U.S. Air Forces Central and the Montana Army and Air National Guard partnered with the Kyrgyz Republic for exercise Ak Shumkar 2025, between June 23-27, focused on expanding partnerships and increasing interoperability among partner forces throughout Central Asia, according to the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek. As a Kyrgyz-led exercise, Ak Shumkar 2025 provided an opportunity for U.S.
The World Bank has approved additional financing of $6.36 million to complement the ongoing Learning for the Future Project in Kyrgyzstan. This initiative, originally launched with $50 million in 2020, seeks to enhance school readiness and teacher productivity from pre-school to secondary education in targeted communities. The additional funding will expand the scope of the project to include full-day
A meeting was held at the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan between Minister Aziz Abdukhakimov and Haruki Yamasaki, CEO of the Japanese company Le One Co., Ltd. The meeting discussed bilateral cooperation within the framework of a planned pilot project aimed at introducing innovative environmental technologies. Le One Co., Ltd.
As part of his official visit to Mongolia, on June 26 Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu met with the country’s Minister of Roads and Transport, Borkhuu Delgersaikhan. The parties emphasized the importance of deepening Kazakh-Mongolian cooperation in the field of transport and logistics. The close geographical interconnectedness of
On June 23, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Economy and Commerce and South Korean companies EVSIS and NGS and the Korea Automobile Environment Association for a joint project to develop an electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Bishkek. According to the ministry, the memorandum covers the following key areas of cooperation: As part
A new project aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy efficiency in schools, hospitals, and public transportation has been launched in Uzbekistan. The initiative is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Uzbekistan, with support from the Government of Japan and the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan. The project
The European Union and Turkmenistan held their seventeenth annual Human Rights Dialogue on 17 June in Brussels. According to the Delegation of the European Union to Turkmenistan, discussions took place in an open and constructive atmosphere. The agenda contained a broad range of topics, including rule of law, fundamental freedoms, and gender equality. The EU
The QS World University Rankings 2026 have been published, with 20 Kazakhstani universities featured – a testament to the rising quality of higher education in the country. New entrants include Shakhmardan Yessenov Caspian University of Technology and Engineering, M. Kozybayev North Kazakhstan University, and Shakarim University of Semey, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Science
From 16 to 18 June, the Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA 10), funded by the European Union (EU), in cooperation with UNICEF, organised a seminar in Tashkent to strengthen child protection systems in Uzbekistan’s border regions, the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan reported. Bringing together representatives of the National Agency for
On June 11, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov held a meeting with Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic Robert Fico, who arrived in Kazakhstan on his first official visit. The parties discussed the development of trade and economic cooperation, the Kazakh government’s press service reported. “Slovakia is a reliable partner of Kazakhstan in the
In the current challenging environment, we are focusing our primary attention on maintaining economic stability in Uzbekistan, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev stated in his address to the Fourth Tashkent International Investment Forum on June 10. According to Mirziyoyev, Uzbekistan’s gross domestic product has doubled over the past eight years, and the country has set a goal
On June 8-10, a delegation of the Council of the European Union’s Working Party on Eastern Europe and Central Asia (COEST) paid a visit to Kazakhstan. The visit, which included the cities of Aktau and Astana, marked an important milestone in the development of the Kazakhstan–EU dialogue, reaffirming both sides commitment to deepening their strategic
The high-level meeting on June 8 in the city of Nice, France to launch the International Decade for Action on Cryospheric Sciences, 2025-2034, was opened by Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, as the head of a leading country in promoting the issues of water, climate and glaciers’ preservation. In his speech, Rahmon stated that Tajikistan is
The IV Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF) opened in Uzbekistan’s capital on June 9, marking a key event in the regional investment agenda. The forum has brought together leading international investors, government representatives, financial institutions, and business leaders. In 2025, the forum is being held on an unprecedented scale, with investment projects across strategically important sectors
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Alibek Kuantyrov on June 5 held a meeting with Joaquim Nunes de Almeida, Director for Mobility and Energy-Intensive Industries at the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) of the European Commission. The meeting focused on prospects for deepening the partnership between Kazakhstan and the
by Shoira Toirova In this interview, we sit down with Ozan Sevimli, former Country Manager of the World Bank Group in Tajikistan, whose time in the country left a lasting imprint on both his career and soul. He led the World Bank’s efforts during a globally transformative period — navigating the aftermath of the COVID-19
US President Donald Trump on June 4 signed a proclamation resurrecting the travel ban from his first term, ordering a new ban on citizens of 12 countries, including Afghanistan and Iran, from entering the United States, RFE/RL reported. Trump said the travel ban is necessary to protect Americans from terrorist attacks such as a June
by Paul Sawyer A three-strong British Kurash team, comprising Fiona Chan, Natasha Glassford and Danielle Batt and accompanied by coach Paul Sawyer, achieved outstanding success at the 2025 European Championships in Batumi, Georgia winning no less than one gold and two silver medals. For those unfamiliar with Kurash, it is the national sport of Uzbekistan,
A new group of Przewalski’s horses arrived in Kazakhstan on June 3, marking the second international transportation under the project of the reintroduction of this endangered species to the vast grasslands of Kazakhstan. According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the horses were transported from Prague Zoo and Hungary’s Hortobagy National Park by
The historic Langar Ota Complex, a 15th-century cultural and religious landmark in Uzbekistan’s Kashkadarya province, has been restored and reopened following a $250,000 emergency conservation project funded by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, according to the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan. U.S. Ambassador Jonathan Henick joined local officials, community members, and U.S. experts to
