On April 23, Laziz Kudratov, the Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, participated in an international business forum held in Jizzakh. The event was organized as part of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s initiative to actively promote regional investment opportunities. The forum brought together senior representatives from ministries, government agencies, industry associations, and local authorities, along
Afghanistan’s economy is gradually recovering, but at a slow pace, and the outlook remains uncertain due to fiscal pressures, a widening trade deficit, and persistent poverty and food insecurity, says the World Bank’s latest Afghanistan Development Update. Afghanistan’s GDP is estimated to have grown 2.5 percent in 2024, marking the second consecutive year of economic expansion.
Kazakhstan continues to strengthen its position as an attractive destination for international visitors. In 2024, 15.3 million people visited Kazakhstan, marking a 66% increase from the previous year, according to the country’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports. The figure does not include those arriving for work or permanent residence. Of the total number of visitors,
A kick-off meeting for the regional project “Stakeholder Engagement for Uranium Legacy Remediation in Central Asia” (Phase III) was held in Tashkent on April 17-18. The main purpose of this event was to present and discuss the plans for Phase III of the project with government institutions and national and international partners from three Central
Kyrgyzstan now has 7,410 job vacancies, including 6,164 blue-collar jobs and 1,246 office jobs, according to the Ministry of Labor, Social Security, and Migration. Two months ago, on February 1, 2025, Kyrgyzstan had 6,305 job vacancies. The blue-collar job vacancies include: The office job vacancies include: Since the beginning of the year, a total of
Kazakhstan’s creative economy is gradually becoming a powerful engine of economic growth, transforming traditional approaches to the country’s development. A look at the data and trends in the sector raises the question: could Kazakhstan become a new centre of creative power in the region? Here below is an article on the issue, written by Irina
Uzbek writer, cultural figure, and storyteller Gulchekhra-begim Makhmudova invites young readers on a breath-taking journey through time, legend, and imagination with her four-part children’s book series, Adventures of the Spirit of Time, now available in English from Hertfordshire Press. Originally published in Russian between 2021 and 2022, the series quickly won the hearts of readers
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved $121 million in financing for the first phase of the Kyrgyz Republic Water Supply and Sanitation Universal Access Program. It is part of a multi-phase programmatic approach, with a $400 million financing envelope over the next decade, enabling the Kyrgyz government to provide universal access to and improve
A Kazakh delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Serik Zhumangarin arrived in Kabul on April 21 to discuss investment opportunities and the expansion of economic, trade, transit, and railway cooperation between Kazakhstan and Afghanistan, TOLOnews reported. In meetings with Afghan officials, Zhumangarin discussed a roadmap for cooperation in the economic, trade,
Over the past 5 years, Uzbekistan’s electricity production increased by 30% and reached 81.5 billion kilowatt-hours. By 2035 the electricity use in the country will reach 121 billion kilowatt-hours. By 2030 the share of “green” energy in the total generation volume is planned to reach 54%. This was said at a government meeting chaired by
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors have approved $120 million for Developing a Sustainable Finance Market for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Kyrgyz Republic project. This landmark initiative will be co-financed by a $50 million loan from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). With a total funding of $170 million, the project aims
Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov last week met with the President of PGI Management Joan Viladomat to discuss cooperation in the development of ski tourism in the Almaty mountain cluster and modernization of its infrastructure to adapt to international standards. Joan Viladomat told about his company’s projects in a number of countries. Today the company
On the 5th and 6th of April, the heart of Karakalpakstan — the city of Nukus — hosted the inaugural Aral Culture Summit, a landmark event bringing together intellectuals, artists, environmentalists, and representatives of international organisations to rethink the role of culture in the age of climate challenges. Where the waves of the Aral Sea
Kyrgyzstan’s creative industries are beginning to play an increasingly important role in the country’s economy, although their contribution to gross domestic product is still very small. This has led to the creation of the Creative Industries Park, which opens up new opportunities for the development of sectors such as design, advertising, cinema and architecture, reads
The international exhibition Central Asian Business Expo-2025 was held in the United States, bringing together major international companies, investors, and government representatives. The Uzbek delegation, led by Minister of Digital Technologies Sherzod Shermatov, showcased the country’s ongoing digital transformation and investment potential in the IT sector. Throughout the event, bilateral meetings were conducted with a
Construction of an industrial park by China’s Fufeng Group, specializing in deep corn processing, was officially launched in the Zhambyl region in south Kazakhstan on April 16. According to Kazakh Invest national investment promotion company, the project is being implemented in the Shu district near the Jibek Joly special economic zone (SEZ). The
In 2024, Kyrgyzstan received foreign direct investment (FDI) totaling $872.6 million, compared to $844.9 million in 2023, according to the National Statistical Committee. Most of the investments came from China (23.9%), Russia (22.7%), Turkey (10.2%), Luxembourg (8.8%), Kazakhstan (5.7%), the Netherlands (4.9%), Azerbaijan (3.4%), and other countries (20.4%). Compared to 2023, the inflow of FDI
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), in partnership with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), is launching an experience-sharing project for energy professionals from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Named “Supporting Sustainable Energy Development in Central Asia by Expanding Sub-Regional and Cross-Country Cooperation Through the Exchange of Competencies
On April 16, Kuwait hosted the Third Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Strategic Dialogue between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Central Asia. The meeting was attended by the leadership of foreign ministries of Central Asian countries and six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council — the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab
During a visit to Japan on April 15, Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov met with representatives of the Japanese business community. From the Japanese side, the meeting was attended by the heads and representatives of the Turkmen-Japanese Economic Committee, Mitsubishi Corporation, Sumitomo Corporation, Komatsu Ltd., Toyo Engineering Corporation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., Sanko Seikа Co. Ltd.,
