Nuclear Power: Uzbekistan and Russia have started construction of the country’s first nuclear power plant, with the project overseen under IAEA supervision and designed to combine large units with small modular reactors to help meet rising electricity demand. Energy & Safety Regulation: Uzbekistan also approved construction of a small modular nuclear power unit using RITM-200N technology, moving the project forward while regulators continue safety checks. AI Adoption: Kazakhstan leads Central Asia in generative AI use per person, helped by government policy and education investment; Uzbekistan trails with lower usage rates even as it expands AI in public services. Green Finance & Climate Policy: At the GEF assembly in Samarkand, Fiji and other delegates pushed for faster, simpler climate funding for vulnerable communities, while Uzbekistan proposed new regional ecological initiatives including a “Green Investment and Innovation Capital” concept for Samarkand. Agriculture Innovation: ICBA and Uzbekistan’s innovation agency launched a Farmers’ Accelerator program in Karakalpakstan to help farmers commercialize crop value chains. Tech Governance: Uzbekistan showcased its legal-tech and digital transformation regulatory experience at the European-Asian Legal Congress. Mobility Tech (Regional): Kyivstar’s Uklon signed to acquire Ukraine’s E-wings electric scooter operator, expanding ride-hailing into a multimodal mobility ecosystem. Trade Snapshot: Uzbekistan’s foreign trade hit $26.3bn in Q1 2026, with imports rising faster than exports.