Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce reports a significant increase in trade between Afghanistan and China. According to the ministry, trade between the two countries reached $541 million in the first seven months of this year, TOLOnews reported. A large share of Afghanistan’s imports from China includes cotton textiles, solar panels, electronic devices, and mobile
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Alibek Kuantyrov held a meeting in Astana on August 8 with Chairman of the State Committee on Investment and State Property Management of Tajikistan Sulton Rahimzoda. The meeting took place as part of the 19th session of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation between Kazakhstan and
The special issue of OCA Magazine dedicated to the Jizzakh region of Uzbekistan caught the attention of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, as evidenced by a letter from the Prime Minister’s office. “When the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom holds a copy of OCA Magazine and sends a letter with feedback to
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on August 7 approved the First Competitive and Inclusive Tajikistan Development Policy Operation (DPO) to support the country’s reform programs aimed at further opening the economy to competition, creating favorable market conditions for private sector development, and strengthening the public sector for better service delivery. The DPO is a $50 million
Addressing the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries in Turkmenistan on August 5, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev spoke for the need of coordinated action to expedite the development of international transport corridors and infrastructure. Mirziyoyev advocated accelerating the preparation and implementation of the Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan railway construction project. “Converging this promising corridor with the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan has launched its first online platform designed to promote anti-corruption awareness among people with hearing impairments: www.s-access.uz. The platform provides access to essential legal information in sign language, supports users in recognizing corruption in everyday situations, and helps develop skills to assess the reliability of information, the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan reported.
In July 2025, the Almosi Valley in the foothills of Hissar in Tajikistan made history: the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) officially recognized it as part of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) network. This marks the first GIAHS designation among all countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States. We
There is a noticeable decline in emigration from Kazakhstan. In the first four months of 2025, 1.7 thousand people left the country for permanent residence abroad, 2.8 times fewer than in the same period last year (4.8 thousand), Ranking.kz reported with reference to data from the Bureau of National Statistics of Kazakhstan. Immigration dynamics also
In a fresh move to strengthen transport cooperation between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, a major agreement and contract have been signed for the development and investment in Torghundi Port, TOLOnews reported. According to the agreement, the dry port of Torghundi in Afghanistan’s Herat province will be expanded with an initial investment of $5 million. The project
U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jonathan Henick on July 30 joined officials from the Uzbek State Customs Committee and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Office of Military Cooperation (OMC) to celebrate two significant milestones in the ongoing partnership between the United States and Uzbekistan. These initiatives underscore the shared commitment to enhancing border
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Turkmenistan, in close partnership with the Government of Turkmenistan, has officially concluded the project “Strengthening National Capacity for Seismic Risk Assessment, Prevention and Response to Potential Earthquakes,” marking a significant milestone in the country’s disaster risk reduction efforts, UNDP Turkmenistan reported. Spanning from 2018 to 2025, the project has played
Some thirty-five students from Turkmenistan’s institutions of higher education participated in an OSCE organized workshop entitled “Youth Negotiation on Climate, Security and Co-operation: OSCE Best Practices” that took place in Ashgabat on July 29. The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized this event to build practical negotiation and diplomacy skills of youth representatives who have been
Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov, speaking at the First International Environmental Conference in the city of Manzherok (Altai, Russia), highlighted the issue of the Caspian Sea’s shallowing as one of the key regional challenges, his press office reported. Bektenov emphasized that environmental security is not merely part of the global “green” agenda, but a
From 1 to 18 July, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe organized the first-ever Summer School of Journalism for 20 aspiring journalism students and young media professionals from across Tajikistan. The three-week intensive training aimed to strengthen their foundational reporting skills and prepare the next generation of journalists for a rapidly evolving media environment. Participants
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is facilitating the introduction of upland rice in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, which will reduce water consumption by up to 40% compared to traditional rice cultivation. On May 27, 2025, with UNDP assistance, the first seed samples of 15 varieties of upland rice were provided to the Scientific-Production Association
Kazakhstan is launching a unique project – GeoLab Eurasia, the first internationally certified full-cycle rock analysis laboratory in Central Asia. The new scientific and industrial center will enable high-precision analysis of ore composition and quality in accordance with international standards such as NI 43-101, JORC, and ISO/IEC 17025, according to Kazakh Invest. Establishing a modern
Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Meder Abakirov received Bady Kebir, the founder of the international equestrian rally Gallops, which is taking place in Kyrgyzstan from July 21 to 26 with the participation of about 100 horse riding and equestrian sports enthusiasts from all over the world. Abakirov noted with satisfaction the holding of a
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), in close partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and with the financial support of the European Union (EU), hosted a regional coordination meeting of Aarhus Centres and key stakeholders from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan on 17–18 July in Khujand, Tajikistan. As part of the
Kazakhstan’s national railway company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), has announced the launch on September 19 of a new season of its train tour, Jibek Joly (Silk Road) 5.0, connecting major cities in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. During the 6-day tour, passengers will travel along the route Almaty – Turkestan – Otrar – Samarkand – Bukhara –
The two largest Central Asian countries have embarked on a higher education spree. In Uzbekistan since 2020 almost 100 new universities have opened, swelling the number of BA candidates in the country by some 400,000. In Kazakhstan, hardly a week goes by without an announcement from the Ministry of Education ballyhooing the opening of another
