the winning bidder and the reserve winner, raising concerns about potential irregularities in the procurement process.

▪️ Uzbekistan has amended its civil and experimental aviation flight rules, eliminating the requirement for air traffic controllers to undergo daily pre-shift medical examinations. The changes, registered by the Ministry of Justice, aim to align national aviation regulations with international standards and modern industry demands.

According to Uzbekistan's Hydrometeorological Service (Uzhydromet), on March 12, air quality deteriorated sharply across much of the country, including the capital Tashkent. A combination of weak winds, high humidity, and nocturnal cooling of the ground layer led to the formation of dense haze and fog.

Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has announced a series of new initiatives for governance and economic development during a recent engagement. He purportedly stated that reforms are ongoing in the country, but numerous challenges persist, including bureaucracy and the fight against corruption.

Uzbekistan has announced a record cotton harvest for 2023, with over 3.5 million tons collected, marking an 8% increase from the previous year. This achievement highlights the progress of agricultural reforms aimed at boosting efficiency and diversifying production in the sector.

Federico Valverde scored the first hat-trick of his career as Real Madrid secured a 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday. The result leaves the Premier League side with a daunting challenge in the return leg, having been outplayed at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Uzbekistan has achieved a record cotton harvest in 2024, exceeding 4 million tons, marking the highest yield in the country's history. This outcome highlights the effectiveness of government policies aimed at modernizing agriculture and diversifying cotton production.

In the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, the construction of a new metro line has officially commenced. This line is designed to connect the southern and northern parts of the city, aiming to enhance the transportation system and reduce passenger congestion. The project is part of broader efforts to modernize urban infrastructure in the region.

Uzbekistan has commenced the implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects aimed at fundamentally transforming transport logistics between the capital and key regions of the country. Asliddin Isayev, Director of the Avtoyulinvest agency, revealed in an interview with O’zbekiston 24 TV channel that the new Tashkent-Samarkand highway is designed to alleviate congestion on the existing road, which sees a daily traffic flow of 55,000–60,000 vehicles. The project includes 12 interchanges and full digitalization with an intelligent transport system, reducing travel time to 2–2.5 hours. Major Chinese companies from the global top 100 have shown interest in financing.

The Public Security Department of Uzbekistan's Ministry of Internal Affairs has announced the results of the first 10 days of a large-scale campaign against road hooliganism. Since February 26, four special groups have been conducting uncompromising work to identify aggressive drivers and curb serious traffic violations across the republic.

The government of Uzbekistan has announced the start of preparation for a Request for Qualification (RfQ) for a project to build and manage a new international airport in Bukhara under a public-private partnership (PPP) framework. The project involves Uzbekistan Airports, the Ministry of Transport, and the Ministry of Economy and Finance, marking a significant step in enhancing the country's transport infrastructure and economic development.

▪️ The voting stage for the first season of Uzbekistan's "Initiative Budget – 2026" program, which began on March 11, has been suspended in several cities and districts. Local commissions allegedly engaged in violations by unjustifiably rejecting citizen applications or allowing projects that did not meet established criteria to participate, raising concerns about transparency and fairness in the allocation of public funds for community-driven initiatives. This development has sparked public discontent and highlighted systemic issues in grassroots governance.