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

Nuclear power

Mirziyoyev, Putin to Mark Launch of Uzbekistan Nuclear Plant Project

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will travel to St. Petersburg on June 4-5 for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and a ceremony marking the launch of Uzbekistan’s first integrated nuclear power plant project. Mirziyoyev is also due to address the 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, according to the Uzbek president’s press service. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said the two leaders would join the launch ceremony by video link before holding talks at the Konstantinovsky Palace on the evening of June 4. The project has become one of the main energy initiatives in Uzbek-Russian cooperation. According to Russian officials, the planned facility in the Jizzakh region will include two large-capacity power units as well as two smaller units with a capacity of 55 megawatts each. The launch ceremony is expected to involve senior international and industry officials. Ushakov said that Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Alexey Likhachev, director general of Rosatom, and Azim Akhmedkhadzhaev, head of Uzbekistan’s Uzatom agency, will participate from the construction site. Following remarks by the two presidents and Grossi, Russian and Uzbek nuclear officials are expected to report on technical readiness for the first concrete pouring at the site, formally launching construction work. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that initial concrete works began at the Jizzakh site in March, when Uzatom and Rosatom signed documents moving the project into practical implementation.

3 months ago

Population

Uzbekistan Population Growth: 20 Years To Use a Window of Opportunity

Uzbekistan has a limited window of opportunity to turn its rapidly growing young population into a driver of long-term economic growth, according to a new study on demographic trends and human capital development in the country. The report, produced as part of a broader regional study on Central Asia, analyzes the prospects of young people up to the age of 24, as well as the impact that a range of investments in their well-being could have on national development through 2050. Approximately 60% of Uzbekistan’s population is under the age of 30. As this generation enters the workforce, the country is expected to gain the largest labor force in its history. Researchers argue that this creates the conditions for a “demographic dividend,” a period during which a high proportion of working-age citizens can accelerate economic growth and boost productivity. However, the report warns that such an outcome is far from guaranteed. Uzbekistan’s demographic opening is also a labor-market test. UNDP has estimated that around 700,000 young people enter the country’s job market each year, while warning that many graduates still lack practical, market-relevant skills. That makes education, vocational training, and job creation central to whether population growth becomes an economic advantage or a source of pressure. “Uzbekistan risks missing the opportunity for accelerated economic growth due to underdeveloped human capital,” the authors state. One indicator of the challenge is Uzbekistan’s score of 0.6 in the World Bank’s Human Capital Index. This suggests that children born in the country today are likely to realize only 60% of their potential future productivity compared with what would be possible with full access to quality education and good health outcomes. The UN has framed the issue in similar terms, saying targeted investments in early childhood, including health, nutrition, early learning, and social protection, could help close Uzbekistan’s human-capital gap and generate additional economic returns by 2050. Uzbekistan’s population is projected to grow from approximately 38 million people in 2025 to more than 40 million by 2030 and reach around 52 million by 2050. In 2024, the country was home to 11.3 million children under the age of 15, 23.9 million working-age adults, and 2.2 million people aged 65 and older. By 2050, the working-age population is expected to exceed 33 million, while the number of elderly citizens is projected to triple to more than 6 million. Researchers note that Uzbekistan is currently in what demographers describe as the “early-dividend” phase, during which fertility rates gradually decline while the share of working-age citizens continues to rise. The average number of children per woman has fallen from more than four in the early 1990s to approximately 3.45 in 2025 and is expected to decline further to 2.55 by mid-century. The report’s authors argue that the next two decades will be critical for Uzbekistan’s future economic trajectory. They recommend increased investment in education, healthcare, nutrition, child protection, social protection, water supply, sanitation infrastructure, and labor market development. According to the study, investments in human capital during the...

3 months ago

Border Security

Kyrgyzstan Opens New Border Post Near Uzbekistan in Batken Region

A new border post has opened in Kyrgyzstan’s Batken region near the border with Uzbekistan, as authorities continue efforts to improve security infrastructure in sensitive frontier areas, according to 24.kg news agency. The opening ceremony for the Sogment border post took place in the village of Sogment in Batken district. The facility is part of the Charbak border outpost under the Batken regional department of Kyrgyzstan’s State Border Service. The presidential representative’s office in Batken region said the ceremony was attended online by Abdikarim Alimbaev, chairman of Kyrgyzstan’s State Border Service, while local officials, border guards, and regional authorities gathered at the site. Among those present was Mamyrzhan Rakhimov, the presidential representative in Batken region. Officials congratulated border guards on Border Guards’ Day, which is marked in Kyrgyzstan on May 28, and described the opening of the new facility as an important step toward improving national security and maintaining stability in border areas. According to local authorities, the post includes modern barracks and other facilities designed to support border personnel stationed in the area. Border guards assigned to the sector are responsible for monitoring more than 12 kilometers of the Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan state border. The report noted that several additional border facilities were also inaugurated across Kyrgyzstan on the same day. The opening comes amid broader efforts by Central Asian states to improve border cooperation following years of tensions and unresolved territorial disputes in the region. On March 31, 2025, the presidents of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan signed a landmark agreement defining the junction point of the three countries’ borders during a summit in Khujand, Tajikistan. The agreement was signed by Sadyr Japarov, Emomali Rahmon, and Shavkat Mirziyoyev. In May this year, Japarov also visited the newly established Dostuk, or Friendship, Stele in Batken region near the tri-border area. The monument symbolizes the settlement of long-standing border issues and a new phase of regional cooperation among the three neighboring states. During that visit, Kyrgyz authorities also presented plans for the proposed Dostuk International Trade and Economic Park, a cross-border development project intended to strengthen trade, logistics, and investment ties in the region.

3 months ago

Uzbekistan AI adoption Trails Global Average, Microsoft Report Finds

Only 7.2% of people aged 15 to 64 in Uzbekistan used generative artificial intelligence tools during the first quarter of 2026, according to Microsoft’s latest Global AI Diffusion Report. The figure places Uzbekistan below the global average, as the share of generative AI users worldwide rose from 16.3% in the second half of 2025 to 17.8% in the first quarter of 2026. It also highlights a persistent gap in Central Asia between governments’ digital ambitions and current levels of public uptake. Among Central Asian countries, Kazakhstan recorded the region’s highest adoption rate at 15.9%, followed by Kyrgyzstan at 9.5%. Uzbekistan ranked third, ahead of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, both at 6.1%. However, the report also showed that Uzbekistan is not standing still. Its AI user share rose from 5.7% in the first half of 2025 to 7.2% in the first quarter of 2026, while Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan were all listed among the fastest-growing economies for AI adoption since June 2025. The report identified the United Arab Emirates as the global leader in generative AI usage, with 70.1% of the working-age population using such technologies. Singapore ranked second at 63.4%, while Norway, Ireland and France also placed among the top five. Microsoft researchers said the global spread of AI technologies remains uneven because of differences in internet access, electricity reliability, digital infrastructure and levels of digital literacy. For Uzbekistan, the findings point to a familiar problem: public adoption is still catching up with the country’s digital ambitions. At the GSMA M360 Eurasia summit in Samarkand in May, Digital Technologies Minister Sherzod Shermatov said Uzbekistan was promoting mass education among young people through the “5 Million AI Leaders” program, while GSMA data projected that more than 40% of mobile connections in Uzbekistan could use 5G by 2030. The comparison with Kazakhstan remains instructive. TCA has previously reported that Kazakhstan is already testing AI-linked systems in state administration, including the KEDEN customs platform, which has cut declaration processing times to under one minute, and Smart Cargo, a planned single digital window for logistics services. Microsoft’s figures suggest that Kazakhstan’s more advanced public uptake is beginning to match its state-backed digital push, while Uzbekistan is still building the skills and infrastructure needed to broaden AI use.

3 months ago

Investment Projects

Tashkent Signs $3.5 Billion in China Deals for Infrastructure and Exports

The third Uzbekistan-China Interregional Forum, held in the Chinese city of Xi’an, concluded with Tashkent signing more than $3.5 billion in investment and export agreements with Chinese partners, according to the Tashkent city administration. The agreements include $3.35 billion in investment projects and $156 million in export contracts spanning infrastructure, transport, construction, environmental technology, and industrial production. Officials said the deals are aimed at modernizing the Uzbek capital’s urban infrastructure and improving transport systems, public spaces, environmental services, and industrial capacity. The forum comes as China’s economic role in Uzbekistan continues to expand. According to Uzbekistan’s Dunyo news agency, speakers at the Xi’an forum said bilateral trade reached $18 billion last year, while Chinese investment in Uzbekistan totaled $17 billion. China has become one of Uzbekistan’s most important economic partners, with cooperation expanding from trade and construction into transport, energy, industry, and urban development. Dunyo’s report on the forum also presented the Xi’an meeting as part of a broader push to build direct ties between Uzbek regions and Chinese provinces, rather than limiting cooperation to central government agreements. Among the largest planned projects are a $1 billion initiative to develop Bus Rapid Transit, known as BRT, overpasses, and road infrastructure under the EPC+F financing model, and another $1 billion package focused on transport and social infrastructure projects. Additional agreements include $500 million for modern residential complexes in renovation zones and $400 million for drainage, irrigation, and stormwater systems. The city administration said financing is expected to come from Chinese partners without the direct use of Uzbekistan’s state budget or sovereign guarantees, although repayment would still depend on future municipal revenue streams. The projects are planned under the Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Financing model, known as EPC+F. The financing structure is significant as many of the largest projects are municipal rather than national in scope. It allows Tashkent to pursue major road, drainage, and transport upgrades while presenting the deals as externally financed. Nevertheless, projects of this type can still create long-term obligations if future city revenues are used to cover repayments. The forum also focused on the development of Tashkent’s Yangi Avlod special industrial zone. Agreements worth $130 million were signed with Chinese companies, including Jwise, Zhongke Honghu, CAS Cloud, and UMGG. The projects are expected to support manufacturing infrastructure, digital management systems, and high-tech industrial production in the capital. Yangi Avlod has been promoted as one of Tashkent’s main industrial expansion sites. According to the zone’s official website, it is located in the Yangihayot district and is planned as a 764.5-hectare industrial area with logistics, warehouse, administrative, and commercial infrastructure. Other agreements include investments in decorative stone manufacturing, ceramic production, and smart waste-sorting equipment. Export contracts signed during the forum included three agreements worth a combined $150 million for jewelry exports, as well as deals covering cotton yarn and silver concentrate supplies. Separately, during the official visit to China, Tashkent Mayor Shavkat Umurzakov met with executives from China Railway Construction Corporation to discuss urban renovation projects, transport infrastructure, and...

3 months ago

Irrigation Water

Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan Agree on Summer Water Releases from Bahri Tojik Reservoir

Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan have agreed on water releases from Tajikistan’s Bahri Tojik reservoir for the June-August 2026 irrigation period, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation has announced. The agreement was formalized in a trilateral protocol signed by Kazakhstan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Tajikistan’s Minister of Energy and Water Resources Juma Daler, and Uzbekistan’s Minister of Water Resources Shavkat Khamrayev. Under the agreed schedule, water from the Bahri Tojik reservoir will be released during the summer to support agricultural producers in Kazakhstan’s Turkestan region, particularly in the Maktaaral and Zhetysai districts, where irrigation demand rises sharply during the growing season. “The issue of supplying irrigation water to the southern regions remains under special control,” Nurzhigitov said in comments released by Kazakhstan's ministry. “The agreements reached are the result of constructive interaction and mutual support between Central Asian countries. The measures taken will help ensure a stable growing season and support domestic farmers.” The ministers also reaffirmed their intention to strengthen regional cooperation on the rational and mutually beneficial use of shared water resources, a longstanding challenge in Central Asia, where agriculture depends heavily on transboundary rivers and reservoirs. The Bahri Tojik reservoir, formerly known as the Kairakkum reservoir before being renamed in 2016, is one of Tajikistan’s largest artificial water bodies. Located in the northern Sughd region on the Syr Darya River, it has operated since 1959 and plays an important role in seasonal water distribution across the region. The latest agreement follows a similar arrangement reached in June 2025, when the three countries approved the coordinated use of reservoir water during the summer irrigation season. At the time, Kazakhstan expected to receive 491 million cubic meters of water to help offset shortages in southern farming areas.

3 months ago

Prisons

Uzbek Diplomats Visit Prisoners in Russia’s Sakhalin Region

Officials from Uzbekistan’s Consulate General have visited Uzbek nationals serving prison sentences in Russia’s Sakhalin region to discuss their living conditions, health, and requests for transfer back to Uzbekistan, according to Uzbekistan’s state-run news agency Dunyo. The meeting took place at Correctional Institution No. 1 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk during a working visit by consular staff. Dunyo reported that eleven Uzbek citizens are currently incarcerated at the facility after being convicted under various articles of Russia’s Criminal Code. During the visit, consular representatives inspected residential quarters, dining areas, and recreation facilities before holding a group meeting with the prisoners. Discussions focused on detention conditions and inmates’ well-being. According to the report, Uzbek officials also warned prisoners that joining foreign military formations could lead to criminal liability under Uzbek law. The issue has drawn attention since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, amid repeated warnings to Central Asian migrants against joining foreign military units. The incarcerated Uzbek citizens reportedly said they were generally satisfied with prison conditions. However, many expressed concerns over prolonged separation from family members and requested assistance in being transferred to Uzbekistan to serve the remainder of their sentences closer to home. Consular staff provided contact details for the Uzbek diplomatic mission and told inmates they could seek support if problems arose during detention. The visit comes amid broader discussions over the transfer of foreign prisoners between Russia and Central Asian countries. Earlier, Russia’s Human Rights Commissioner, Tatyana Moskalkova, said Moscow was prepared to facilitate the transfer of more than 3,000 Uzbek citizens convicted in Russia. However, she noted that the process remains blocked because Uzbekistan has not ratified the 1998 Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. The issue extends beyond Uzbekistan. Last month, Moskalkova said she had received a positive response from the Tajik authorities, including President Emomali Rahmon, regarding the possible transfer of around 200 Tajik women serving prison terms in Russia on humanitarian grounds. Labor migration from Central Asia to Russia has created a growing number of cases involving citizens imprisoned abroad, increasing pressure on governments in the region to improve legal assistance, consular access, and mechanisms for prisoner transfers. The visit shows Uzbekistan is maintaining consular access to citizens held in Russian prisons, even as a broader transfer mechanism remains unresolved.

3 months ago

Small Business Lending

Uzbekistan Plans AI-Based Lending Platform to Expand Financing for Small Businesses

Uzbekistan’s president Shavkat Mirziyoyev has reviewed proposals aimed at expanding financial support for small and medium-sized businesses, including the launch of a digital lending platform that would use artificial intelligence to assess borrowers and improve access to credit, according to Uzbekistan’s presidential press service. The proposals are part of a wider effort to increase the role of small businesses in the economy and reduce barriers to financial services. Despite years of reforms, officials said many entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan still face difficulties obtaining loans, particularly those without a credit history. According to figures presented during the meeting, the total loan portfolio allocated to small and medium-sized businesses has reached 218 trillion UZS, or about $17.3 billion, equivalent to around 12% of the country’s GDP. However, unsecured online microloans remain limited, and obtaining such financing currently takes up to seven days on average. The government plans to address these challenges through a new digital financial platform where entrepreneurs will be able to submit loan applications, receive offers from several banks simultaneously, compare terms, and choose the most suitable option. The platform is expected to be integrated with Uzbekistan’s e-government databases, allowing banks to automatically access information on businesses. Officials said this would reduce paperwork, shorten processing times, and limit human influence in lending decisions. One of the most significant proposed changes is the introduction of an alternative credit scoring system using elements of AI, scheduled for implementation from December 1, 2026. Unlike traditional scoring models that rely mainly on previous borrowing history, the new approach would consider factors such as business activity, utility payments, turnover, tax records, and other digital indicators. The aim is to enable banks to assess entrepreneurs who have never taken out loans before, potentially widening access to financing for startups and small enterprises operating outside conventional banking criteria. The government also plans to use AI tools to generate recommendations for improving creditworthiness, evaluating business risks, and supporting business development. Commercial banks may also introduce an “AI consultant” program designed to help entrepreneurs develop business ideas and identify financing opportunities based on local economic specialization and growth potential within neighborhoods, known as mahallas. Other measures under consideration include increasing the unsecured portion of microloans for borrowers with positive repayment records from 100 million to 200 million UZS. Interest expenses on loans or leasing arrangements of up to 5 billion UZS would also be partially compensated regardless of the total loan or lease size. Officials also proposed annual grants of up to 300 million UZS for 100 high-performing businesses to support digitalization, the adoption of international standards, and green technologies.

3 months ago

humanitarian aid

Uzbekistan Sends Nearly 200 Tons of Aid to Flood-Hit Afghanistan Ahead of Eid al-Adha

Uzbekistan has delivered nearly 200 tons of humanitarian aid to northern Afghanistan in response to recent deadly floods and ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, according to the administration of Uzbekistan’s southern Surkhandarya region. The shipment arrived in Afghanistan’s Balkh province and included flour, rice, sugar, pasta, confectionery, vegetable oil, chickpeas, and ready-to-eat meals. Uzbek authorities said the assistance was sent on the instructions of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev as a gesture of solidarity and support for Afghan communities affected by natural disasters. The aid was officially handed over in the border city of Hairatan at facilities operated by Astras. The ceremony was attended by Uzbekistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ismatilla Irgashev; Surkhandarya regional governor Ulugbek Kosimov; and Balkh deputy governor Nurulhodi Abuidris, along with officials from both countries. Afghan representatives expressed gratitude to the Uzbek government and people for their continued humanitarian support and extended Eid greetings, according to Uzbek officials. The assistance comes as Afghanistan faces renewed destruction caused by severe weather. The Taliban-controlled Bakhtar News Agency reported on May 23 that at least 28 people had died in the previous 48 hours due to heavy rainfall and flash floods across 17 provinces. Ten others were injured, while 176 homes were destroyed and another 534 were partially damaged. Taliban disaster management officials said flooding, storms, hail, and lightning had caused widespread losses in several parts of the country. Uzbekistan has maintained active engagement with Afghanistan despite international uncertainty surrounding the Taliban administration, combining humanitarian assistance with efforts to deepen trade and transport links. A few days earlier, a new railway logistics terminal, Port No. 5, opened on the Hairatan-Mazar-i-Sharif line. The project aims to increase cargo capacity and strengthen regional transport routes between Central and South Asia. The Hairatan crossing remains one of Afghanistan’s main gateways for imports, making cooperation with neighboring Uzbekistan strategically important for both humanitarian deliveries and commercial flows.

3 months ago

Transport Infrastructure

Uzbekistan, Afghanistan Open New Cargo Terminal on Hairatan-Mazar-i-Sharif Railway

A new dry port terminal has opened on the Hairatan-Mazar-i-Sharif railway in northern Afghanistan, marking another step in efforts by Uzbekistan and Afghanistan to expand regional transport infrastructure and increase cargo capacity between Central and South Asia. According to Uzbekistan railways (‘O'zbekiston Temir Yo'llari’), an Uzbek delegation visited Mazar-i-Sharif on May 21, where officials attended the inauguration of Port No. 5, a newly constructed and restored cargo facility on the railway corridor operated by Sogdiana Trans, a subsidiary of Uzbekistan Railways. The terminal received its first freight train during the ceremony, officially launching cargo unloading operations. Uzbek and Afghan representatives said the facility is expected to increase freight volumes and improve logistics efficiency along the Hairatan–Mazar-i-Sharif line, which remains one of Afghanistan’s main rail links to Central Asia. The Hairatan–Mazar-i-Sharif railway, completed in 2010 with financing from the Asian Development Bank, links Afghanistan’s northern trade hub at Hairatan, near the Uzbek border, with Mazar-i-Sharif. The line has become a key corridor for moving fuel, food products, construction materials, and humanitarian cargo. During the visit, Uzbekistan railways Chairman Zufar Narzullayev held talks with Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Abdul Ghani Baradar. Discussions focused on increasing the carrying capacity of the railway and accelerating infrastructure upgrades. Among the proposals was the construction of an additional 1.65-kilometer branch line near Naibabad station. Officials said the project could reduce wagon waiting times and increase overall railway efficiency. Baradar reportedly welcomed the initiatives and instructed Afghan public works authorities to coordinate technical and construction work with Uzbek counterparts. Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Works also stressed the need to expand cargo traffic, stating that Afghan authorities are prepared to receive and unload increasing volumes of freight moving through the corridor. The opening of Port No. 5 is part of a wider Uzbek push to strengthen transport and energy links with Afghanistan, inspired by Tashkent's broader ambitions to improve access to South Asian and Middle Eastern markets. Uzbekistan has repeatedly promoted trans-Afghan transport routes as a way to reduce regional trade bottlenecks and expand Central Asia’s external connectivity. In February 2025, Baradar announced that construction of the proposed Hairatan-Herat railway extension would begin shortly after completion of a feasibility study financed by Uzbekistan. The planned route would extend the existing railway westward through Afghanistan toward Herat, potentially strengthening trade connections between Central Asia and the Middle East. During the same visit in 2025, Baradar said Uzbekistan had agreed to reduce the cost of a power transmission project to Afghanistan by $30 million.

3 months ago

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