Kyrgyzstan has advised its citizens to refrain from traveling to Russia in the face of rising scrutiny of Central Asians in the country following the deadly Crocus City Hall attack near Moscow in late March, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. The Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry issued the travel advisory on May 2, warning Kyrgyz citizens of intensified checks and controls at
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on May 2 said it is contributing to the development of sustainable transport connections in Central Asia by financing the upgrade and expansion of a key transportation route in Uzbekistan. The EBRD’s sovereign loan of up to US$ 238 million (€224 million) will help rehabilitate around 81 km of
Kazakhstan’s national railways company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) has announced that the issues of organizing the launch of an international tourist passenger train from China’s Xi’an to Almaty were discussed during a working meeting of the heads of NC KTZ JSC, Passenger Transportation JSC and a delegation of the government of Xi’an (PRC). The tourist
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Swiss government are helping to address pressing water treatment and environmental issues in Tajikistan by contributing additional funds towards the completion of upgrades to water and wastewater infrastructure in the city of Fayzobod and 14 neighbouring communities, the EBRD said on April 30. The EBRD is organising
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on April 30 approved a $84 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA) for the Afghanistan Community Resilience and Livelihoods Project, which complements $70 million in additional financing from the Afghanistan Resilience Trust Fund (ARTF). The project started in 2022 with a grant of $265 million from the
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is providing funds to upgrade key infrastructure and develop sustainable transportation solutions for Tajikistan’s capital. This is the third project under the Dushanbe Green City Action Plan (GCAP). The EBRD’s sovereign loan of up to €28.45 million will help finance major transportation improvements in the riverside part of
The European Union on April 25 granted EUR 6 million to the Government of Uzbekistan to help incentivize the adoption of National Food Security and Healthy Nutrition Strategy. In addition to the grant, technical assistance funded by the European Union will support the Ministry of Agriculture in planning reforms, the Delegation of the European Union
A Kyrgyz man who was handed a suspended seven-year prison term for joining Russia’s armed forces and fighting in Ukraine is expected to obtain Russian citizenship, Russian Interior Ministry spokeswoman Irina Volk said over the weekend, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. Askar Kubanychbek-uulu told Russian journalists that he had fled Kyrgyzstan via neighboring Kazakhstan and is
Tajikistan has advised its citizens to refrain from traveling to Russia amid increased pressures faced by Central Asians there following the deadly Crocus City Hall attack near Moscow last month, RFE/RL’s Russian Service reported. The Tajik Foreign Ministry issued the “temporary” advisory on April 27, a day after Tajik officials expressed concerns about Tajiks being “unjustifiably” denied entry to
A Kazakh delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin this week visited Afghanistan to discuss cooperation in regional transport projects. The Kazakh side announced its readiness to participate in projects for the development of the trans-Afghan corridor: the construction of the Termez – Mazar-i-Sharif – Kabul – Peshawar and Herat – Kandahar – Spin
The German Federal Prosecutor’s Office said on April 24 that it had charged seven men from Central Asia — five from Tajikistan, one from Turkmenistan, and one from Kyrgyzstan — with the creation of a domestic terrorist group and taking part in its activities, RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service reported. Six of the men are also suspected of
U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jonathan Henick presented 50 CT-40 inspection tool kits valued at over $700,000 to the Customs Committee of Uzbekistan. Chairman Akmalhoja Mavlonov accepted the equipment on behalf of the Committee. The equipment purchased by the Department of State’s Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund, with support from the Export Control and Border Security (EXBS)
The English Speaking Nation (ESN) program has successfully trained more than 18,000 English teachers across Uzbekistan, boosting the language skills of and ensuring high quality English instruction for the nation’s secondary school students. The four-year, $7 million program culminated in a festive closing ceremony in Tashkent on April 20, the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan reported. Launched
Over 7 million KGS of U.S.-provided equipment supported Kyrgyz company SFN International LLC’s ability to open a modern cold storage facility in Jalal-Abad region. With a 1,100 metric ton storage capacity, the facility will improve food security and the livelihoods of farmers in rural regions of Kyrgyzstan, the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek reported. “Having established such
The European Union, an EU Consortium under the leadership of GIZ, UNDP Uzbekistan and the Anti-corruption agency of Uzbekistan have launched the Action “Improving Governance in Uzbekistan”, aimed at bolstering the nation’s anti-corruption efforts, the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan reported. Funded by the European Union, the Action will be carried out by
The United States Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has launched a new initiative that will support long-term economic opportunities in Tajikistan. USAID’s new five-year, $18 million Employment and Enterprise Development Activity (EEDA) will catalyze sustainable development and inclusive economic opportunities in Tajikistan. EEDA will partner with firms to improve the productivity
On April 17, the Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan Almasadam Satkaliev and the Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation Nikolay Shulginov signed an agreement on the construction of coal-fired thermal power plants in the cities of Kokshetau, Semey, and Ust-Kamenogorsk in Kazakhstan. According to Minister Satkaliev, the construction of three new thermal power plants
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Gender Issues Programme with the financial support of the European Union and in close cooperation with the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek and the OSCE Academy has launched the Young Women for Peace Initiative for Central Asia. The opening event, held on 15 April in Bishkek,
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy has announced that the draft Agreement between the governments of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan on the joint implementation of the project for the construction and operation of Kambarata hydroelectric power plant (HPP)-1 has been posted on Kazakhstan’s official Internet portal, Open Legal Acts, for public discussion. The Agreement determines the terms
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) inaugurated a new water system in Rohati village of Rudaki District in Tajikistan. The new system provides more than 3,000 people (455 households) with safe drinking water. This is one of 12 communities that USAID is supporting with rehabilitated water supply systems through public-private partnerships, ensuring systems
