Uzbekistan’s Statistics Committee has released data on industrial production for January and February 2025, revealing a continued decline in natural gas output. During this period, the country produced 7.37 billion cubic meters of gas, down 329 million cubic meters (4.2%) from the same period in 2024 and 781 million cubic meters compared to 2023.

Depleting Reserves and Rising Demand

Azim Ahmadkhadjayev, head of the state nuclear agency Uzatom, attributed the decline to the depletion of existing gas fields and delays in developing new ones. Simultaneously, Uzbekistan’s industrial production is accelerating, driving up energy demand.

“The existing fields are running out. Discovering and developing new reserves requires substantial investment. Work is underway, but the transition takes time,” Ahmadkhadjayev told the Alter Ego project. He also emphasized that the future expansion of nuclear energy would reduce reliance on gas.

Amid these challenges, the government is prioritizing energy conservation. At a March 26 meeting, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev outlined ambitious goals: saving 1.1 billion cubic meters of natural gas and 2.6 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in 2025.

Outdated Infrastructure and Industrial Modernization

Many of Uzbekistan’s industrial facilities date back several decades and were not designed with energy efficiency in mind. This outdated infrastructure consumes disproportionate amounts of electricity and gas, leading to regional shortages during peak demand.

To address this, the government is modernizing key industries and implementing a dedicated energy-efficiency program for large enterprises. With the population projected to reach 41 million by 2030 and, energy demand expected to grow by 1.5 times, long-term planning is critical.

Researchers in Samarkand, Syrdarya, and Jizzakh have identified potential energy savings of 870 million kilowatt hours of electricity and 420 million cubic meters of gas. One proposed measure is replacing 35,000 outdated machines in small and medium-sized factories.

Local Energy Initiatives

Energy savings are also being pursued at the community level. The government plans to install small solar power plants in 300 neighborhoods, aiming to save 45 million cubic meters of gas in 2025. Additionally, over 1,000 micro hydropower stations are planned on canals and streams to generate supplemental electricity.

Street lighting is another major energy consumer, using 200 million kilowatt hours annually. Transitioning to solar-powered lights could halve this consumption.

President Mirziyoyev stressed the need for factories to adopt energy-efficient technologies and reduce waste. A new monitoring system will ensure the proper implementation of these energy-saving measures.

Focus on Renewables and Public Awareness

The government is also promoting energy-conscious behavior among citizens. Simple actions, like turning off unused lights or installing solar panels, can collectively contribute to national energy goals.

Particular attention is being paid to the densely populated Fergana Valley. A tailored energy plan is being developed for the region, with successful strategies to be expanded nationwide.

Amid intensifying climate impacts, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) released its Atlas of Environmental Change for Kyrgyzstan on March 26, offering a comprehensive assessment of the country’s growing environmental risks and response strategies.

Warming at Twice the Global Rate

According to the Atlas, average annual temperatures in Kyrgyzstan have increased by 1.2°C between 1960 and 2023, double the global average of 0.6°C. This accelerated warming has exacerbated water scarcity and the likelihood of natural disasters, a trend expected to intensify in the coming decades. While water availability declines, demand continues to rise, particularly in agriculture.

The report stresses the urgent need for robust climate adaptation measures, including reducing irrigation losses, upgrading early warning systems, and improving pasture management. Currently, an estimated 70% of Kyrgyzstan’s pastures are degraded.

Declining Water Resources

Hydropower accounts for up to 93% of Kyrgyzstan’s electricity generation. But as the climate shifts, rainfall patterns, snow cover, and glaciers are changing, threatening the water inflows that power these systems. Water flow into the Toktogul Reservoir, which feeds the country’s largest hydroelectric plant, could decrease by as much as 18.8% by 2050.

This poses a serious threat not only to energy security but also to regional cooperation, as Kyrgyzstan lies upstream of many major Central Asian rivers. The report underscores the importance of transboundary water management.

Disasters on the Rise

Natural disasters are also becoming more frequent and severe. On average, Kyrgyzstan experiences around 200 emergencies per year, 90% of which are linked to natural hazards such as floods, earthquakes, mudslides, rockfalls, and avalanches.

In 2022 alone, nearly 150 lives were lost to natural disasters. Between 2012 and 2018, the average annual economic loss from such events reached $27 million.

Conservation Achievements

Despite the mounting risks, the Atlas also highlights Kyrgyzstan’s environmental progress. Forest cover has increased from 6.2% in 2000 to 6.9% in 2023, a significant feat given the country’s mountainous terrain. Protected areas have expanded from 0.5 million hectares in 2000 to 1.5 million hectares, with plans to increase this to 10% of national territory by 2040, safeguarding up to 65% of species listed on the IUCN Red List.

All forests in Kyrgyzstan are protected from commercial logging. Notably, the creation of the Khan Teniri Nature Park has expanded snow leopard habitat in the Central Tien Shan mountains by 40%.

A Tool for Climate Policy

The UNEP Atlas offers Kyrgyz policymakers a vital evidence base for sustainable environmental management and climate adaptation. It is designed to guide future strategies as the country faces mounting ecological and socio-economic pressures.

Tajik authorities are urging citizens working in Russia to legalize their status before the April 30 deadline, as new Russian immigration regulations come into force. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan has reminded labor migrants to update their documents to remain employed legally.

“Foreign citizens in the Russian Federation who are not registered at their place of residence, do not possess a valid work patent, or have failed to make monthly payments, as well as those listed in the register of controlled persons, can legalize their documents without leaving Russia,” the ministry stated.

Starting June 30, Russia will implement a digital profile system for migrants. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announced that the new system will replace the current paper-based work patent with a digital profile containing a unique identifier. Authorities say this transition is aimed at improving administrative efficiency and reducing fraud.

“To ensure a smooth transition, all necessary preparations are being made,” Mishustin said.

In addition to the digital transition, Russia began testing a new border control system in December 2024. Migrants entering via Moscow airports are now required to submit biometric data, enabling authorities to track entries and identify individuals banned from entering the country.

In February 2025, Russian authorities activated a national register of controlled persons. The list includes over 640,000 foreign nationals residing in Russia without proper documentation. Those listed must legalize their stay by April 30 or face potential deportation.

The new rules also affect migrant families. Since February, children of migrants must pass a Russian language proficiency test. If they fail, they are required to attend a three-month language course at their parents’ expense. Noncompliance may trigger investigations into the family’s living conditions and result in penalties.

In 2024, Bishkek authorities received 158 citizen requests to capture and eliminate stray animals, all of which were fulfilled. According to official data, 14,378 stray dogs were captured and killed over the course of the year in the Kyrgyz capital​.

Despite longstanding regulations mandating humane treatment, sterilization, vaccination, and release, city officials cite a lack of resources and infrastructure as the reason for continuing the practice of mass culling. The current rules were approved by the Bishkek City Council in 2002.

“There are no municipal shelters for stray animals in Bishkek,” the City Council stated in official documents. “As a result, the municipal enterprise Tazalyk is forced to shoot stray dogs.”

Officials argue that ending the practice would require the construction of an animal shelter, but such a project is not accounted for in the city’s budget. “Around the world, animal shelters are usually established by charitable organizations and public foundations,” said First Deputy Mayor Mirlanbek Baigonchokov, defending the administration’s inaction.

The mayor’s office noted that stray dog shootings were temporarily halted in 2021, but resumed following what it described as numerous public complaints.

From 2015 to 2024, Bishkek health institutions registered 1,391 dog bite cases, 949 of which involved children.

Tazalyk reports that it costs approximately 430 Kyrgyz soms (about $5) to eliminate a single stray dog. This cost covers one bullet, a disposal bag, the hunter’s salary, and a contribution to the Social Fund​.

However, animal welfare experts argue that culling is not only inhumane but ineffective. “Shooting does not work. In fact, the number of stray animals increases every year,” said Tazalyk Director Zholdosh Chushtukov. “We need a different approach. We propose mandatory sterilization and castration.”

Alexander Mashkevich was a prominent figure in Central Asian business for many years: a founder of Eurasian Resources Group, a major mining company that is partly owned by Kazakhstan’s government and has operations in Africa and Brazil, and chairman of the board of directors of the Almaty-based Eurasian Bank. He also founded the Jewish Congress of Kazakhstan and became its first president.

Mashkevich, who moved from Kyrgyzstan to Kazakhstan in the 1990s and later obtained Israeli citizenship, died on March 22 after an illness. He was 71 years old and leaves a wife, Larissa, and two daughters, Anna and Alla.

Mashkevich “made an enormous contribution to the development of Kazakhstan’s metals and mining sector and the country’s economy,” said Eurasian Resources Group, or ERG.

Between 2014 and 2024, Mashkeviich was chairman of the board of directors of Luxembourg-based ERG, which says it is one of the world’s largest producers of ferrochrome, an alloy that can be used to make stainless steel, and cobalt, which is used in batteries and other technologies. The company also says it is also a major producer of copper, the only producer of high-grade aluminum in Kazakhstan, and a big supplier of alumina and iron ore in the Eurasia region. It provides electricity and is a major railway operator in the region.

Mashkevich received awards from the Kazakh state for contributions to the country’s development.

His operations also came under scrutiny from Britain’s Serious Fraud Office, which for many years investigated suspected bribes that were paid to access mining contracts in Africa. In 2023, the office closed its case without bringing charges. The Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation, a subsidiary of ERG, had meanwhile sued the fraud office for alleged wrongdoing. The two sides settled last year.

Separately, Belgian prosecutors alleged that Mashkevich and two partners were involved in a money-laundering scheme. In 2011, the matter was dropped after the three businessmen paid a fine without admitting guilt.

Mashkevich, who had a Lithuanian Jewish background, built a reputation as a philanthropist. He was active in the Jewish community in Central Asia, leading the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, or EAJC, for more than a decade after it was founded in 2002. He supported Jewish schools and other institutions, and one of his last projects was the establishment of a museum about Albanian citizens who saved Jews during World War II, according to the EAJC.

In addition to synagogues, he also provided funds for the construction of mosques and churches in Kazakhstan.

Mashkevich’s parents met in Kyrgyzstan after being evacuated during World War II. At a conference in Israel in 2011, Mashkevich said Jews had to excel in order to survive.

“We have to find – every day – new, creative ways to respond to challenges, which we get every, every, every day the last few thousand years,” Mashkevich said in English. “And I suppose we will get these challenges another few thousand years.”

On March 26, 2025, Ambassador Furkat Sidikov hosted a Congressional Breakfast featuring Congressman Trent Kelly (R, Mississippi), Co-Chair and founding member of the U.S.-Uzbekistan Caucus.

The event focused on the theme of trade, investment, and U.S.-Uzbekistan relations. Business leaders and policy experts also joined to discuss the evolving economic landscape and the future of U.S.-Uzbekistan relations.

Ambassador Sidikov highlighted the presence of over 300 American companies in Uzbekistan and expressed optimism about bilateral trade soon surpassing $1 billion annually. The Ambassador emphasized the strengthening of multifaceted partnership with the U.S. over economic and security partnerships, alongside ongoing reforms in democracy and human rights.

Congressman Kelly praised the strong partnership between the United States and Uzbekistan, highlighting the country’s reforms and its openness to U.S. business and trade. He expressed deep admiration for the Uzbek people and their government, emphasizing the growing ties fostered through the State Partnership Program with Mississippi. Congressman Kelly voiced strong support for removing the Jackson-Vanik Amendment (a Cold War-era provision that restricts trade with certain countries), stating that the time was right for such action. He noted ongoing collaboration with congressional and senatorial colleagues to advance this effort. Referring to Uzbekistan Day on the Hill as a growing tradition, he encouraged stronger connections between the two nations, underscoring Uzbekistan’s vibrant culture, abundant resources, and welcoming spirit.

Ambassador Furkat Sidikov, Congressman Trent Kelly (R, Mississippi), and Congresswoman Carol Miller (R, West Virginia) display the Uzbekistan Normalized Trade Act, H.R. 2329

The Uzbekistan Caucus was established in 2018 to strengthen bilateral relations between the United States and Uzbekistan by encouraging dialogue on issues such as trade, security, governance, and cultural exchange. While bilateral caucuses are often seen as ceremonial with limited tangible outcomes, the Uzbekistan Caucus has proven to be an exception by driving meaningful progress in U.S.-Uzbekistan relations. This success reflects the contributions of both officials.

Ambassador Sidikov has served as Uzbekistan’s ambassador to the United States since 2023, playing a key role in strengthening bilateral ties. During his tenure, he facilitated the signing of the Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement (CMAA), streamlining trade and enhancing border security, and supported Uzbekistan’s reforms to align with World Trade Organization (WTO) standards, fostering a more open and competitive economic environment. These efforts have not only expanded market access, such as enabling U.S. meat and poultry exports to Uzbekistan, but also fostered deeper economic and strategic ties between the two nations.

Congressman Kelly’s 36 years of military service, including his role as a brigadier general, two Bronze Star Medals, and deployments to Iraq, have been instrumental in advancing collaboration with Uzbekistan through the State Partnership Program. His efforts have supported joint training, disaster preparedness, and modernization initiatives, providing valuable U.S. expertise and strengthening defense ties between the two nations. Uzbekistan ranks 58^th in the Global Firepower Index, which ranks countries by military strength.