Uzbekistan and US Agree on $12 Billion in Deals; Beeline to Buy Perfectum

Uzbekistan and the United States agreed on 54 deals and initiatives worth about $12 billion during Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to Samarkand. Priorities include critical minerals processing, energy, data centres and artificial intelligence. Rubio said President Donald Trump would like to visit Uzbekistan, though no dates have been set.

VEON, owner of Beeline, is buying Perfectum for $207 million, including about $93 million of debt. The Competition Committee requires Perfectum to remain independent for at least three years and to keep average internet speeds at no less than 300 Mbit/s.

Navoi and Chirchik will pilot income and expense declarations for 2026–2027 through the Soliq app or tax portal. Separately, the Health Ministry said measles incidence fell 40% over nine months compared with the same period last year, and that more than 90,000 children in Tashkent received vaccinations.