Trade turnover between Central Asia and Gulf countries reaches $3.9 billion
Between 2020 and 2025, trade between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf countries increased nearly fourfold. Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan accounted for about 85% of the trade turnover.
According to data from the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), trade turnover grew from $1 billion to $3.9 billion over five years. The UAE accounted for about 94% of trade between the two regions. Approximately 70% of the turnover consisted of supplies from the Gulf countries to Central Asia.
The EDB estimates the trade turnover potential by 2030 at $4.9 billion, which is about a quarter higher than the 2025 level. The bank believes that realizing this potential will be aided by the development of transport routes, reduced transportation costs, and the free trade agreement between the EAEU and the UAE, which entered into force in October 2026.
Cumulative direct investments from the Gulf countries in Central Asia increased from $9.1 billion in 2020 to $31.1 billion by mid-2026. Turkmenistan received the most investments ($14.4 billion), followed by Uzbekistan ($11.3 billion) and Kazakhstan ($5.3 billion). The UAE became the largest investor with $20.6 billion.
The share of electricity generation in these investments grew from 2% to 34%, with the volume in the sector reaching $10.5 billion. The main growth was driven by solar and wind energy projects, primarily in Uzbekistan.
