Amid overlapping challenges and geopolitical risks, IFC invested and mobilized over $1.6 billion in the Central Asia region in fiscal year 2023 (FY23)—its highest ever in the region—to enhance growth, upgrade regional connectivity, and build climate resilience. That work, between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023, came alongside milestone engagements to boost financial inclusion, structure groundbreaking public-private partnership (PPP) projects, and promote gender diversity.

Record batch of drugs - 8.5 tons of opium straw was arrested at the Tashkent-Aero customs complex at Tashkent’s international airport, the Customs Committee said. The operation was carried out by officers of the Customs Committee (CC) and the State Security Service.

On August 31, a minor boy was beaten in Furqat district of Fergana province, the provincial police department said. A 13-year-old teenager damaged the tires of a GM Nexia belonging to his neighbor R.Yu. The man assaulted and wounded the child.

Uzbekistan and Israel have agreed to lift restrictions on air flights between the countries, the Dunyo reported. On September 6, the Uzbek Ambassador to Tel Aviv, Feruza Mahmudova, and the Minister of Transport and Road Safety of Israel, Miri Regev, signed a MoM amending the intergovernmental treaty on air services of July 4, 1994.

At the session of the Legislative Chamber on September 5, MPs considered a package of amendments to the Administrative Liability Code and the Criminal Code, the press service of the lower house said. These amendments would reportedly create legal basis for enhancing Uzbekistan as a secular state as enshrined in the Constitution.

The Department of State has issued all available 55,000 diversity visas for the 2023 Diversity Visa Program.  Each year, the Department of State is legally allowed to issue approximately 55,000 diversity visas.  When all of the 55,000 diversity visas are issued, the program concludes for that year in all countries – not just Uzbekistan.

President’s envoy for Afghanistan, Ismatulla Ergashev met with the delegation led by Basir Feda, who leads the Afghanistan/Central and Southeast Asia Unit of the German Berghof Foundation.

Uzbek national was severely wounded as a result of a shootout between two criminal groups in Istanbul on September 2. Despite the provided medical assistance, he died in a hospital, the Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Istanbul said.

Ukrainian children received humanitarian aid from Uzbek benefactors, the Ukrainian Ambassador to Tashkent Mykola Doroshenko said on his facebook page.

Khanka district criminal court of Khorezm province at a session on August 25 sentenced the blogger Shabnam (Nafosat) Ollashukurova to three years of house arrest, the press service of the Supreme Court said.

Full health insurance coverage in Uzbekistan will be completed in the end of 2026. This is provided in the Sep. 6 presidential decree on improving the public health.

Uzbekistan Airways has announced the launch of Zomin regular flights. Flights HY1001/1002 will be operated on daily basis:

On September 5, the government issued Additional measures to support certain socially needy categories of the population and promote their employment Resolution, the press service of the Ministry of Justice said.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev got acquainted with the draft master plan of the New Tashkent. Today almost 5 million people live and work in Tashkent. A lot of new housing and other facilities are being built, and the burden on infrastructure is increasing, he said. “While, there is a need to build 20 thousand apartments, more than 40 schools, kindergartens and clinics annually. Given the current rate of urbanization, further population growth is expected in the coming years.”

Samarkand will host the 25th anniversary session of the General Assembly of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) on October 16-20, the Committee on Tourism said.

Uzbekistan delegation headed by the Chairperson of the Senate Tanzila Narbayeva is on an official visit to Belarus. On Tuesday, September 5, Tanzila Narbayeva met with President Alexander Lukashenko, the press service of the Senate said.

Uzbek Ambassador Ravshan Usmanov met with the Minister of Transport of Malaysia Loke Siew Fook, the Dunyo said in a statement.

On September 5, Shavkat Mirziyoyev hosted the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, the General Asim Munir. The parties discussed the ways to further advance the Uzbek-Pakistani ties and to strengthen the strategic partnership ties.

Cabinet of Ministers issued a resolution on September 4 amending the Rules for carrying in and out of foreign currency by individuals across the border of Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Justice said.

The government issued a resolution on August 31 approving the administrative regulation for the provision of mobile governmental services with on-site visits, the Ministry of Justice reported.