Uzbekistan Weekly: Uzbekistan fast-tracks Afghan trade, faces U.S. visa curbs, backs Middle Corridor

February 19, 2026 to February 25, 2026

This week's top 10 stories from Uzbekistan, selected from our daily intelligence briefs.

1. Preferential Trade Regime with Afghanistan Fast-Tracked as Bilateral Commerce Targets $5 Billion

Uzbekistan and Afghanistan moved to fast-track a preferential trade regime after Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev and Afghanistan’s acting Minister of Industry and Commerce Nuriddin Azizi held a video call to accelerate the agreement’s entry into force and broaden bilateral commerce. Trade between the countries has risen 2.5-fold over five years to roughly $1.68–$1.7 billion in 2025, and officials set a joint target of $5 billion; planned next steps include a post-Ramadan Kabul business forum and a roadmap addressing regional linkages, showrooms and warehouses, agro-processing, building materials, textiles, and food-security projects.

Operational measures discussed aim to reduce friction and scale trade flows: customs chiefs agreed to simplify and digitize procedures, restore advance data exchange, and train Afghan officers at Uzbekistan’s Regional Central Customs Laboratory to ease import clearance. Rapid growth in border throughput—passenger, road and rail movements—underscores momentum for both preferential tariff implementation and industrial cooperation, with the initiative likely to deepen supply-chain integration and regional economic ties if administrative and infrastructure measures are implemented on schedule.

Local Coverage: spot.uz, gazeta.uz, uzdaily.uz, uzdaily.uz

From daily brief: 2026-02-25

2. U.S. Imposes Visa Restrictions on Uzbek Travel-Service Executives Over Illegal Migration Facilitation

The U.S. Department of State has announced visa restrictions on leaders and senior staff of two Uzbekistan-based travel-service companies accused of knowingly facilitating irregular migration to the United States, including the movement of minors. Taken under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the measure follows investigations that found the firms coordinated transport through airports and land borders to Central American transit points, from which many migrants were later intercepted attempting unlawful U.S. entry; the action targets individuals whose presence is judged to pose “serious adverse foreign policy consequences.”

The step underscores Washington’s expanding use of visa policy to disrupt smuggling networks and signals closer law-enforcement cooperation with Tashkent: U.S. officials thanked the Uzbek government for its role in dismantling these criminal networks. The move is intended both as a direct sanction on facilitators and as a deterrent to similar operators who enable irregular migration to the United States.

Local Coverage: qalampir.uz, gazeta.uz, kun.uz

From daily brief: 2026-02-21

3. U.S. Backs Trans-Caspian “Middle Corridor” as Regional Connectivity Strategy Evolves

The United States is elevating transport geoeconomics in Central Asia by promoting the Trans‑Caspian “Middle Corridor” as part of an expanded C5+1 agenda that now emphasizes trade, investment and logistics alongside security. Announced through U.S. diplomacy and articulated by Jonathan Henick at the Central Asia International Institute, the policy reframes connectivity from route construction to restructuring economic space—using diversified corridors to bolster economic sovereignty and supply‑chain resilience and to catalyze production and foreign direct investment.

Uzbekistan is singled out as a central hub: its double‑landlocked geography and position at the intersection of major transit routes make it a focal point for industrial cooperation and logistics integration. The shift signals a new phase in U.S.–Central Asia relations in which infrastructure becomes core policy substance rather than a technical add‑on, with the C5+1 (established in 2015) actively steering regional transit development to integrate Central Asian markets into global supply chains.

Local Coverage: uza.uz

From daily brief: 2026-02-20

4. Peace Council Debut Highlights Tashkent’s Diplomatic Posture and U.S. Economic Engagement

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended the inaugural Peace Council meeting in Washington on February 19, signaling a foreign policy pivot toward humanitarian‑led, institutionalist approaches to post‑conflict recovery and deeper U.S. economic engagement. Mirziyoyev pledged Uzbek contributions to Gaza reconstruction—housing, schools, kindergartens and hospitals—while stressing that any external governance must have local legitimacy; a declaration backing the Council was signed under U.S. President Donald Trump, who announced a multi‑country package exceeding $7 billion alongside a separate U.S. pledge of $10 billion. The meeting also discussed potential international stabilization forces and World Bank oversight of funds, though some commitments (e.g., Azerbaijan’s participation) were later disputed.

Concurrently, Mirziyoyev used the Washington visit to advance bilateral economic ties: Uzbekistan and U.S. agencies unveiled an Investment Platform and sector deals across critical minerals, energy, logistics and agribusiness, with U.S. EXIM and DFC mobilizing financing as part of a three‑year, $35 billion cooperation program. Trade with the U.S. has topped $1 billion annually and some 340 U.S. firms operate in Uzbekistan; officials highlighted steps toward WTO accession and activation of the Central Asia–U.S. TIFA process. For international professionals, the trip underscores Tashkent’s dual strategy of positioning as a pragmatic security actor in regional reconstruction while leveraging high‑level economic linkages to accelerate domestic investment and market integration.

Local Coverage: uza.uz, qalampir.uz, kun.uz, uz24.uz, anhor.uz, uzdaily.uz, gazeta.uz

From daily briefs: 2026-02-19, 2026-02-20, 2026-02-21, 2026-02-22, 2026-02-23, 2026-02-24

5. EBRD Steers €1.72B to Central Asia and Mongolia, with Largest Share Flowing to Green Projects and Uzbekistan

In 2025 the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) committed roughly €1.72 billion across 120 projects in Central Asia and Mongolia, one of the region’s largest support packages in a decade. The program was heavily tilted toward green and private-sector development: 53% of financing targeted renewable energy, 68% of the loan book supported private initiatives, and about one-third financed sustainable infrastructure. Uzbekistan was the largest beneficiary for the sixth consecutive year, receiving over €880 million to anchor major “green” projects including a 1 GW solar PV plant and a 1,336 MWh battery energy storage system—the region’s largest integrated complex.

The package also delivered targeted resilience and trade-enabling upgrades: Tajikistan completed the Kayrakkum hydro plant upgrade (now 174 MW) stabilizing supply for ~500,000 people; Kazakhstan is expanding Aktau port to reinforce the Trans‑Caspian corridor; and Uzbekistan will modernize 110 irrigation pump stations, saving an estimated 251 GWh/year and reducing SO₂ emissions by 117,000 tons. Support for private-sector competitiveness included advisory, training and finance to over 4,600 SMEs, with specific allocations for women- and youth-led firms in Mongolia and Kazakhstan. Notably, Uzbekistan’s foreign-exchange reserves reached about $75 billion as of February 1, 2025, with ~380.4 tonnes (≈85%) held in gold, underscoring the country’s strong external position.

Local Coverage: qalampir.uz

From daily brief: 2026-02-19

6. Decree Overhauls Technical Regulation with Market Surveillance, International Standards, and Independent Accreditation

Uzbekistan’s presidential Decree PF-25 (16 Feb 2026, effective 18 Feb 2026) launches a rapid, systemic overhaul of technical regulation to shift from prescriptive controls to risk-based market surveillance and full adoption of international standards. From 1 Jan 2027 a national conformity mark (Conformity Uzbekistan) will apply to regulated products assessed by risk-based methods while mandatory conformity lists are to be trimmed as regulations are updated. Implementation is phased by sector: textiles/leather/furniture/electricals/automotive/IT from 1 Jul 2026; oil & gas, metallurgy, transport, construction products and medical devices from 1 Jan 2027; and energy, chemicals, environment and services from 1 Jan 2028.

Institutional and procedural changes include moving the Uzbekistan Accreditation Center under the Cabinet of Ministers, dissolving the Uzbekistan Scientific Testing and Quality Control Center and its conformity assessment bodies, and restructuring the Uzbekistan Institute for Standards; accreditation is made independent and mandatory accreditation norms are banned. Business facilitation measures (from 1 Apr 2026) cut accreditation fee deductions to 2%, allow national bodies to assess to foreign standards for export, and restrict state bodies from creating competing labs where private accredited services exist. Metrology reforms in 2027 shift to legal verification and industry calibration, cancel routine comparisons and standard sample attestations, and exempt BIPM-recognized calibration scopes from accreditation. KPIs and AI-supported impact assessments will track progress, with 2026 targets to lift Uzbekistan at least 20 places in the Quality Infrastructure for Sustainable Development Index, expand internationally recognized calibration capacity 2.5×, and raise internationally accepted accreditation services to ≥80%; academic changes include sector scholarships, EU-style curricula and “2+2” joint degrees from the 2026/27 year.

Local Coverage: norma.uz, uzdaily.uz, kun.uz

From daily briefs: 2026-02-19, 2026-02-20, 2026-02-25

7. Tashkent and Astana Advance Nuclear Cooperation, Eye Jizzakh NPP and Regional Safety Frameworks

On 18 February, Uzbekistan’s O‘zatom Agency and Kazakhstan’s embassy in Tashkent held a working meeting to deepen bilateral civil-nuclear cooperation, with a particular focus on implementation of Uzbekistan’s planned Jizzakh nuclear power plant and strengthening regional nuclear and environmental safety. Discussions identified priority areas — workforce development, joint research, radioecological monitoring, shared ecological and water-data platforms, and rapid information-exchange/response mechanisms for emergencies — and signalled interest in joint education and practical training under a proposed regional nuclear competence centre; the parties agreed to maintain a standing working channel and plan a follow-up visit by Kazakhstan’s Atomic Energy Agency to O‘zatom in Q3–Q4 2026.

Kazakhstan also welcomed Uzbekistan’s accession to the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, which entered into force for Uzbekistan on 7 February 2026, framing it as legal assurance for neighbouring states and alignment with international liability and safety standards. For international professionals, the meeting indicates a pragmatic move toward institutionalised regional cooperation—combining legal harmonisation, capacity-building and operational data-sharing—that could materially affect project timelines and cross-border emergency preparedness around the Jizzakh NPP.

Local Coverage: kun.uz, uza.uz, uzdaily.uz

From daily brief: 2026-02-20

8. Planned De-Regulation to Allow Companies to Import, Produce and Operate Drones

Uzbekistan’s 2026 State Program proposes a major regulatory shift to permit companies to import, produce and commercially operate drones, replacing the restrictive 2015 regime that bans drones over 250 grams with cameras without special authorization. The Ministries of Defense, Transport and Digital Technologies, together with the Agency for Strategic Reforms, have been tasked to draft a presidential decree that will set safety rules, airspace zoning by authorization categories, a digital flight‑monitoring system, operator training standards, and licensing and mandatory certification for import, production and commercial deployment.

If enacted, the reforms—following a 2024 softening of criminal penalties to fines and confiscation for first offenses—would expand current narrow permit access (currently limited to cadastral, tourism, agriculture and security entities) to broader industrial and service applications. For international professionals, the move signals market opportunities for UAV manufacturers, service providers and training vendors, while raising near‑term compliance priorities around certification, airspace authorization and digital monitoring standards.

Local Coverage: anhor.uz

From daily brief: 2026-02-19

9. UK Trade Envoy Advances Infrastructure, Mining, and Capital Markets Ties in Uzbekistan; Roadmap Signed for Project Pipeline

UK Special Trade Envoy Professor Lord Olderdays concluded a multi‑day visit to Uzbekistan focused on scaling cooperation across infrastructure, critical minerals, capital markets and education, underpinned by meetings with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and senior officials. A roadmap signed by UK Ambassador Timothy Smart and Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev commits to advancing concrete proposals from UK companies, while a memorandum between Uzbekistan’s CCI First Deputy Chair Davronbek Qurbonov and UK-based Iqbal Sakrani sets out reciprocal trade missions, data‑sharing and joint fairs to lower market entry barriers. Bilateral trade has risen sharply — from £73m in 2016 to £2.2bn most recently — and more than $15bn of Uzbek sovereign and corporate bonds are listed on the London Stock Exchange; over 30 UK firms are active in sectors including infrastructure, minerals, healthcare and tourism.

Practical initiatives discussed include PPP expansion, privatization support, potential London Stock Exchange listings (including a long‑term IPO plan for Uzbekistan Airways), airport modernization, renewables and responsible mining partnerships with NMMC, AGMK and UzTMK. Education ties were reinforced by launching an Oxford Hub and noting 13 transnational UK degree providers and 15,000 students on UK qualifications (up from 10,000 last year). The UK also reiterated support for a Safe and Legal Migration partnership and technical cooperation on accreditation, governance and teacher training. For international investors and policy makers, the visit signals a coordinated push to channel UK finance, expertise and governance models into Uzbekistan’s reform and diversification agenda.

Local Coverage: uzdaily.uz, uza.uz

From daily briefs: 2026-02-19, 2026-02-20, 2026-02-21

10. O‘zbekneftgaz to Expand Exploration and Tighten Controls on Costs, Debt, and Governance

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has ordered O‘zbekneftgaz to intensify exploration and strengthen controls over costs, debt and governance, directing the company to ramp up activities in 2026–2027 including expanded 3D seismic surveys and completion of additional wells after reporting two new gas-condensate discoveries in January–February 2026. Management will restructure the central apparatus, revisit pricing for services and materials, rationalize the credit portfolio, divest non-core assets, reduce receivables, accelerate a forensic audit, refine procurement, introduce ESG principles and align reporting with international standards.

The measures target improved reserve replacement and more reliable downstream supply, while tighter oversight and personal accountability aim to bolster investor confidence and operational discipline. For international industry and power-sector stakeholders, the plan signals potential increases in gas and condensate availability over the medium term, but execution risks—including audit findings, asset disposals and procurement reforms—will determine timing and scale of any supply and financial improvements.

Local Coverage: kun.uz, qalampir.uz, uza.uz, kun.uz, uzdaily.uz

From daily brief: 2026-02-25

About This Weekly Digest

The stories above represent the most significant developments from Uzbekistan this week, selected through our AI-powered analysis of hundreds of local news articles.

Stories are drawn from our daily intelligence briefs, which synthesize reporting from Uzbekistan's leading news sources to provide comprehensive situational awareness for international decision-makers.