A ceremony to launch the new production line at the Kant Cement Plant, the construction of which began in spring 2024, was held on June 16 in Kyrgyzstan. One year later, the plant begins operations on a renewed, environmentally friendly and energy-efficient platform, the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) reported. The project involved the construction of a
The Second Central Asia – China Industrial and Investment Cooperation Forum was held in Astana on June 16. The main goal of the forum was to develop and strengthen economic ties between the Central Asian countries and China, attract mutual investments, establish joint production facilities, and promote cooperative projects in the strategic sectors of the region’s economy.
U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jonathan Henick and Farkhod Makhmudov, Founder and Shareholder of OSON Holding (Brio Group), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in January 2025 to launch a new public-private partnership to expand support for the U.S. State Department’s entrepreneurship activities. Through this partnership, OSON will contribute $50,000 to sponsor a new cohort of
The government of Uzbekistan’s Karakalpakstan autonomous region has unveiled a comprehensive agricultural development program aimed at revitalizing the region’s economy and improving food security. The new initiative, which includes investments totaling over $50 million, will focus on enhancing irrigation infrastructure, introducing modern farming techniques, and expanding the cultivation of high-value crops. Investing in Irrigation Infrastructure
For the first time ever, Kazakhstan entered the club of the world’s top 10 largest sunflower oil exporters, taking 8th place in 2024, according to the country’s Ministry of Trade and Integration. Kazakhstan exports sunflower oil to neighboring Central Asian countries and China, with plans to expand the exports to Middle East countries. Kazakhstan has
Today, Kyrgyzstan is almost entirely dependent on the import of mineral fertilizers for its agricultural sector, which employs a significant portion of the country’s population and ensures its food security and export revenues. To resolve the problem, the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry has prioritized switching from mineral fertilizers to a wider
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is contributing to greater efficiency of Uzbekistan’s irrigation system by providing a sovereign loan of up to $250 million (€240 million) to the Ministry of Water Resources of Uzbekistan for upgrades to 110 pumping stations across the country. Used by the irrigation system in 10
The World Bank says it has approved additional financing from the International Development Association (IDA) to benefit local communities, including youth, women, and vulnerable groups, in the Districts of Republican Subordination, Khatlon region, and Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) of Tajikistan. The $25 million grant will extend the Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Project (SERSP), which uses
The Uzbekistan–U.S. Business Forum was held in Tashkent on June 9. The event was organized by the Ministry of Investments, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan together with the American-Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce (AUCC). More than 150 representatives from the business and government sectors of both countries participated in the event, including around 100 leading U.S.
Kyrgyzstan’s Energy Minister Taalaibek Ibrayev last week met with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) officials in Manila to discuss the bank’s participation in the country’s energy projects, including the construction of the Kambarata-1 Hydropower Plant (HPP), an ambitious regional initiative being jointly undertaken by Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. During the meeting, the ADB expressed its
Kyrgyzstan’s parliament has passed amendments to The Law on Limiting the Circulation of Polymer Film and Plastic Bags, set to take effect on January 1, 2027, 24.kg reported. According to the Law, the following should have been banned throughout the country from 2027: The amendments propose that the Cabinet of Ministers exclude PET plastic bottles
Around 100 tons of cherries from the Panjshir province of Afghanistan will be exported to several Central Asian countries and Russia, TOLOnews reported. According to local officials, traders from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan plan not only to purchase cherries but also to buy apples and grapes to export to Central Asian countries. Mohammad Agha Hakim, Governor
The Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Government of Finland, presented the interim results of the Aid for Trade initiative, which is contributing to stronger trade governance, institutional development, and enterprise-level competitiveness across Kyrgyzstan, UNDP Kyrgyzstan reported. This flagship project is
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is supporting the development of small businesses owned or led by women and the deployment of green technologies in Kyrgyzstan by providing a financial package of US$ 8 million (€ 7.6 million) to the country’s major microlender FINCA Bank Kyrgyzstan (FINCA). The package will consist of
Chairman of the Management Board of Kazakh Invest national company Yerzhan Yelekeyev and Director of Harvest Agro Holding LLP Daulet Uvashev have signed a framework agreement to implement a large-scale agro-industrial cluster project. The project envisions the conversion of 150,000 hectares of pasture and grazing lands into irrigated agricultural land using underground water and modern water-saving technologies
Afghanistan’s power company Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) announced that discussions are ongoing with Turkmenistan over the roadmap to begin work on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) Power Transmission Project in Afghanistan, TOLOnews reported. According to company officials, Turkmenistan has committed to implementing the project, and once completed, Afghanistan will annually receive between 300 to 350 megawatts
The Kazakhstan–Italy Business Forum was held in Astana on May 28. In his welcoming remarks, Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov highlighted the significant role of the business forum in expanding trade and economic ties between Kazakhstan and Italy. He noted that the strategic partnership between the two countries is dynamically developing thanks to the efforts
As part of Kazakhstan-France Business Forum in Astana on May 28, 15 bilateral agreements were signed between government bodies, national companies, and business entities of the two countries. The agreements span strategic sectors such as energy, healthcare, technology, logistics, agriculture, education, and sustainable development, Kazakh Invest reported. One of the key documents was an Investment
On May 27, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev listened to reports on the ongoing work to expand the drinking water supply and sewage services in the country. Today 81% of all cities and villages in Uzbekistan have access to centralized drinking water supply, and the sewage system coverage is 20%. In the current year, it is
Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry has begun the first-ever agronomic testing of citrus and olive crops, including oranges, mandarins, olives, and kumquats (a type of orange). Seedlings have been brought from Turkey for experimental planting in the Kadamjai district of Kyrgyzstan’s southernmost Batken region, where the agro-climatic conditions are most favorable
