Our People > Sadokat Jalolova

Sadokat Jalolova

Journalist

Jalolova has worked as a reporter for some time in local newspapers and websites in Uzbekistan, and has enriched her knowledge in the field of journalism through courses at the University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Amsterdam on the Coursera platform.

Articles

Gold

Uzbekistan Gold Reserves Rise to 446 Tons Despite Price Drop

Uzbekistan's gold reserves increased by about 7 metric tons in September, bringing its total holdings to approximately 446 tons, according to figures published by the Central Bank of Uzbekistan. The increase followed purchases of 8 tons in August, bringing Uzbekistan's purchases since the beginning of the year to nearly 50 tons by the end of that month. According to the World Gold Council, Uzbekistan was the third-largest central bank buyer of gold during this period, behind Poland and China. Physical gold holdings increased from 14.11 million to 14.34 million troy ounces in September. However, the value of Uzbekistan's international reserves fell by $5.54 billion, or 7.69%, to $66.58 billion as of October 1. The value of its gold holdings alone declined by $4.83 billion to $60.08 billion. The foreign currency component of the reserves also decreased by $702.8 million, or 10.59%, to $5.92 billion in September. Gold now accounts for approximately 90% of Uzbekistan's international reserves. The decline in the value of the reserves was largely due to falling global gold prices, which dropped by approximately 10% from a late-August high of $4,660 per troy ounce to around $4,176 at the end of September. The World Gold Council attributed the decline to a stronger U.S. dollar, rising U.S. Treasury yields, and investors reducing their positions in gold futures. Higher bond yields make gold less attractive because, unlike bonds, it pays no interest.

1 week ago

Energy

Uzbekistan Solar Panel Program Targets 3,100 Sites in $20 Million Project

A $20 million solar-panel program in Uzbekistan has so far provided 1,580 homes and 334 public institutions with free electricity-generating systems. A further 1,197 households are expected to receive the equipment by May 2027. The program, known as Yorqin Xonadon (“Bright Home”), is being implemented by Uzbekistan's Ministry of Energy, Saudi energy company Acwa, and China Southern Power Grid International. According to information provided to The Times of Central Asia by Acwa, the initiative was launched in April 2023. About 65% of the new installations are intended for Karakalpakstan, an autonomous republic in northwestern Uzbekistan that has been severely affected by the drying of the Aral Sea. Each home receives solar panels with a capacity of approximately 3 kilowatts (kW) and a battery with a storage capacity of 4.8 kilowatt-hours (kWh). During the day, the system generates electricity, while stored energy can be used in the evening or when sunlight is insufficient. How well this setup meets a particular family's needs depends on its electricity consumption and the season. Program participants can reduce their electricity bills and receive payments for surplus power supplied to the grid. According to the Ministry of Energy, more than 45,000 people received a total of 209.2 billion soums (approximately $17.8 million) for electricity supplied to the grid in 2025. While the initiative could help recipients reduce their electricity bills, its contribution to the country's overall energy needs will be small. The 2,777 household installations planned under the program would together provide about 8.3 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity. Based on the country's solar potential, these systems could generate approximately 12–13 million kWh annually, less than 0.02% of the 86.7 billion kWh produced nationwide in 2025. The estimate excludes installations at public institutions, for which capacity figures have not been provided. Uzbekistan's electricity consumption is rising, while natural gas remains the country's main source of power. Large solar and wind farms generated 10.5 billion kWh of electricity in 2025. Although Yorqin Xonadon will make only a small contribution to national electricity generation, it could help thousands of low-income households reduce their energy bills.

2 weeks ago

Language Dispute

Uzbekistan’s Centrum Air Apologizes After Uzbek-Language Dispute

Uzbekistan's Centrum Air has apologized to a passenger removed from a flight after a dispute over his request to be addressed in Uzbek. The airline initially accused the man of aggressive behavior but later acknowledged that the flight attendant had been at fault. The incident occurred on October 5 during boarding for flight C6468 from Samara to Tashkent. Daryo reported that a passenger named Komiljon had asked a flight attendant to speak to him in Uzbek after she requested his boarding pass in Russian. According to Komiljon, an argument followed, and the captain refused to allow him to travel. In an October 5 statement, Centrum Air disputed his account, alleging that he had behaved aggressively and insulted the flight attendant. It said he had disrupted boarding and defended the captain's decision on safety grounds. The airline also said it was considering contacting law enforcement. Komiljon denied insulting the employee. Centrum Air said its flight attendants speak Uzbek, Russian, and English and can communicate with passengers in their preferred language. Komiljon traveled from Samara to Moscow before taking another flight to Tashkent, incurring additional expenses. Following a review, senior airline executive Ma'murjon Mamadaliyev acknowledged that the flight attendant had been wrong and had admitted her mistake. He said the airline would cover the passenger's additional travel costs. In a later video, the flight attendant apologized to Komiljon in Uzbek, according to Batafsil.uz. Komiljon accepted the apology and said that he had received compensation. The airline's later statement did not clarify whether it had withdrawn its original allegations about the passenger's behavior.

2 weeks ago

Victim Compensation

Most Compensation for Uzbekistan’s Dok-1 Max Victims Remains Unpaid

Families affected by Uzbekistan's Dok-1 Max poisoning scandal are still owed most of the 78 billion soums awarded in compensation, more than two years after the court verdict, according to the Bureau of Compulsory Enforcement. The case dates back to late 2022, when children across Uzbekistan fell ill after taking contaminated cold medicines, including Dok-1 Max, manufactured by the Indian pharmaceutical company Marion Biotech. Laboratory tests confirmed that samples of Dok-1 Max and another syrup, Ambronol, contained dangerous levels of diethylene glycol and/or ethylene glycol, toxic substances that can cause severe kidney damage and death. By February 2024, the medicines had been linked to the deaths of 68 children. On February 26, 2024, a court in Tashkent sentenced 23 defendants in connection with the scandal, including pharmaceutical executives and officials responsible for drug testing and regulation. Sardor Kariyev, a former head of Uzbekistan's pharmaceutical development agency and state drug testing center, received an 18-year prison sentence. Singh Raghvendra Pratap, director of Quramax Medical, the company that imported the medicines into Uzbekistan, was sentenced to 20 years. An investigation by the country's Anti-Corruption Agency identified failures in drug registration, certification, and oversight that had created opportunities for corruption. The issue of unpaid compensation has resurfaced following complaints on social media that payments had stopped. In a statement reported on October 7, the bureau said it was continuing efforts to recover money from Kariyev and other convicted defendants. Enforcement officers seized Kariyev's properties in Tashkent. A nonresidential building on Furqat Street was sold at an electronic auction for 793 million soums (about $67,000). Residential properties in the Chilanzar district, valued at a combined 7.1 billion soums (about $601,000), remain up for auction. According to the bureau, proceeds from the property sale, together with money paid by Kariyev's relatives, have enabled the distribution of 16.7 billion soums ($1.41 million) to the claimants. The recovered funds were divided equally among them. That leaves 61.3 billion soums (about $5.19 million) outstanding. The bureau has given no indication of when the families might receive the remaining compensation.

2 weeks ago

Tourism Promotion

MrBeast to Meet Fans in Tashkent on First Central Asia Trip

American YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, will visit Tashkent on October 9 on his first trip to Central Asia, Uzbekistan’s Art and Culture Development Foundation announced. The visit is being organized by the foundation in cooperation with the country’s Tourism Committee. Donaldson has a combined audience of more than half a billion subscribers across his YouTube channels. His main channel alone has around 520 million subscribers. He is known for big-budget videos built around elaborate challenges, competitions, and large cash prizes. In Tashkent, 200 fans over the age of 18 will be selected at random to attend a public event with Donaldson. The program will include interactive games and a trivia competition, with prizes for the winners. The foundation has warned fans about fake links and accounts seeking to exploit the visit. It advised them to register only through the official portal, which does not require payment, bank card details, or account passwords. MrBeast’s arrival gives Uzbekistan a rare appearance on the itinerary of one of the world’s biggest digital entertainers. Tashkent has increasingly sought international cultural and entertainment events as part of its push to build the country’s creative economy and attract younger foreign audiences.

2 weeks ago

Gas Trade

Uzbekistan Gas Exports Fall 35% as Imports Rise

Uzbekistan is spending more on gas imports while earning less from exports. In January-August 2026, exports of natural and manufactured gas fell 34.8% year-on-year to $322.3 million, according to data from the National Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Over the same eight months, the country imported $1.22 billion worth of gas, 15.2% more than a year earlier. Of that amount, $124.3 million was spent on liquefied gas, including propane, with the value of those imports rising about 3.5-fold. In value terms, Uzbekistan imported almost four times as much gas as it exported. The country continues to sell gas to China while bringing in supplies from Russia and Turkmenistan to cover its domestic needs. Domestic natural gas production fell 16.3% year-on-year to 24.2 billion cubic meters in January-August, while demand remains high. The government said in August that expanding industrial capacity and the needs of a growing population were increasing demand for natural gas and petroleum products, with seasonal consumption adding further pressure. Five gas fields have been discovered since the beginning of the year, while 80 wells have been drilled, some to depths of 6,000 meters or more. Another 40 are planned for the fourth quarter. In May, BP p.l.c., formerly British Petroleum, acquired a 40% stake in a project covering six exploration blocks in western Uzbekistan’s Ustyurt region. State-owned Uzbekneftegaz and the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) each hold 30%. SOCAR operates the project and has been carrying out seismic exploration ahead of drilling. Uzbekistan is also expanding its gas transmission system. Plans include new trunk pipelines and upgraded compressor stations, while the introduction of modern electric motors at some stations is expected to save up to 125 million cubic meters of gas a year.

2 weeks ago

Environmental Assessment

Sea Breeze Uzbekistan Clears Second Stage of Environmental Review

The $5 billion Sea Breeze Uzbekistan project has completed the first two stages of its environmental impact assessment, receiving positive state environmental opinions for both, according to the Ecology Committee. The controversial resort is planned for the shores of the Charvak Reservoir, one of the most popular recreation areas near Tashkent. Its location has made the project the subject of sustained environmental scrutiny. Uzbekistan’s National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change said the second-stage opinion was issued on September 10. The review will continue with a final assessment planned after construction is completed and before the complex is put into operation. The project is being developed by Azerbaijani businessman and singer Emin Agalarov, who spent more than two decades at Crocus Group, the property company founded by his father, Aras Agalarov. He left in 2023 to focus on his own development business. Agalarov was formerly married to Leyla Aliyeva, daughter of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. His flagship Sea Breeze resort is on Azerbaijan’s Caspian coast. Plans for the resort include hotels and residences alongside leisure and commercial facilities. The project also envisages a bridge across the reservoir and venues for year-round concerts and festivals. From Government Approval to Environmental Review In August 2025, the Uzbek government approved the direct lease of 577 hectares in the Bostanlyk district of Tashkent region to Sea Breeze Uzbekistan LLC for 25 years, with a preferential right to extend the lease. For critics of the project, the central issue from the outset has been water. Charvak plays an important role in the region’s water system and is used for water supply, irrigation, and hydropower. Its shores are also one of the main resort areas for residents of Tashkent. Construction of a large complex has raised concerns about pollution and the pressure it would put on the shoreline. The #SaveChorvoq campaign emerged on social media in 2025 as activists sought greater scrutiny of the plans. The first stage of the environmental review, approved in February 2026, required further hydrological and biodiversity studies. The second stage reviewed those findings and set more specific conditions for construction and operation. Its positive opinion was issued on September 10 and remains valid for three years. Public hearings were held in the Bostanlyk district on January 23, 2026, giving residents and environmental groups an opportunity to raise objections and proposals. Members of the Ecology Committee’s Public Council have also carried out site inspections, which the committee said have so far found no breaches of environmental requirements. Separate water-protection requirements apply to the project. Its wastewater is to be taken outside the coastal area and directed to a centralized treatment system, while construction must take place outside designated water-protection zones. The timing of the approvals has also drawn scrutiny. The government approved the investment project and land lease in August 2025, six months before the first-stage environmental opinion was issued. In August this year, authorities were still awaiting documents needed for the second stage, including details on wastewater infrastructure and the scale...

2 weeks ago

Rogun Dam

Tajikistan Ratifies $300 Million World Bank Grant for Rogun Dam

Tajikistan’s lower house of parliament has ratified a $300 million World Bank grant for the Rogun Hydropower Plant, providing fresh financing for the country’s largest infrastructure project. The agreement was approved on October 1. The funding comes from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s concessional financing arm for low-income countries. It will support continued construction and equipment installation, alongside safety and environmental safeguards and support for communities affected by resettlement. The World Bank approved the grant in June. Together with an earlier package, its approved financing for Rogun now totals $650 million. Tajikistan is also raising money from other international partners. Italy committed $150 million through its Climate Fund in July. The Asian Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, European Investment Bank, Islamic Development Bank, and Gulf development funds have also approved or expressed interest in supporting the project. The World Bank expects up to $3 billion in concessional financing to be mobilized for the project. By August, the dam had reached a height of about 190 meters. About 145 meters remain before it reaches its planned height of 335 meters, according to Italian construction group Webuild, one of the main contractors on the project. Two generating units are already producing electricity while construction continues, with their output expected to increase as the reservoir level rises. The World Bank currently puts planned capacity at 3,780 MW and expects the plant to be fully operational in 2033. It estimates annual generation at about 14.4 billion kWh. Rogun is intended to reduce Tajikistan’s chronic winter electricity shortages and increase power exports. The World Bank expects electricity from Rogun to be exported to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Hydropower could also help balance fluctuations in growing solar and wind generation across the region. Rogun is being built on the Vakhsh River, which joins the Panj to form the Amu Darya. Reservoir filling therefore also concerns downstream Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, where Amu Darya water is extensively used for agriculture. The environmental coalition Rivers without Boundaries has criticized the project’s impact assessments, arguing that they rely on outdated data and do not adequately account for climate change or the project’s wider effects across the basin. The World Bank says Tajikistan must comply with regional water-sharing arrangements. Reservoir filling is expected to proceed gradually through 2039, with compliance monitored throughout the project. In September, the World Bank also published new resettlement and livelihood restoration documents for communities affected by construction and the expanding reservoir. The Times of Central Asia previously reported on the expansion of international financing for Rogun after Italy committed $150 million to the project.

2 weeks ago

Latvia-Uzbekistan relations

Latvia Proposes Temporary Visa Suspension for Uzbek Citizens

Latvia’s Interior Ministry has proposed temporarily suspending visa issuance to Uzbek citizens after several Uzbek nationals were accused of committing crimes shortly after arriving in the country, including offenses against minors. Interior Minister Jānis Dombrava said the measure was necessary to protect public order and give Latvian authorities time to work with Uzbekistan on tighter screening procedures. Latvian law allows the government to temporarily restrict visa applications and entry for citizens of a particular third country if authorities identify risks to internal security or public order. The proposal has not yet been approved – the Interior Ministry wanted the Cabinet to consider it on September 29, but its coalition partners were not ready to place the issue on the agenda. The ministry said it expects the proposed restriction to be considered at the next government meeting. If adopted, Latvian authorities plan to use the suspension period to work with Uzbekistan on improved screening procedures aimed at preventing people considered a security risk from entering the country. The ministry has not specified how long the proposed suspension would last or whether exemptions would apply. As Latvia is a member of the Schengen Zone of European countries, it is also questionable how enforceable such restrictions would be. The visa concerns come as Riga and Tashkent are simultaneously trying to expand business ties. Uzbekistan’s Dunyo news agency reported on October 4 that a Latvian business delegation was due to visit Uzbekistan on October 5–10 for a business forum. Latvian companies have expressed interest in closer economic ties, with agricultural producers particularly interested in importing more Uzbek mineral fertilizers. Latvia is not the only Baltic state tightening scrutiny of migration from Central Asia. Neighboring Lithuania is closing external service centers that accept applications for temporary residence permits in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan from November 1, citing security concerns. The closures follow a sharp increase in applications from Central Asian workers as more people from the region seek employment outside Russia. The Times of Central Asia recently examined the restrictions and the limits they expose in Central Asia’s growing shift toward European labor markets.

2 weeks ago

Cyber Security

U.S. Commits $5 Million for Cybersecurity in Central Asia

The United States has committed $5 million in foreign assistance to support cybersecurity and the digital sector in Central Asia. The funding will be administered through the U.S.-based nonprofit CRDF Global, State Department official Mark Cameron said at a conference in Astana. The assistance is intended to strengthen cyber defenses across the five Central Asian states, including the protection of critical infrastructure and the financial sector. CRDF Global is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization which works with governments and institutions on security-related programs, including cybersecurity and efforts to reduce technological and biological threats. Cameron said Central Asian startups would also be able to receive grant funding, including for projects involving artificial intelligence. “We believe that private companies are taking the lead in this area,” he said. The announcement came during the C5+1 SI: Digital Innovation for Economic Growth conference, held in Astana on September 29-30. The C5+1 format brings together the five Central Asian states and the United States. Participants included government officials from the region, U.S. organizations, and technology companies including Meta, Oracle, Honeywell, Wabtec, and EPAM. Discussions covered a range of topics from artificial intelligence to data centers, with a focus on personal data protection, and C5+1 efforts to align digital standards. The U.S. funding comes as Central Asia’s technology sector expands. Startups with roots in the region are increasingly attracting international capital and expanding into U.S. and European markets, particularly in artificial intelligence, enterprise software, and digital commerce.

3 weeks ago

Previous 1 2 3 4 … 104 Next