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

Aral School

“It’s Not the Whole Story”: Aral School Participants Rethink Karakalpakstan

A proverb about seasonal food caught the attention of Australian researcher, multimedia artist, and producer Jess Nikitina-Li while she was at the Aral School in Nukus. “I’m interested in language, art and storytelling, and I didn’t really know what I would be working on during the program, but I became obsessed with this proverbial wisdom that kept coming up when we started asking questions about food systems in Karakalpakstan,” she told The Times of Central Asia. One proverb in particular became important to her work: “Three months of pumpkin, three months fish, three months melon, three months milk. All four seasons of the year the people are well fed and a lot of sweet fruit we have in our lands.” “This really grounded my thinking because it reflects my belief that people are not inherently depleted,” she said. “People become depleted through extraction. Seasonal abundance has always been in this land, and people know how to work with the seasons; people are adaptive.” The school is an initiative of the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF). Its first cohort studied food and water at a household level. Applications for the second cohort, which will explore the theme of “Climate and Landscape” from January to June 2027, are open until October 25. [caption id="attachment_56507" align="aligncenter" width="1774"] Image: ACDF[/caption] TCA spoke with participants about their work in Karakalpakstan. Nikitina-Li became particularly interested in the role of women within households, including kelin, a term referring to a young bride or daughter-in-law. “One of the key projects I worked on was a project called Tabak,” she said. “Tabak is a specifically resonant symbol in Karakalpakstan. It is the iron plate that everyone traditionally eats from.” Her work with women eventually led to the creation of a cooking collective called “The Wild Kelin,” through which participants explored traditional recipes, nutrition, seasonality, and the knowledge passed between generations. “I wanted to see what was important to them, what was relevant to their households, because that to me is the test of what is relevant to this region,” she said. “We did a lot of community programming, textbook research, field research, field recordings and filmmaking, but the most important thing for me was done in close collaboration with our local colleagues,” she told TCA. “This was really a priority for me. It was why I came here, to have this strong intercultural exchange and to make solidarities with the land and with the people who understand the land the best.” “We didn’t do this through this lens of people as victims, but through a lens of empowerment and understanding people as having agency - that they have an inherent capability of keeping themselves, and each other, alive,” Nikitina-Li said. “Something unique to this program was understanding how to create a community - a community of thinkers and makers who are grounded in the same principles, values and ethos, but who work so differently.” “My biggest takeaway from the first cohort is wow - this was very...

2 months ago

Aral School

Learning to Live With the Aral Sea’s Changed Landscape

In February, participants from a new school in Nukus joined local foresters on the dried bed of the Aral Sea to plant saxaul. The shrubs can take root in salty ground and help hold down dust blowing across Karakalpakstan. Foresters from the Karauzyak State Forestry Department guided the work, drawing on years of experience in the region. The planting exercise, organized with the United Nations Development Programme, offered an early indication of how the Aral School intends to teach. Its participants work alongside people already responding to the sea’s retreat, learning from the landscape and those who live with its consequences. Now, the school is preparing for a second intake with a six-month residency in Nukus from January to June 2027. Architect and curator Joseph Grima will lead the program, which will focus on climate and landscape. Applications are open until October 25. Based in the capital of Uzbekistan’s autonomous republic of Karakalpakstan, the school brings international practitioners together with participants from the region. The Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF), which established it, announced the new intake and Grima’s appointment during an assembly at the Savitsky Museum in Nukus. The museum owes its remarkable collection to Igor Savitsky, who rescued thousands of works rejected by the Soviet authorities, finding them a refuge in remote Nukus. Gayane Umerova, chair of ACDF, and Grima spoke to The Times of Central Asia about the school’s long-term goals and how local people will help shape its work. “The Aral School was never conceived as a single cohort or a single event. It’s a long-term commitment by the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF) in line with the Government’s plan for Karakalpakstan,” she told The Times of Central Asia. “The programme is designed from the ground up to avoid simply taking knowledge without giving anything back. The cohorts live in Nukus for half a year, not for a two-week field trip, precisely so that the landscape and the people in it are teachers, not subjects.” “Participants would also work directly with local professional bodies and institutions,” Umerova said. “Local experts sit inside the programme’s design, not as guest lecturers brought in to validate conclusions already reached,” she said. [caption id="attachment_56453" align="aligncenter" width="1774"] Group discussion with local community members - Aral School Assembly at the Aral School. Photo courtesy of ACDF.[/caption] Once the world’s fourth-largest lake, the Aral Sea shrank as Soviet irrigation projects diverted water from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya to grow cotton and other crops. The retreat devastated fishing communities and exposed a seabed contaminated by agricultural chemicals. Wind carried salt and dust across the surrounding land. In Moynaq, once a fishing port, fishermen dug channels through the sand to reach the retreating water. Eventually, they abandoned their grounded boats, leaving rusting hulls on what had been the seabed. [caption id="attachment_56373" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] Abandoned boats on the former Aral Sea bed at Moynaq. Photo: Stephen M. Bland[/caption] The consequences differ across the former sea. In Kazakhstan, the Kokaral Dam...

2 months ago

digital economy

ICT Week Uzbekistan 2026 Brings Startups and Investors to Tashkent

Tashkent will host ICT Week Uzbekistan 2026 from September 22 to 25, bringing together startup founders, investors, technology companies, and industry experts from Uzbekistan and abroad. The four-day event will be held at CAEx, the Central Asian Expo Uzbekistan exhibition center. Its startup and investment programme will focus on technology entrepreneurship, venture capital, and the international expansion of Uzbek companies. The Times of Central Asia is a media partner of ICT Week Uzbekistan 2026 and will cover key developments and discussions taking place during the event. The startup and investment programme will begin on September 22 with the Startup & Venture Summit, which is expected to bring together representatives of the global startup ecosystem. Discussions will focus on developing the regional venture market, access to capital, international expansion, and the roles of public and private investors in building startup ecosystems. On September 23, the Enterprise Uzbekistan Summit will focus on Uzbekistan’s development as a technology jurisdiction for international businesses. The programme will address legal certainty, institutional infrastructure, and conditions for attracting foreign technology companies and investment. The summit will include presentations by Enterprise Uzbekistan, keynotes from EY and BDO, a fireside chat involving IT Park Uzbekistan and Enterprise Uzbekistan, and a panel discussion titled “Rethinking Jurisdictions for the Global Technology Economy.” The same day will also feature the Global Startup Ecosystem Awards by StartupBlink, held in cooperation with IT Park Uzbekistan. The ceremony will recognize cities, countries, and regions that have performed strongly in StartupBlink's global rankings. It will be followed by a discussion on best practices in startup ecosystem development, with participants expected to examine factors behind successful ecosystems and how developing technology markets can use existing experience. One of the main events of the week will be the regional final of the Startup World Cup on September 24. Selected startups will present live pitches to an international jury and venture capital representatives. The winner will have an opportunity to advance to the global Startup World Cup in San Francisco, where finalists from around the world will compete for a $1 million investment prize. Artificial intelligence will also have a major role in this year’s programme. The AI Native: Ideas to Innovation event on September 24 will explore the development of AI ideas into technology and business products, covering areas such as large language models, cloud technologies, multilingual AI, robotics, AI agents and business automation. The programme will also look at opportunities for young specialists through AI education, hackathons and career paths. The technical side of technology growth will receive attention on September 25 during AWS Community Day Uzbekistan, which will focus on cloud technologies and solutions for scaling digital products. The final day will also feature the Ignyte AI Challenge, where startup teams will present AI-based solutions to international experts, as well as TAQDIMOT, a Startup Show & Pitch Battle featuring short presentations from technology projects. The startup-focused programme is part of a broader ICT Week agenda. Other events include several AI-focused forums and sessions, the Fintech Forum,...

2 months ago

Gender-Gap ACWA Power Women's Employment woman empoyment. Uzbekistan STEM Education Kamola Alieva Ahmed Fahad Women Empowerment

Why Uzbekistan Is Losing Women Engineers

A young graduate of an energy college in Uzbekistan’s Syrdarya Region spent two years working with Acwa, one of the country’s largest foreign energy companies. When the company offered her a permanent job in Tashkent, her parents were reluctant to let her move to the capital. Company representatives invited the family to see where she would be working and eventually persuaded her parents to change their minds. Stories like this help explain why women with technical training do not always make it to Uzbekistan’s power plants and other energy facilities. A study commissioned by Acwa and the American Chamber of Commerce in Uzbekistan examined the barriers facing women in energy, particularly in the transition from technical education to employment. Gender researcher and legal scholar Kamola Alieva interviewed women and employers in several parts of Uzbekistan, including Tashkent and Karakalpakstan. She told The Times of Central Asia that the aim was to understand why women trained in technical fields often leave their professions or move into other roles. [caption id="attachment_56144" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Image: Alieva, Acwa[/caption] “We wanted to understand where and why women drop out of the profession, rather than count their numbers,” Alieva said. Two figures appeared in the presentation, around 40% for women in STEM education and around 12% for women in the energy sector. Alieva clarified that the study itself did not calculate either figure. According to the International Labour Organization, 40.2% of female university graduates in Uzbekistan had studied STEM subjects in 2021, up from 32.6% in 2017. The figure represents the share of female graduates who studied STEM, not women’s share of all STEM students. In some engineering programs, the number of women is far lower. At one energy college Alieva visited during the research, only 16 of more than 100 students admitted were women. “Already at the education stage, the number of girls drops significantly,” Alieva said. The reasons often lie outside the college or university. Parents may regard engineering as a male profession or object to their daughters moving to another city. The work itself can involve shift schedules and travel to remote energy facilities. After graduation, some women move into procurement, administrative work, or social projects instead of engineering and operational positions. Employers told researchers that women submit almost no applications for some technical vacancies. Women are particularly scarce in equipment maintenance and plant operations. Few hold managerial positions. This comes amid a significant employment gap between men and women across Uzbekistan’s economy. The World Bank estimated the labor-force participation gap at 28 percentage points in 2021. Unemployment among young women stood at 15.5%, compared with 10% among young men. Women earned 34% less than men on average. At industrial sites, the barriers can be more basic than career policy. “Conditions at industrial sites often make it clear themselves that women are not expected there,” Alieva said. She noted that many sites lacked separate toilets and showers, as well as accommodation for women. Questions about marriage and children, including whether a husband permitted...

2 months ago

Murder Convictions

Uzbek Women Murdered in Istanbul: Two Men Sentenced to Life

Two Uzbek nationals have each been sentenced to life imprisonment in Turkey for murdering two Uzbek women in Istanbul. The investigation began in January after the remains of one woman were discovered and later led authorities to a second victim. The killings sparked protests in Istanbul and Ankara. The Istanbul Anadolu 17th High Criminal Court found Dilshod Turdimurotov, 31, and Gofurjon Kamalkhodjaev, 29, guilty of murdering Durdona Khakimova, 36, and Sayyora Ergashaliyeva, 32. Each man received two aggravated life sentences, Turkey’s most severe form of life imprisonment, which carries stricter prison conditions than an ordinary life sentence, along with two additional seven-year prison terms for theft from a residence after the victims’ deaths. The case drew widespread attention on January 24, when Khakimova’s remains were found in a garbage container in Istanbul’s Şişli district. The two suspects were detained at Istanbul Airport as they attempted to leave Turkey. A second victim was later linked to the case. Sayyora Ergashaliyeva’s family lost contact with her after January 23 and sought assistance from the Association for the Protection of the Rights of Uzbek Women in Turkey. Her relatives traveled to Turkey and filed a complaint with prosecutors on February 6. In February, Uzbekistan’s Consulate General in Istanbul confirmed Ergashaliyeva’s death. Investigators determined that Ergashaliyeva had been at a house in Istanbul’s Ümraniye district. Security camera footage showed her entering the property on January 23, followed by Turdimurotov and Kamalkhodjaev. The next day, the two men were recorded making several trips from the house with black garbage bags before removing a white suitcase. Prosecutors said both women were killed at the house and their remains disposed of in garbage containers in different parts of Istanbul. Khakimova’s remains were recovered, but authorities have not reported finding Ergashaliyeva’s. During the trial, Kamalkhodjaev said he and Ergashaliyeva had been married in a religious ceremony and that he had killed her over what he described as her infidelity. He denied involvement in Khakimova’s killing. Turdimurotov admitted killing Khakimova. In his final statement, he expressed remorse and said he deserved the harshest punishment. Khakimova’s killing prompted protests in Istanbul and Ankara. Women’s rights organizations called for stronger protections against violence, with activists drawing particular attention to the vulnerability of migrant women. On January 30, Khakimova’s remains were repatriated to Uzbekistan, while her two children also returned home. The costs were covered by Uzbekistan’s Consulate General and Migration Agency.

2 months ago

Latin Alphabet Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan’s Senate Approves Latin Alphabet Changes

Uzbekistan’s Senate has approved changes to the country’s Latin-based alphabet, replacing four existing forms with individual letters: Oʻ will become Ö, Gʻ will become Ğ, Sh will become Ş, and Ch will become Ç. The revised alphabet will contain 28 letters and one apostrophe instead of the current 26 letters and three letter combinations. The law was approved at the Senate’s 19th plenary session on September 10 and sent to the president for consideration. The changes are expected to affect schools, official documents, media, publishing, and digital technologies. The reform follows years of debate over Uzbekistan’s transition from Cyrillic to Latin script and attempts to resolve technical problems created by the version of the alphabet adopted in the 1990s. Senator Odiljon Mamatkarimov, who presented the legislation, said the new system moves Uzbek closer to the principle of “one sound, one letter.” Particular attention has focused on Oʻ and Gʻ. According to Mamatkarimov, different apostrophe-like characters are used to write them, producing more than ten variants in practice. This can cause software and search systems to treat different spellings of the same word as separate entries, complicating indexing, electronic dictionaries, and other digital applications. The Ng combination will be removed from the alphabet as a separate unit. Its use and pronunciation will instead be regulated through spelling rules. Officials also argue that standardized characters will simplify the development of Uzbek-language keyboards, software, and artificial intelligence tools, including speech-to-text systems. The selected characters are already used in other Latin-based alphabets. Azerbaijani and Turkish, for example, use several of the same letters. Officials have also presented the changes as a way to improve compatibility between Uzbek and other Turkic languages using Latin scripts. Textbook Transition Planned by 2031 The reform will require changes to textbooks, teaching materials, software, and publications. Deputy Minister of Preschool and School Education Azizbek Turdiyev said the transition would follow the existing textbook replacement schedule. “If the law comes into force in 2027, we will print first-grade textbooks in the new alphabet,” Turdiyev said. “By 2031, all textbooks will be published in the new alphabet.” According to Turdiyev, this should avoid separate spending on wholesale textbook replacement. First-grade textbooks are already renewed annually, those for grades two through four every three years, and books for grades five through eleven every five years. Seminars on the proposed alphabet have also been held for teachers and students, he said, and examinations will eventually use the revised system. Changes to the education system come as Uzbekistan is already overhauling school materials and teaching methods. Cyrillic Remains Widely Used Uzbekistan officially began moving from Cyrillic to Latin script after independence, adopting a Latin alphabet in 1993 and revising it in 1995. More than three decades later, both scripts remain widely visible. Nodir Jonuzoq, head of the Cabinet of Ministers’ Department for the Development of the State Language, said the government intends to end this parallel use in official communication. “We have been caught between two alphabets, Cyrillic and Latin,” Jonuzoq said. “After the...

2 months ago

Gas

Gazprom Central Asia Gas Supplies Rise Nearly 70% in 2026

Gazprom has increased gas supplies to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan by nearly 70% so far in 2026. Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller announced the increase on September 4 but did not disclose how much gas each of the three countries received. The most significant changes are taking place in Uzbekistan. Until recently, the country was a major gas producer and exporter, but in 2023 it became a net importer. Since then, Tashkent has increased purchases from Russia and Turkmenistan. In 2025, Gazprom supplied Uzbekistan with 6.48 billion cubic meters of gas, 15% more than a year earlier. Russian gas reaches the country through Kazakhstan via the Central Asia–Center pipeline system. Built during the Soviet era to carry Central Asian gas northward to Russia, part of the system now operates in reverse. Supplies continue to rise. The International Energy Agency expects Russian gas supplies to Uzbekistan to exceed ten billion cubic meters in 2026. The reason is evident in Uzbekistan’s own production figures. The country produced 18.3 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the first half of 2026, down 16.4% from a year earlier. Gas imports reached $971.7 million. Russia and Turkmenistan remain the main external suppliers. Tashkent is trying to reverse the decline. Uzbekneftegaz has ordered new wells to be brought online and 16 existing wells to be overhauled, measures intended to add a combined 4.36 million cubic meters per day to production. Kazakhstan is in a different position. It produced 68.2 billion cubic meters of gas in 2025, but marketable gas production was only 27.4 billion cubic meters. Kazakhstan has also become the transit link between Russia and Uzbekistan. Part of the increase reported by Gazprom also reflects direct supplies to Kazakhstan, although the company has not provided a breakdown among the three countries. Kyrgyzstan’s gas market is considerably smaller. The country consumes around 500 million cubic meters a year and is more dependent on imports. Bishkek has signed long-term agreements with Gazprom for gas supplies to the planned CHP-2 and Bishkekselmash power plants through 2040. The increase in Central Asian sales comes as the geography of Russian gas exports has changed dramatically. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the sharp decline in deliveries to Europe, Gazprom has been looking for more customers to the east and south. China remains Russia’s largest gas market outside the former Soviet Union. Russia expects to supply China with around 50 billion cubic meters of gas this year. Power of Siberia is already operating at around its design capacity, while another route from Russia’s Far East is scheduled to begin deliveries in January 2027. Moscow and Beijing are also discussing a major new pipeline from Western Siberia through Mongolia. Central Asia, however, is not becoming an exclusively Russian gas market. Turkmenistan remains a major supplier to Uzbekistan, while Uzbekistan in particular is rapidly adding solar and wind generation, helping limit gas demand for power generation. But the direction of gas flows has already changed in a literal sense. The Central Asia–Center system was once built to carry...

2 months ago

Nuclear Energy

Uzbekistan Plans Joint Venture to Oversee Nuclear Power Plant

Uzbekistan has proposed creating a joint engineering venture with a foreign partner to provide independent technical oversight of its first nuclear power plant. The venture would review the plant’s design and equipment and monitor construction quality at the site in the Jizzakh region. Uzbekistan’s Atomic Energy Agency (Uzatom) set out the proposal in a September 4 report. The agency has not named potential foreign participants or said when the venture could be established. Construction formally began on June 4 with the first concrete pour for the plant’s first small modular reactor unit. Foundation work is now underway. The project calls for two VVER-1000 reactors and two small modular RITM-200N reactors at a single site. Uzbekistan describes this configuration as an integrated nuclear power plant. Uzatom says design work and construction of external utility networks will continue through the end of 2026. In 2027, authorities plan to order major equipment with lengthy manufacturing lead times. From June 22 to 26, the International Atomic Energy Agency conducted a Phase 2 Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review follow-up mission in Uzbekistan. The IAEA said Uzbekistan had made “significant progress” since its 2021 review, while identifying further work needed to improve the nuclear regulator and complete feasibility studies. The final mission report is expected to be published by the agency. Uzatom says the project’s environmental impact assessment has been approved and the necessary permits and licenses have been obtained for the siting and construction of the small modular units. Licensing for the larger VVER reactors is due to continue in 2027. More than 30 companies in Uzbekistan are being considered to supply cables and construction materials for the plant. Uzatom estimates that locally produced goods could account for around 21%, while authorities intend to raise the share above 30%. A specialized 200-hectare industrial zone has been proposed in the Forish district, around 25 kilometers from the nuclear power plant. It could support production in 15 sectors and create up to 2,000 jobs. Domestic firms are also expected to handle much of the work on the site’s utility and transport connections. A new town planned nearby would eventually house up to 33,000 people. At the peak of construction, the project will require more than 10,000 workers and specialists. Authorities plan for local personnel to account for 65%–70% of the workforce. Since 2023, 216 students have graduated from the Tashkent branch of Russia’s National Research Nuclear University MEPhI. Of these, 83 are continuing their studies at universities in China, Hungary, France, Italy, and South Korea. Four universities in Uzbekistan are training around 100 more specialists. Uzatom also plans to use the proposed engineering venture to transfer technical and project-management expertise to local specialists.

2 months ago

Nuclear Power Plant

Uzbekistan Nuclear Power Plant Targets More Local Production in $9.5 Billion Project

Construction is underway on Uzbekistan’s first nuclear power plant, a $9.5 billion project in the Jizzakh Region. The government wants Uzbek companies to take on a larger share of construction and equipment production, while work is also beginning on infrastructure and a new town alongside the plant. The project entered the construction phase on June 4. Excavation for the reactor building has now been completed, with more than 1 million cubic meters of soil removed. Uzbek-made products are currently expected to account for 21% of the project, or about $1.9 billion. Authorities want to raise that share to at least 30%, while local companies are expected to carry out 65% of construction and installation work. The government says up to 7,000 Uzbek workers and specialists could be involved at different stages of construction. For now, however, the project remains reliant on foreign expertise: the general contractor is Atomstroyexport, the engineering division of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom. As part of the push to increase local participation, authorities plan to create a 200-hectare industrial zone in the Forish District. It could host at least 100 joint ventures, with local production established in 15 areas, including through the transfer of foreign technology. The government is also preparing tax and customs incentives intended to encourage local production. The Jizzakh project has expanded significantly since it was first agreed. The original deal with Rosatom envisaged a small nuclear power plant consisting of six RITM-200N reactors. The concept was later revised: the integrated complex is now planned to combine two large VVER-1000 units with two RITM-200N small modular reactors. The plant will also require extensive supporting infrastructure, including new power lines, 120 kilometers of water pipelines, 40 kilometers of roads, and 11 kilometers of railway. Authorities want locally produced goods and services to account for 60%-70% of this infrastructure work. A separate town for plant employees and their families is planned next to the site. Around 10,000 homes and apartments for nearly 33,000 people are expected to be built on 200 hectares. Uzbekistan is also developing the technical and regulatory capacity needed to oversee a project of this scale. The government is considering a joint venture with foreign engineering companies to provide independent technical assessments during construction. In June, a mission from the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visited Uzbekistan to review the country’s progress in developing the national infrastructure needed for a nuclear power program. The reliance on foreign expertise has also prompted efforts to train a domestic nuclear workforce. Since 2023, 216 students have graduated from the Tashkent branch of Russia’s National Research Nuclear University MEPhI. Of these, 83 are continuing their master’s or postgraduate studies at institutions abroad. Around 100 more future nuclear industry specialists are studying at four higher education institutions in Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan’s nuclear plans are developing as electricity consumption grows rapidly. The country is simultaneously building solar and wind power plants, developing hydropower, and seeking to reduce the amount of natural gas burned to generate electricity. The nuclear plant is...

2 months ago

Uzbekistan migration

Uzbekistan Labor Migration Looks to New Markets in Europe and Asia

Uzbekistan is looking for new destinations for labor migration at a time when aging populations are creating worker shortages from Germany to Japan. For a country whose migration model has for decades been closely tied primarily to Russia, labor shortages in developed economies offer an opportunity to diversify, but they also require workers to meet significantly higher standards. The Central Bank of Uzbekistan has analyzed the outlook for the global labor market through 2030. It expects demand for foreign workers to grow across sectors ranging from healthcare and construction to logistics and information technology. Europe is one of the largest potential markets. Aging populations and a shrinking working-age population are expected to intensify existing labor shortages. These shortages are expected to be particularly pronounced in engineering, construction, healthcare, and technology. Germany faces one of the most serious demographic challenges. The country’s Institute for Employment Research estimates that annual net immigration of around 400,000 people would be needed to keep its labor force potential broadly stable. Demand is expected to grow particularly rapidly in healthcare and elderly care. Germany already had nearly 5.7 million people officially classified as requiring care in 2023. In England, Skills England estimates that around 90,000 additional care workers and home carers could be needed between 2025 and 2030. Another growing labor market is linked to the energy transition. The construction and maintenance of solar and wind power facilities is increasing demand for installers, mechanics, engineers, and technical personnel. Major labor shortages are also expected in East Asia. Japan could face an overall shortage of around 6.4 million workers by 2030, according to a widely cited projection by Persol Research and Consulting. South Korea is also facing labor shortages in shipbuilding and other industrial sectors. Another potential destination is the Gulf. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are investing heavily in construction, tourism, transport, healthcare, and services as they diversify their economies. One 2025 forecast estimated that the UAE alone could add more than 1 million jobs by 2030. For Uzbekistan, these changes coincide with a gradual expansion in the geography of its own labor migration. Russia remains the main foreign labor market for Uzbek citizens, but tighter Russian migration rules and rising costs for workers are increasing interest in other destinations. In the first half of 2026, work-purpose entries into Russia by citizens of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan fell by 15% compared with the same period a year earlier. Uzbekistan already organizes employment opportunities for its citizens in South Korea, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other countries. In its labor market review for the first quarter of 2026, the Central Bank specifically noted the continuing diversification of migration and an increase in the number of Uzbek citizens in Turkey and South Korea. The shift is also visible in remittances. Uzbekistan received $9.3 billion in cross-border transfers in the first half of 2026, up 13% from a year earlier. Transfers from the United Kingdom increased by 62%, those from European Union countries by 27%, and those...

2 months ago

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