The first SCO Digital Forum was held on February 1 in Almaty, gathering the heads of ministries and agencies of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states responsible for the development of information and communication technologies. The SCO includes China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. In his welcoming remarks at the forum,
Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have agreed to speed up the issue of opening an additional checkpoint for freight vehicles on the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border, as well as to strengthen cooperation in the water and energy sector. This was the result of the meeting between the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Alikhan Smailov and the Chairman of the Cabinet
On February 1, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan hosted a presentation of ongoing and planned US grants in the area of economic development. The event, organized together with the US Embassy in Tashkent, was attended by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Muzaffar Madrakhimov, Director of the US Agency for International Development
Afghanistan’s acting Minister of Defense, Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, met with Abdulsalam Azizov, the head of Intelligence and Border Services of Uzbekistan, to discuss border issues, strengthening bilateral relations, and economic and transit cooperation, Afghan broadcaster TOLOnews reported on February 1. At the meeting, the Afghan minister said that the Islamic Emirate’s security forces are
According to the latest findings from the “Listening to Kazakhstan” survey conducted by the World Bank and presented at a roundtable in Astana on January 31, around 70 percent of Kazakhstan’s citizens express satisfaction with their life – a number that has remained the same since the start of the survey in 2021. This survey, conducted in
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on January 31 approved $25 million for the Higher Education Quality and Innovation Project for the Kyrgyz Republic to help improve the quality of research and strengthen labor market alignment of higher education programs. “The Higher Education Quality and Innovation Project is fully aligned with the National Development Strategy of
There are no political contradictions between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, Jeenbek Kulubaev, said during negotiations with the Deputy Prime Minister-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Murat Nurtleu, who was in Bishkek on an official visit on January 29th, 24.kz reported. Minister Kulubaev emphasized that Kazakhstan is an
The Global Gateway Investors Forum in Brussels on January 29-30 marks a pivotal moment in EU-Central Asia relations, particularly in enhancing transport connectivity. European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis’ announcement of €10 billion in investments underscores a commitment to sustainable development in Central Asia. With a focus on transforming the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, the
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in collaboration with Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Health, the National Scientific Center of Phtiziopulmonolgy (NTP), healthcare professionals, international donors, community leaders and medical representatives, on January 30 in Almaty held a capstone event to celebrate the achievements of its regional Eliminating Tuberculosis in Central Asia (ETICA) activity in Kazakhstan. The
Kyrgyz presidential spokesman Askat Alagozov told RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service on January 30 that President Sadyr Japarov will take part in the next presidential election scheduled for 2026. A day earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Edil Baisalov said that during a recent meeting with Japarov, the latter mentioned he will seek a second term. According to amendments
