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U.S.-China Competition

China-Uzbekistan Economic Ties Expand as U.S. Seeks New Deals

Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited Uzbekistan on October 17–18, just ahead of United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who arrived in Samarkand on October 18 with a delegation of American business leaders seeking new contracts. While China already has a substantial presence in Uzbek manufacturing and energy, Washington is seeking to expand American involvement in critical minerals and technology. The visits highlight the growing competition between the world's two largest economies for influence in Central Asia. On October 17, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev received Li Qiang. According to the Uzbek presidential administration, the portfolio of joint projects backed by firm agreements has reached nearly $60 billion. More than 6,000 joint ventures with Chinese participation have been established in Uzbekistan. China is Uzbekistan's largest trading partner. Bilateral trade totaled approximately $16–18 billion in 2025, according to Chinese and Uzbek figures. China accounted for 23% of Uzbekistan's total foreign trade turnover in January–August 2026. Railway Through Kyrgyzstan Construction of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway was another topic of discussion. Work officially began in December 2024. The route will cross mountainous areas of Kyrgyzstan and connect the railway networks of China and Uzbekistan. The 304-kilometer section through Kyrgyzstan alone is estimated to cost $4.7 billion and will require 50 bridges and 29 tunnels. Uzbekistan is landlocked, making the cost and timing of its international freight shipments heavily dependent on transit conditions in neighboring countries. The railway through Kyrgyzstan will provide an additional route, reducing reliance on transit through Kazakhstan and potentially shortening journeys between China and Uzbekistan. Beijing considers the railway part of its efforts to develop overland connections under the Belt and Road Initiative. Rubio Arrives with American Business Delegation On October 19, Rubio attended talks in Samarkand under the C5+1 format, bringing together the U.S. and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Rubio said nearly 300 American businesses were represented in Samarkand. Companies were discussing agreements potentially worth billions of dollars, with concrete announcements expected following the meetings. Among Washington's priorities are critical minerals used in advanced technologies, including electronics and batteries. The U.S. is seeking new sources of raw materials and opportunities to process them outside China. Beijing holds a dominant position in processing several of these materials, and American companies are interested in alternative suppliers. Uzbekistan's mineral deposits include copper and uranium. For Tashkent, an important question is whether American investment will bring new processing facilities and jobs or concentrate mainly on extracting and exporting raw materials. Speaking to reporters in Samarkand, Rubio said the U.S. was not asking Central Asian countries to end cooperation with other partners. Washington intends to compete for contracts and investment projects. Chinese Enterprises and American Contracts The gap between China and the U.S. is particularly stark in trade. According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, American goods trade with Uzbekistan totaled just $1.05 billion in 2025, less than one-fifteenth of the value of Uzbekistan's trade with China. Including services, U.S.–Uzbek trade reached approximately $1.7 billion. Economic cooperation with the U.S. is developing through...

1 week ago

Remittances

Opinion: The Remittance Economy’s Promise: How Migration Could Support Women Entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan

Migration has become a major socio-economic process, substantially affecting Uzbekistan’s economic development and quality of life. The primary destination countries for labor migrants from Uzbekistan have been Russia, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Korea, and Turkey, as well as certain European and Asian countries. Remittances from migrants have become a major source of foreign currency inflows and a key form of economic support for households. Over time, they have raised economic activity and contributed to greater currency stability. In 2025, remittance inflows to Uzbekistan rose 28% compared to 2024, reaching $18.9 billion. Despite the positive growth of Uzbekistan’s economy, the country still faces limited employment opportunities. Although the unemployment rate dropped to 4.9% in the third quarter of 2025, a noticeable improvement, around 760,000 people remained unemployed and were looking for work. In 2025, the official average monthly salary in Uzbekistan was 6,376,700 soums (about $530 at the year-end exchange rate). This remains relatively low, pushing many working-age people to seek work abroad. When people picture remittances flowing into Central Asia, they usually imagine one scenario: the father who has gone abroad, sending his family in Uzbekistan “survival money” for rent, groceries, and school fees. In some small districts of Uzbekistan, however, this picture is starting to look different. That same money can now also become a source of opportunity: a sewing machine, a voucher for educational courses, or a business plan with a woman’s name on it. A Policy Shift Begins While remittances have substantially improved the living standards of recipient households and have become a crucial source of foreign currency for Uzbekistan, their effect on women is more complex. For some families, money sent home from abroad has been considered “out of the system.” These funds regularly supported family budgets, but financial institutions did not always recognize them as income. Recipients could lack the documented income or credit history needed to qualify for a loan, even when their families had received remittances for many years. However, a pilot program launched in March 2026 by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the European Union in cooperation with Hamkorbank, one of Uzbekistan’s leading banks, aims to change the picture. According to IFAD, the program’s credit scoring model uses remittances to assess a borrower’s ability to repay a loan. This approach could be transformational for rural women who struggle to access credit directly. It could enable rural borrowers to access formal loans, invest in small businesses, and build a credit history. Alongside the financial support, 900 rural residents, at least 50% of whom will be women, will have access to business and financial literacy training. In addition, 100 participants will receive enterprise mentoring to help them run or scale up their businesses. Faces Behind the Numbers Women face many obstacles in accessing credit, finding employment, and launching a business. According to the World Bank, they own nearly a third of registered micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in Uzbekistan but receive only about 14% of loans to those businesses. This may be due to limited collateral or...

1 week ago

С5+1

Opinion: C5+1 in Samarkand: What Uzbekistan Expects and What Washington Wants

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in Uzbekistan with a delegation representing more than 200 American companies. He is attending a C5+1 ministerial meeting with the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The agenda includes regional connectivity, energy security, trade, private investment, and economic modernization. The visit brings the format back to its birthplace. The first C5+1 ministerial meeting was held in Samarkand on November 1, 2015, with then-Secretary of State John Kerry. The November 6, 2025, summit in Washington gave the relationship a substantial commercial dimension. Uzbekistan and the United States announced economic agreements and trade contracts worth approximately $34.5 billion. President Donald Trump also said Uzbekistan intended to purchase and invest more than $100 billion in the United States over the following decade. Samarkand is now hosting a ministerial meeting accompanied by a large business delegation. The immediate question is how much of the previously announced portfolio has moved toward financing and implementation. In late September, Uzbekistan's Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade, Laziz Kudratov, valued the project portfolio with the United States at $35 billion, with approximately $7 billion already completed. On that accounting, about $28 billion remains. In my assessment, the strongest overlap between American and Uzbek interests lies in processing critical minerals inside Uzbekistan, using American financing and technology to serve international supply chains. Washington wants alternative sources of strategic materials. Tashkent wants investment in industrial production rather than simply exporting raw materials. Their positions are less closely aligned on technology and relations with Iran. Uzbekistan seeks access to American artificial intelligence infrastructure while maintaining cooperation with China. It also regards Iran as an important transit partner. Washington's approach to sensitive technologies and sanctions could complicate both ambitions. Another Uzbek priority is ending the application of the Jackson–Vanik Amendment to Uzbekistan, a U.S. trade-law provision dating from 1974 that continues to affect the legal framework for bilateral commerce. Rubio can support its repeal, but Congress must make the decision. Investment Deals The C5+1 format has become more commercially focused. At the Washington summit, the U.S. Department of Commerce organized a dedicated venue for business agreements and announced more than $25 billion in commercial deals involving the five Central Asian countries. Since the Washington summit, Uzbekistan has developed additional channels for economic cooperation with the United States. A bilateral Business and Investment Council has brought together officials and business representatives. Cooperation has also expanded into critical minerals, energy, infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing. In June 2026, Uzbekistan's Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade, its Fund for Reconstruction and Development, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) announced a joint investment platform. Uzbekistan has also adopted a critical minerals development program for 2026–2030, covering 120 projects valued at $4.2 billion. The first stage includes 12 projects worth $166 million, with plans to produce high-purity selenium, tellurium, and rhenium. These plans reflect Tashkent's industrial priorities. Uzbekistan wants foreign partners to help build processing facilities and...

1 week ago

Iranian Cinema

Iranian War Thriller Screened at Tajikistan Film Festival

An Iranian thriller about a cyberattack on a major bank in Iran during the 12-day war in 2025 is among films being showcased at a festival in Tajikistan. The Gambler, directed by Mohsen Bahari and starring Shabnam Ghorbani, is among several Iranian films featured at a state-backed festival in Dushanbe, which shares a Persian-language cultural heritage with Iran. The Toji Somon National Film Festival, which ends on October 20, also includes movies and documentaries from Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. Iranian cinema includes films made within the state-regulated industry and some independent movies that challenge the government and may be banned from screening in Iran. The films being screened at the festival in Tajikistan have a diplomatic role. They were part of an effort by both countries to promote “cultural cooperation,” according to Khovar, Tajikistan’s state news agency. Iran’s Farabi Cinema Foundation, which is handling international distribution of The Gambler, noted that the film has won the special jury prize at the Across the Lake International Film Festival in North Macedonia, and that Ghorbani won the best actress award at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Film Festival in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The Across the Lake festival said the thriller is set during the 12-day war, in which Israel and Iran attacked each other and the United States struck Iranian nuclear facilities. The film centers on an intelligence official who suspects a bank programmer is behind the enemy cyberattack. Bahari said in an interview with Iran’s Mehr News Agency that he would have preferred the 2026 film about cyberwarfare to be released “under normal circumstances,” but added that “our film is about the 12-day war and deals with a part of the war that has been less covered and shows a new aspect of it.” Another Iranian film on the schedule at the Dushanbe festival is “In the Arms of the Tree,” a film about two young brothers struggling with the divorce of their parents. The film was Iran’s submission for the 2025 Academy Award for best international feature film. Variety magazine said the film “spins platitudes” but showcases director Babak Khajeh Pasha’s “gift” with actors. At the Fajr International Film Festival in Tehran in 2023, Pasha won the best screenplay award and received an honorary diploma in the first-time director category. The kind of Iranian film that directly criticizes the government was absent from the Dushanbe program. Such films include “It Was Just an Accident,” directed by dissident Jafar Panahi. The 2025 film, which tells the story of several former political prisoners who encounter their suspected prison interrogator, won the Palme d’Or award at the Cannes Film Festival. In the 2024 film “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” a Tehran judge comes into conflict with his own wife and daughters after the disappearance of his service weapon at home. The film explores state repression. Director Mohammad Rasoulof fled Iran after being sentenced to jail and flogging after making the film. The cultural ties being promoted by the governments in Iran and Tajikistan run...

2 weeks ago

CICA

Kazakhstan Proposes Asian Transport Strategy at Baku Summit

Kazakhstan has proposed a common transport strategy for Asia at a summit in Baku, where Central Asian leaders called for closer economic and technological cooperation. The leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan presented their initiatives on October 15 at the seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA). The proposals came amid negotiations to transform the forum into a full-fledged international organization. CICA has particular historical significance for Kazakhstan. The idea of establishing the forum was first proposed in 1992 by Nursultan Nazarbayev, then the country’s president, at the United Nations General Assembly. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for the development of a CICA Transport Connectivity Strategy. It would examine the potential of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the International North–South Transport Corridor, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor, and the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, a planned transport link through Armenia. The Middle Corridor connects China and Central Asia with European markets through the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey. The North–South Corridor focuses on freight transportation between Russia, the Caspian region, Iran, and India. For Central Asian countries, developing several routes simultaneously means having more export options and reducing dependence on individual transit routes. Tokayev also linked the prospects for improved transport connectivity to better relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Opening transport links in the South Caucasus could expand shipping options between Asia and Europe, although the specific arrangements for operating new routes have yet to be agreed upon. Another proposal from Kazakhstan is a CICA Water Partnership for joint research, technology exchange, and water conservation. Tokayev also raised the issue of protecting the Caspian Sea. For Central Asia, water management is closely linked to growing demand from agriculture and the energy sector, as well as the effects of climate change. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov focused on investment and industrial cooperation. He called on CICA member states to pursue more joint projects, invited investment in the Tamchy Special Financial Investment Territory, and proposed developing cross-border digital infrastructure. The country is building the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway to expand its transit connections. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev presented proposals on the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI), confidence-building, and climate cooperation. He proposed establishing a CICA expert platform to develop common recommendations and coordinate practical measures on AI. Tashkent is pursuing digitalization domestically and is interested in international standards and technological partnerships. The summit adopted the Baku Declaration and admitted Laos as CICA’s 29th member. The transport proposals came a week after regional leaders agreed to prioritize East–West and North–South transport routes at an October 8 meeting in Avaza, Turkmenistan.

2 weeks ago

Labor Migration

Kyrgyzstan Expands Foreign Worker Quotas While Citizens Work Abroad

Kyrgyzstan plans to allow up to 120,000 foreign nationals to work in the country in 2027, even as more than 700,000 of its own citizens have worked abroad this year. Although official estimates are lower than four years ago, the country remains heavily dependent on money sent home by migrant workers, particularly those in Russia. According to the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kyrgyzstan received approximately $3.5 billion in transfers from abroad in 2025, more than 90% of which came from Russia. The Ministry of Labor, Social Security, and Migration reported that 736,600 citizens had worked abroad so far in 2026, compared with 798,400 in 2025. The largest group, more than 472,000 people, was reported to be in Russia in March. Approximately 70,000 were working in Kazakhstan, 60,000 in the United States, 35,000 in Turkey, and 20,000 in Germany. In 2022, the authorities estimated that 1.118 million Kyrgyz citizens were working abroad, including more than one million in Russia. However, the figures do not establish exactly how many people have returned home and how many have moved to other countries for work. Russia has tightened its migration requirements and stepped up enforcement of residency regulations. In a report covering the second half of 2025, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) found that 94% of emigrants surveyed had left to find employment or better economic opportunities. Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev discussed these changes in labor migration during a parliamentary committee meeting on October 13. According to Kulubaev, more Kyrgyz citizens are choosing Turkey and the U.S. for employment, while demand for workers from Kyrgyzstan remains strong in South Korea and Japan. He said representatives from some European countries had offered to accept workers from Kyrgyzstan on the condition that the country accommodate migrants from Afghanistan and African nations. Kulubaev did not disclose which countries had made the offer, saying only that Bishkek rejected the proposal. There has been no public confirmation of the arrangement from the European participants in the negotiations. Within Kyrgyzstan, the unemployment rate fell from 5.8% in 2020 to 3.2% in 2025. The decline coincided with growth in construction, trade, and services, although employment figures alone do not show how much wages have increased or how many former migrants have found jobs at home. During a recent visit to the Batken region, President Sadyr Japarov again urged citizens working abroad to return home. The initial quota for foreign nationals arriving to work in Kyrgyzstan for 2025 was 25,000 people. The limit was raised to 100,000 for 2026. Expanding the quota allows businesses to recruit more employees from abroad, particularly for construction, manufacturing, and other industries where employers face staffing needs. According to the Ministry of Labor, by December 2025, approximately 18,900 Chinese, 11,700 Bangladeshis, and 8,300 Pakistanis had received work permits. An IOM study conducted in the first half of 2025 found a substantial presence of workers from Uzbekistan, approximately 10,800 people. The largest numbers of foreign workers covered by the survey were in the Jalal-Abad region,...

2 weeks ago

Growth Forecasts

Central Asia Economic Growth Expected to Slow in 2027

After several years of rapid expansion, Central Asian economies are expected to lose some momentum. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) forecasts that regional economic growth will slow from 5.8% in 2026 to 5.3% in 2027. However, growth in manufacturing and construction will not necessarily translate into comparable increases in household incomes. The forecast appears in the EBRD’s September report. The bank’s Central Asia figures also include Mongolia, so the regional growth rate should not be interpreted as an average for the five Central Asian countries alone. The Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development (EFSD) has published its own projections for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. They differ somewhat from the EBRD’s forecasts but also anticipate continued economic growth. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan Maintain Strong Growth The EBRD expects the economies of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to grow by 7% in 2027, the highest rates projected for the five countries in the region. Kyrgyzstan has experienced a construction boom in recent years, driven by investment in roads, housing, and energy infrastructure. The service sector is also expanding. The country’s economy grew by 11.9% in the first half of 2026. However, rapid growth has been accompanied by rising food and fuel prices. The country's performance is closely tied to economic conditions in Russia, where a significant number of Kyrgyz migrant workers are employed and from which Kyrgyzstan imports the vast majority of its fuel. Changes in the Russian labor market can affect remittances and household spending in Kyrgyzstan. In Tajikistan, growth is supported by investment and exports, particularly precious metals and mineral resources. The economy expanded by 8.2% in the first half of 2026. Tajikistan also relies heavily on imported goods and equipment, with spending on imports exceeding export earnings. Remittances from migrant workers in Russia are an even more important source of household income for Tajiks than for their Kyrgyz neighbors, while rising fuel costs are putting additional pressure on family budgets. Kazakhstan Remains Dependent on Oil Exports For Central Asia’s largest economy, the EBRD forecasts growth of 4.5% in 2027, while the Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development expects 5%. In 2026, Kazakhstan’s economy has been constrained by disruptions to oil production and exports. Problems arose at the Tengiz oil field and along the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) export route, through which a significant share of Kazakhstan’s oil reaches global markets via Russia. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s factories increased production. But even growth in industries outside the oil sector has yet to eliminate the country’s dependence on commodity exports. For international buyers, the reliability of supply routes is also important. Disruptions to the CPC can restrict Kazakhstan’s oil exports regardless of demand or global prices. The Times of Central Asia recently examined the challenges facing Kazakhstan’s oil logistics. Inflation is another concern. According to the EFSD, prices in Kazakhstan are expected to rise by approximately 9.5% by the end of 2026. This means economic expansion will not necessarily be accompanied by a noticeable improvement in household purchasing power. Uzbekistan’s Growth Driven by...

2 weeks ago

White Tigers

White Tiger Cubs Born at Ashgabat Zoo

Two white tiger cubs have been born at Ashgabat Zoo and will be shown to the public starting in the spring of next year, according to a Turkmen news report. Digital news outlet Takyk reported this week that the male and female cubs are under close veterinary monitoring alongside their mother at the zoo, whose formal name is the National Museum of Wildlife. The cubs were born to a tiger named Taymaz and a tigress named Narin, according to Takyk. Many people are drawn to the striking appearance of white tigers, but several international conservation groups have said the animals don’t serve any conservation purpose and are primarily bred for entertainment and profit. White tigers are believed to be extinct in the wild, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare group. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF), another conservation organization, has said that white tigers are not a separate subspecies of tiger and that those in captivity exist due to inbreeding. “The white tiger is a result of a rare genetic mutation and the most efficient way to breed them is by using two tigers who have the recessive genes needed to produce offspring with a white coat,” said the WWF, adding that white tigers suffer from significant health problems. The Ashgabat zoo encompasses about 40 hectares and is located on the slopes of the Kopet Dag Mountains, just west of the capital. The zoo opened in the city center in 1932 but conditions became cramped, prompting authorities to move it to the more spacious outskirts in 2010.

2 weeks ago

Railway Economics

Opinion: China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway: Turning Transit Into Local Benefits

At the eighth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and Azerbaijan on October 8, 2026, Azerbaijan joined the forum as a full member after three years of participation as a guest of honor. President Ilham Aliyev stated that “Transport is one of the primary areas of cooperation between Central Asia and Azerbaijan”. Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev called for comprehensive infrastructure along the routes, with logistics hubs and service centers supporting production facilities and industrial zones to generate economic activity around the transport corridors. Construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is among Uzbekistan’s transport priorities and is important for Kyrgyzstan, making this “integrated transport corridor development” approach particularly relevant. Construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway (also known as the Kashgar-Torugart-Makmal-Jalal-Abad-Andijan railway) has been underway since December 2024. Public discussion of the project focuses mainly on shorter routes linking China and Central Asia with the Middle East and Europe, and on the line’s design carrying capacity. However, growth in transit traffic does not in itself guarantee economic benefits for the Naryn and Jalal-Abad regions of Kyrgyzstan or the Andijan region of Uzbekistan. Local economic impact depends on whether freight services and tariff policy allow small shippers to use the railway’s stations. Border delays can limit those benefits, as can a lack of storage and processing infrastructure nearby. What the Project Involves The intergovernmental agreement on the implementation of the project was signed by China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan on June 6, 2024. The joint project company was registered in July 2024, the investment agreement was signed on December 20, 2024, and construction officially began on December 27, 2024, in Jalal-Abad. According to the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan, the total length of the line is 532.53 km; 20 stations are planned, including two border stations, one transshipment station, four intermediate stations, and 13 passing loops. The Makmal transshipment station will be the transfer point between China’s 1,435 mm track gauge and the 1,520 mm gauge used in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. From Torugart to Makmal, the 165.5 km section will use the Chinese gauge. The 146.26 km section from Makmal to Jalal-Abad will use the wider gauge, connecting to the existing network toward Andijan. At Makmal, containers will be sorted and transferred between trains. Wagons can instead have their wheel assemblies changed to run on the other gauge. Freight trains will be assembled or split up at the station, which will also have facilities to weigh wagons and cargo. The parties estimate the cost of the project at USD 4.7 billion. Under the loan agreement signed on December 16, 2025, about USD 2.3 billion is provided by a syndicate of Chinese banks as a 35-year loan to the project company. Another USD 2.3 billion or so forms the project company’s charter capital. China holds 51% of the shares, while Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan each hold 24.5%. As of October 2026, construction is underway along the entire length of the route. In September 2026, the project company reported the completion of the first tunnel...

2 weeks ago

Global Power Rankings

Kazakhstan Ranks 34th, Uzbekistan 71st Among World’s Most Powerful Countries

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were the only Central Asian countries included in World Population Review’s 2026 ranking of the world’s 100 most powerful countries, placing 34th and 71st, respectively. Kazakhstan ranked immediately ahead of Egypt (35th), and also placed above the United Arab Emirates (37th), South Africa (38th), Norway (39th), Saudi Arabia (40th), Pakistan (42nd), and Iran (46th). Among former Soviet republics, Russia ranked higher, in 11th place, while Ukraine came in 51st and Belarus 57th. Uzbekistan placed below Cambodia (69th) and Oman (70th), but ahead of Sri Lanka (72nd), Estonia (75th), Kenya (77th), Algeria (79th), and Armenia (80th). World Population Review attributes the ranking to the Best Countries study by U.S. News & World Report. The assessment considers perceptions of countries’ economic and political influence, military strength, international alliances, and leadership. Kazakhstan’s international standing is supported by its established energy and mining industries and extensive diplomatic relationships. The country is the world’s largest uranium producer, accounting for approximately 40% of global mine output in 2025. It also exported 78.7 million tons of oil that year, supplying international energy markets through an extensive network of pipelines and commercial partnerships. Its multivector foreign policy has allowed Astana to maintain relationships with Russia and China while expanding economic and political cooperation with the United States, Europe, and other partners. Kazakhstan’s uranium industry illustrates this approach, with established customers and industrial partnerships spanning several competing geopolitical blocs. Kazakhstan’s existing railway network, connections with China, and Caspian ports also support its role in international trade between Asia and Europe. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, commonly known as the Middle Corridor, carried approximately 4.1 million tons of freight in 2025, including around 77,000 twenty-foot equivalent units of container traffic. Uzbekistan’s $147 billion economy in 2025 was larger than those of Oman ($110 billion), Sri Lanka ($109 billion), and Kenya ($136 billion), all ranked in the same range. Algeria, despite an economy approaching $287 billion and its role as a major natural gas supplier to Europe, ranked eight places below Uzbekistan. Beyond economic size, Uzbekistan has an established position in global mineral markets. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, it was the world’s fifth-largest uranium producer and ninth-largest gold producer in 2024, accounting for 6.6% and 3.9% of global output, respectively. These industries provide an important source of international economic engagement, alongside a domestic market of approximately 39 million people. The ranking’s top 10 were China, the United States, India, Germany, Japan, South Korea, France, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Italy. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan did not appear among the 100 countries listed.

2 weeks ago

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