China has been strengthening ties with Central Asian nations with the aim to secure access to the region’s energy resources — oil, natural gas, coal, uranium, and renewable energy sources. China needs these energy resources for accelerated economic development in its northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which borders Central Asian countries. This is one of
The Koraozak Technical School of Agroeconomics and the UNESCO Office in Uzbekistan on March 18 hosted the inauguration ceremony of the newly renovated college as part of the project Skills Development for Employability in Rural Areas of Uzbekistan, funded by the European Union, the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan reported. The event was attended
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is helping to address pressing water treatment and environmental issues in Kazakhstan’s fourth-largest municipality, Aktobe, by financing the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant and associated infrastructure. The Bank is extending a sovereign loan of up to KZT 47.4 billion (€ 96.4 million) to state-owned JSC Aqtobe
On March 18, with the participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov and the Director General of the Agency for Transport and Communications under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan Mammethan Chakyev, a roundtable was organized with the European business community on the topic “Turkmenistan and the EU: towards a new
Deputy Prime Minister–Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu during his visit to Austria on March 16 met with the top management of the leading companies in the construction, logistics, and machinery industries. During the conversation with the CEO of the Lasselsberger Group, Josef Lasselsberger, the progress of the investment project for the production
On March 15 in Suzak village of the Jalal-Abad oblast of Kyrgyzstan, an official opening ceremony of the fire and rescue unit №65 within the framework of trilateral cooperation between the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Government of the Republic of Korea, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the United
A former resident of Almaty, who now lives in Germany, on his Tik Tok page under the nickname “mambethologe” creates provocative content regarding Kazakhs, Kriminalnyi Kazakhstan reported on Telegram. In his videos, the man insults residents of Central Asia, in particular residents of Kazakhstan. The author of the videos is Vladislav Richter. Born in 1973
Meetings with the participation of Advisor to the President of Kazakhstan on Science and Innovation Kunsulu Zakarya, Chairman of the Investment Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Gabidulla Ospankulov, and the leadership of the Chinese company BGI Group were held in Astana. The parties discussed the progress of the company’s projects in Kazakhstan, including
The Kyrgyz parliament has approved without debate the third and final reading of a controversial bill that would allow authorities to register organizations as “foreign representatives” in a way that critics say mirrors repressive Russian legislation on “foreign agents,” RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. Five lawmakers voted against the bill on March 14. President Sadyr
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has contributed US$7 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to bolster assistance for vulnerable households facing rising food insecurity in Tajikistan, the U.S. Embassy in Tajikistan said on March 12. The funding will enable WFP to support vulnerable communities to better meet their food
March 11 marked a significant milestone in disaster monitoring and forecasting with the introduction of a cutting-edge IT module designed for Glacier Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) monitoring, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kyrgyzstan reported. The unveiling took place within the framework of the “Reducing Risks and Vulnerabilities from Glacier Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF)
The Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to Italy, Taalai Bazarbayev took part in a recent event organized by the Italian Senate jointly with the Italian Institute for Cooperation with Asia (ISIA) on the topic “Middle Corridor: A secure transit route between Italy, Azerbaijan and Central Asia.” The event was attended by deputies of the Italian
The U.S. ambassador to Tajikistan, Manuel Micaller, called on Tajik authorities on March 11 — the Day of Press in the Central Asian nation — “to support the rights of journalists and to respect their freedom of expression,” stressing that “an independent press is a key element of building democracy.” The ambassador said that free, independent media
Kazakhstan on March 9 confirmed that two of its citizens were shot dead in Russia in what the Kremlin said was an antiterrorism operation that prevented an attack against a synagogue in the Moscow area, RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service reported. “The media published reports about the killing of two Kazakh citizens by Russian law-enforcement agencies during an attempt
Kyrgyzstan’s commitment to the mountain agenda, environmental conservation and climate action took center stage as stakeholders gathered in Bishkek to discuss the establishment of a Conservation Trust Fund (CTF) at a UNDP-hosted round table on March 5 aimed to explore innovative financing mechanisms to safeguard the country’s rich biodiversity and fragile ecosystems, the United Nations
On March 4, a high-level meeting was held in the Turkmen capital with the participation of the Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Helga Schmid and the environmental ministers of the Central Asian countries. Particular attention of the meeting participants was paid to the issues of climate change in order
On March 3, as part of the #ForOurPlanet European Union Global Campaign, the European Union (EU) Delegation to Turkmenistan jointly with the Nature Protection Society of Turkmenistan and Agama Mountain Climbing Club, organised the Green Games of Volunteers. The event took place on the shores of Geokdepe Lake and brought together over 100 participants. EU
The World Bank on March 4 released its flagship annual report, Women, Business and the Law (the 2024 WBL), which assesses progress toward legal gender equality worldwide. The 2024 edition features an index that evaluates 190 countries, including Uzbekistan, against 10 indicators: Safety, Mobility, Workplace, Pay, Marriage, Parenthood, Childcare, Entrepreneurship, Assets, and Pension. The latest Women, Business, and the
In a significant move to bolster regional collaboration, representatives from Central Asian nations convened at a workshop in Almaty on March 1 to forge a roadmap and action plan for a proposed second phase of the World Bank-supported Central Asia Hydrometeorology Modernization Project (CAHMP II). This gathering underscored an advancement in regional cooperation and modernization efforts in
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid will visit Turkmenistan from 4 to 6 March for meetings with the Ministers of Environment from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, and with the Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan. In Ashgabat, the OSCE secretary general will engage with the
