This article presents a comprehensive analysis of student mobility and tourism flows in Central Asia, drawing on the experience of the European Union. The economic impact of student flows is assessed through empirical analysis, which confirms the long‑term economic efficiency of the “student‑tourist” synergy. Based on these findings, the study proposes a new integrative framework for the Central Asian states—the Silk Road Student Mobility Program. The model merges a digital platform, an integration network and financial instruments to create a unified regional ecosystem for student mobility. The paper offers science‑based, practical recommendations aimed at boosting the economic contribution of student tourism and deepening regional integration across Central Asia.

This paper examines the trade dynamics of landlocked Central Asia, with a particular focus on Uzbekistan. The geographical disadvantages of Uzbekistan, a double-landlocked country, significantly impede its trade competitiveness due to high transportation costs and prolonged transit times. Historically dependent on exports of commodities such as cotton, gold, and natural gas, Uzbekistan’s economy remains vulnerable to global market fluctuations. To mitigate these challenges and enhance its trade potential, the study underscores the necessity of diversifying into value-added sectors and improving trade logistics infrastructure. By employing the gravity model of trade, the paper evaluates the impact of trade facilitation measures on bilateral trade volumes within the Central Asian region. The findings highlight the critical role of infrastructure development, customs modernization, and regional cooperation in bolstering Uzbekistan’s trade efficiency. The analysis reveals that countries with advanced trade facilitation measures engage in higher trade volumes with Uzbekistan, suggesting that strategic investments in transport infrastructure and regulatory reforms are pivotal. These efforts are essential for integrating Uzbekistan more effectively into global markets and fostering economic growth within the region.

This paper examines the emergence and development of the venture capital (VC) ecosystem in Uzbekistan, a transition economy in Central Asia striving to foster innovation and high-growth entrepreneurship. Drawing on theoretical frameworks related to innovation finance and entrepreneurial ecosystems, the study explores the current landscape of VC activity in Uzbekistan, identifies key structural challenges such as limited exit opportunities, low financial literacy, commercialization barriers, and legal-regulatory gaps and assesses the effectiveness of recent policy initiatives. The analysis integrates insights from the 2024 KPMG report on Central Asia and supplements it with comparative lessons from international case studies, including Israel’s Yozma program, Singapore’s co-investment incentives, and South Korea’s fund-of-funds model. The paper proposes a set of phased policy recommendations to strengthen the VC ecosystem, including legal reforms, investor tax incentives, co-investment mechanisms, and capacity-building initiatives. The findings suggest that while Uzbekistan’s VC sector is still nascent, targeted policy interventions can accelerate its evolution into a robust, globally integrated driver of innovation-led economic growth.

The export of services plays a crucial role in enhancing the export potential of Central Asian countries and diversifying their export portfolios. This article presents an econometric analysis of the key factors influencing service exports, utilizing statistical data from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan from 2000 to 2021. The analysis employs various methodologies, including fixed effects, random effects, GLS, and fixed effects with Driscoll-Kraay standard errors. The findings reveal that UNCTAD's ICT index and the category "Private Sector," along with GDP per capita, significantly contribute to the growth of services exports in Central Asian countries. On the other hand, population size negatively affects the volume of services exported by the countries analyzed. Based on the results obtained, recommendations were developed to boost traditional and modern services exports from Central Asian countries.

This study investigates the impact of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) disclosure on bank profitability and market value in Uzbekistan an underexplored emerging economy in Central Asia undergoing rapid financial and sustainability reforms. Using a panel dataset of 22 commercial banks from 2015 to 2024, we construct a hand-collected ESG disclosure index through systematic content analysis of annual and sustainability reports, supplemented by financial data from the Central Bank of Uzbekistan. Net profit margin serves as the primary measure of profitability, while Tobin’s Q and market capitalization proxy for market value. Employing fixed effects, random effects, and System Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimators to address endogeneity and unobserved heterogeneity, we find that higher ESG disclosure is significantly associated with improved bank profitability. Notably, this relationship is driven almost exclusively by the governance (G) pillar, while environmental (E) and social (S) disclosures show no statistically significant effects highlighting the context-specific materiality of ESG dimensions in transitional economies. Robustness checks, including lagged specifications, sub-sample analyses by ownership type, and alternative ESG measures, confirm the reliability of our findings. The results suggest that in Uzbekistan’s institutional environment characterized by ongoing corporate governance reforms and nascent green finance infrastructure transparency in board oversight, risk management, and anti-corruption mechanisms enhances operational efficiency and stakeholder trust, thereby boosting net margins. Our study contributes to the limited literature on ESG-finance linkages in Central Asia and challenges universalist assumptions about ESG materiality by demonstrating that governance remains the most financially relevant pillar in early-stage reform contexts. The findings carry important implications for regulators, bank managers, and international investors: prioritizing credible governance disclosure offers a strategic pathway to both financial performance and market legitimacy. As Uzbekistan advances its National Strategy for Green Economy Development, this research provides empirical grounding for sequenced, institutionally attuned ESG integration in the banking sector.

This article focuses on ways to solve the water problem in our country and in Central Asia. At the same time, it was proposed to speed up the implementation of modern digital technologies that meet the requirements of the present time, that is, water-saving technologies, thereby preventing the increase in the cost of agricultural products.

This article analyses the sources of formation and reserves of water resources, the state of water consumption by sectors of the economy of Uzbekistan. Recommendations for improving the efficiency of water resources management in Uzbekistan in the medium term at the transboundary and national levels are proposed.

The paper examines economic mechanisms of water quota allocation under conditions of increasing water scarcity. Water quota allocation is considered as a key instrument for water distribution, closely linked to tariff regulation, water markets, and water rights. The study explores fixed, adaptive, seasonal, and market-based quota models. A comparative analysis of practices in Australia, Spain, and Chile is conducted, alongside an assessment of challenges related to the allocation of water withdrawal limits in Central Asia. The study concludes that the most sustainable approaches are hybrid models combining state regulation of environmentally acceptable quotas with economic mechanisms for their efficient redistribution among water users.

This article analyzes the role of the tourism industry in the economic development of Uzbekistan and of countries Central Asia, the author studied the measures taken to develop the tourism industry in these countries before and after the pandemic, strategic programs for the development of this industry. The experience, strengths and weaknesses of the countries in the development of the tourism industry have been analyzed.

Ushbu maqolada Jahon banki ma’lumotlari va Global ko‘p o‘lchovli kambag‘allik indeksining qiyosiy tahlili yordamida Markaziy Osiyodagi monetar va ko‘p o‘lchovli kambag‘allik dinamikasi o‘rganilgan. Tadqiqotda Qozog‘iston, Qirg‘iziston, Tojikiston, O‘zbekiston va Turkmanistondagi mavjud kambag‘allikni pasaytirish modellari tahlil qilingan, bu sohadagi yutuqlar va tarkibiy to‘siqlar ko‘rsatilgan. Iqtisodiy o‘sish, mehnat daromadlari, pul o‘tkazmalari va ijtimoiy transfertlar tufayli monetar kambag‘alligining sezilarli darajada kamayishiga qaramay, ko‘p o‘lchovli kambag‘allik indekslari turmush darajasi va asosiy xizmatlardan foydalanishdagi doimiy kamchiliklarni ko‘rsatadi. Natijalar mamlakatlararo sezilarli o‘zgaruvchanlikni ko‘rsatadi va daromadlarning oshishini inson kapitali va ijtimoiy infratuzilmaga investitsiyalar bilan birlashtirgan muvofiqlashtirilgan kambag‘allikka qarshi siyosat zarurligini ta’kidlaydi.

The article examines how WTO accession influenced the development of project management systems in Central Asian countries. Its relevance lies in the need to align trade-related reforms with project environment modernization amid Uzbekistan’s accession process. The methodology combines qualitative comparative analysis, case study, and content analysis of OECD, WTO, IMF, and World Bank materials. The findings show that in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan WTO membership stimulated customs digitalization, single-window mechanisms, e-procurement, and greater regulatory transparency. The scientific and practical contribution of the study lies in developing recommendations for Uzbekistan on linking WTO-related reforms with project management modernization, digital monitoring, compliance procedures, and integrated project implementation control.

In recent years, as part of activities aimed at increasing the country's service exports, special attention has been paid to improving the tourism potential and its effective use. Considering the unique geographical location of our country, as well as the cultural and naturalgeographical similarities and differences of the Central Asian region, it is advisable to develop regional tourism packages when offering tourism products. Through the global value chain, there is an opportunity to optimize tourists' expenses and expand the range of destinations offered to them, which contributes to enhancing the region's tourism attraction. 

This article examines the unique aspects of the experience of some countries in creating a legal framework for Islamic banks, which have gained their place in the global financial market and have shown stable growth rates. Scholarly commentary is presented on the experiences of neighboring countries such as Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, whose systems of government are similar to those of Uzbekistan and which want a democratic system. Some points are highlighted that should be paid attention to by a country that has begun to create a legal framework for Islamic banking. A study was conducted of the impact of legislative changes in leading countries.

Today in Uzbekistan, as in many countries of the world, great attention is paid to the development of transport logistics. Geographical location of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the center of Central Asia allows the country to effectively use the potential of transport corridors, passing through this region