Tashkent Investment Forum Build-Up: Uzbekistan is positioning the June 16–18 Tashkent International Investment Forum as a project-focused magnet for foreign capital, with 8,000 guests from 99 countries and a deal pipeline across energy, transport, construction, pharma, digital tech and AI. Bilateral Trade & Investment: Uzbekistan and the U.S. are moving toward a structured Joint Investment Platform with the DFC, while high-level talks also pushed the American-Uzbek Business and Investment Council to convert interest into jobs and agreements. Regional Connectivity: Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan agreed to tackle border bottlenecks via tighter customs coordination and real-time information exchange, and Uzbekistan–China talks aim to link customs broker networks to speed clearance and cut paperwork delays. Finance & Credit Outlook: Fitch upgraded the outlook on seven state banks to Positive, citing improved sovereign support capacity. Energy Transition: Solar and wind output jumped 28% in 2026, with renewables displacing gas use and cutting emissions. Labor & Standards: Uzbekistan expanded anti-discrimination labor protections to match ILO Convention 111, and Uzbekistan’s Senate chief met ITUC in Geneva to align labor reforms with international worker standards. Industrial Push: Uzbekistan is betting $30B on AI to transform mining, while a Chinese firm Si Jie Stone is exploring battery recycling and export-oriented lighting manufacturing in Uzbekistan. Legal & Enforcement: A court banned sales of “Samsyng” counterfeit electronics, and authorities seized 60kg of silver in an illegal metals sting.