Gazeta.uz, citing representatives of the Agency for Migration under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan, says the bodies of 483 Uzbek citizens were returned to Uzbekistan from abroad in 2024. 474 of them were reportedly returned home from the Russian Federation.
Ms. Nigora Isroilova, an official with the Agency for Migration, has clarified that the costs of repatriating bodies to their homeland are fully covered by the national budget.
According to her, the expenses for each case vary depending on the country of transportation. For example, a flight from Russia costs less than US$1,000, from the United Kingdom US$4,000–US$5,000, and from South Korea or Japan around US$9,000.
Representatives of the Agency for Migration reportedly also informed reporters about Uzbekistan's efforts last year to repatriate compatriots in distress abroad. According to them, Authorities facilitated the return of 775 migrants who found themselves in difficult situations overseas, as well as 182 individuals who had sustained serious injuries.
In 2024, incidents involving the deaths of foreign workers in Russia occurred. In May, a fire broke out in a hostel located in Moscow oblast, which primarily housed Uzbek citizens. The tragedy claimed the lives of eight people.
Meanwhile, Uzbekistan's Central Bank released data showing an increase in remittances from Russia, according to uzdaily.uz.
In 2024, Uzbekistan reportedly received US$14.8 billion in remittances from abroad, a US$3.4 billion (30%) increase compared to the previous year. Of this amount, 77% ($11.5 billion) came from Russia, representing a 29% rise from 2023.
Other significant remittance sources included: Kazakhstan — US$795 million; the United States — US$577 million; South Korea — US$534 million; Turkiye — US$405 million; and the United Kingdom — US$135 million
According to the Central Bank of Uzbekistan, this increase in remittances is attributed to positive trends in labor migration, including increased economic activity, higher demand for labor, and rising wages in host countries, as well as a growing share of high-income countries in the migration landscape.
In September 2024, Tashkent hosted a meeting of a joint commission at the level of the prime ministers of Russia and Uzbekistan.
The discussions focused on plans to triple trade turnover between the two countries by 2030, aiming to reach US$30 billion annually.
