DECEMBERASIA BUSINESS OUTLOOK8NEWSROOMKyrgyzstan has opened a new agricultural data center aimed at enhancing digital information systems in the country's agricultural sector, Kabar reported. The project, which is funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), is part of the "Improving Livestock Product Safety by Implementing a Comprehensive Intelligent Traceability System for Animal Products in the Kyrgyz Republic" program.The center is expected to become a vital infrastructure platform that will provide Water Resources Ministry's departmental digital systems stable, secure, and uninterrupted operations.The data center will oversee, store, and protect the core agricultural and veterinary systems, such as the Animal Identification and Tracking System (AITS), the automated information system Sanarip VET, and other digital services for the development of veterinary medicine, increasing livestock management efficiency, and animal product transparency and traceability.The ministry said the center would drastically improve data reliability and security in agriculture, open up the digital sector for scalable and sustainable development of solutions, and deepen the integration and coordination of information systems with national platforms.By establishing a secure and centralized hub for vital agricultural data, the center is slated to facilitate decision-making, ensure the safety of livestock products, and help modernize Kyrgyzstan's agriculture sector.The opening of this data center demonstrates the gov-ernment's commitment to using technology for agricultural development and is in line with the government's other ini-tiatives to raise food safety, animal health, and traceability standards in the country.It is a fresh start for Kyrgyzstan after the new waste processing plant in Bishkek. The government is concentrating on modernizing infrastructures and pushing for sustainable development initiatives. Fitch Ratings predicted that Uzbekistan's banking sector will continue to deliver stable financial results in 2026 due to ongoing economic growth and reforms.The agency released a sector report indicating moderate challenges arising from increased non-performing loans in anticipation of a decline in profitability. Nevertheless, expected government interventions, especially in the case of state-owned banks, would allow for a cushion of capitals thereby enhancing the overall leniency balance.Fitch predicts robust deposit-market growth with the volume most likely to increase by 20-25% in 2026, backed by rising household incomes, a diminishing shadow economy, and the ongoing digitalization of the financial sector. Apart from this, banks may also raise foreign debt, including eurobond issuance, to finance the limited supply of long-term loans in the national currency.Compared to other locations, Fitch has a CIS+ banking sector with a neutral view. These countries, such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan, enjoy a stable operating environment, decent retail lending growth, and relatively good commodity prices, while regulatory measures help prevent credit overheating.Though acknowledging the existence of certain structural risks and potential external shocks that may befall the country, Fitch believes that Uzbekistan's banks will continue to exhibit good asset quality, profitability, capital, and liquidity throughout 2026 for them to remain viable and disburse dividends, hence, banking sector stability will be ensured. KYRGYZSTAN UNVEILS CENTER FOR AGRICULTURAL DATA MANAGEMENTFITCH FORECASTS STABLE OUTLOOK FOR UZBEKISTAN BANKS IN 2026· Uzbekistan banks expected to remain stable in 2026.· Deposits likely to grow 20­25% with digitalization and higher incomes.· Privatization and eurobond issuance to boost capital and liquidity.
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