Author: Oqil Rahimov

Brussels (25/11 – 33.3) Tajikistan Supreme Court has sentenced a widely respected 65-year-old female journalist, Ulfathonim Mamadshoeva, to 21 years in prison on charges of incitement to overthrowing the government. Mamadshoeva was accused by the authorities of being a leading figure behind the political turbulence that rocked her native Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) earlier this year. State propaganda has previously alleged that the veteran reporter and activist hatched the purported plot, for which no credible evidence has been produced, at the behest of an unnamed foreign government. Mamadshoeva’s brother, Khursand, was last week sentenced to 18 years in prison on…

When a dream team of swindlers runs a rogue UN-affiliated agency in charge of tourism and at the same time manages to appear relevant and progressive in the world of tourism, the fraud committed appears to become a sideline issue for many member countries. Welcome to a modern-day dictatorship in a United Nations Institution eTurboNews has been the only international travel and tourism media reporting about the ongoing irregularities, manipulation, and fraud at the World Tourism Organization since 2017 and initiated by the current Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. In return UNWTO leadership warned anyone in the organization who would talk to eTurboNews –…

The Statistics Agency has published information on Uzbekistan’s FTT for the past nine months of the year, Azernews reports, citing Kun.uz News Agency. According to the agency, in January-September 2023, the foreign trade turnover of Uzbekistan exceeded $44.7 billion. The FTT volume increased by 22.1% compared to the same period last year. During the reporting period, the country exported $17.7 billion worth of goods and services. The imports, in the meantime, amounted to $27 billion. Source: Azer News

SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan: The quaint historic town of Samarkand, Uzbekistan, which was founded in the 7th century BC, sprung into life this week when high-level delegates, ministers and distinguished guests from more than 150 countries came together for the 25th session of the General Assembly of the UN World Tourism Organization. Held between Oct. 16-20, the Saudi presence was evident throughout the festivities. On a sunny Samarkand day – after a rainy night – it was announced that Diriyah Co. from Saudi Arabia would officially join the UNWTO as an affiliate member, in a significant move towards fostering global tourism collaboration…

Shavkat Mirziyoev was overwhelmingly reelected on July 9 for a third term as president of the repressive Central Asian nation of Uzbekistan in a snap poll that an international monitoring mission said was “lacking genuine competition.” Uzbekistan’s Central Election Commission said on July 10 that Mirziyoev was reelected with 87 percent of the vote. The turnout was almost 80 percent of Uzbekistan’s 19.6 million registered voters. Throughout the campaign, the three token opponents formally running against Mirziyoev had been largely silent. Earlier this year, Mirziyoev oversaw a constitutional referendum that increased the presidential term from five years to seven and…

With the assistance of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Stockholm, online negotiations were held between representatives of the relevant ministries and departments of the republic and the Swedish companies Swedavia Airports and Aviareps, Azernews reports, citing Kun.uz news agency. During the meeting, the parties discussed issues of establishing air traffic between Stockholm and Tashkent. Following the talks, the sides decided to organize negotiations between the Nordic countries and airlines regarding the establishment of flights on this route as part of the AirportIS Forum 2023, which will be held on October 18 in Istanbul (Turkiye). Swedavia Airports is a state-owned company that owns…

Uzbekistan developed emergency action plans for all hydropower plants and reservoirs following the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP in Ukraine, Uzbekistan’s Water Resources Minister Shavkat Khamrayev said. A simulated dam breach exercise was conducted at the Charvak HPP to test the plans. The destruction of the Kakhovka hydropower plant in the Russian-occupied Kherson region of Ukraine highlighted the need for more attention to be given to each reservoir. This was stated by the Minister of Water Resources of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Khamrayev, at a meeting with journalists on June 20, Gazeta.uz reports. “For each reservoir it should be determined how and what should be done in an emergency situation. We have developed action plans for all the hydropower plants and reservoirs in case of an emergency breakthrough,”…

An update on recent developments in Chinese-Russian-Central Asian affairs. Central Asia It’s no secret that China is intent on influencing news narratives concerning its economic activity in Central Asia. To promote the Chinese view of developments, authorities staged an international conference, titled Hello, Silk Road, in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in late July. The Uzbek outlet UzDaily reported that the gathering focused on fostering information cooperation among China and its Central Asian neighbors. Sponsored by the government-controlled China Internet Development Fund, roughly 200 media professionals from “over 20 countries,” but mostly China and Central Asia, attended the meeting. The UzDaily report quoted…

Uzbekistan is now easier than ever to visit, here are some of the best things to see and do. Once closed off to tourists, the Central Asian country of Uzbekistan is now actively welcoming international travellers. Sat at the heart of the fabled Silk Road, the ancient trading route between China, the Middle East and Europe, the landlocked country offers tourists a unique blend of the old and the new, as well as many eco and agrotourism opportunities. “The rise of Uzbekistan as a tourism destination started with the change of leadership,” explains Ulugbek Azamov, First Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism.…

On August 1, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev got acquainted with measures to increase reserves and increase the volume of development of minerals.  According to the press service of the head of state, over the past six years, 15 new kaolin processing projects worth $148 million have been launched in the country. As a result, the volume of output of finished products from it increased almost 2 times, exports reached $65 million. During the same period, the volume of coal production increased 1.4 times and reached 5.4 million tons. During the presentation, information was provided on plans in the field of geology, including the increase in…