Uzbekistan, the world’s 8th largest cotton producer and the 11th largest exporter, produced 3.8 million tonnes of cotton in 2020 in over 1,3 million hectares of land.

Disputes over water use increased after the collapse of the Soviet Union as countries of the region failed to create an efficient regional approach to replace Soviet-era systems of water management.

Russian companies have for years relied on migrant workers from typically less affluent ex-Soviet states – Armenia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

The funds will be used to take urgent measures to fight coronavirus and reinforce the Central Asian nation’s health system.

Fitch said the decision was based on majority state ownership, significant systemic importance, and a record of capital and liquidity support.

Uzbekistan and Afghanistan are expected to sign an agreement on preferential trade to increase trading volumes between the two countries.