Thirty-three years ago, on October 2, 1991, Kazakhstan took a historic step into space when cosmonaut Tokhtar Aubakirov with his crew was launched aboard the Soyuz TM-13 spacecraft from Baikonur spaceport. As part of the crew, he spent a week on the MIR orbital station and returned on October 10. During this time, he conducted
The first meeting of the newly-established Coordination Council of Partners for the Development of the Water Sector took place in Astana on September 30. The meeting was organized by the Kazakh Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The meeting gathered representatives from the UN, international organizations,
As of 30 September 2024, the “Work in the EAEU” mobile app, developed by the Eurasian Development Bank’s (EDB) Fund for Digital Initiatives, has launched public and commercial services for migrant workers in Tajikistan. This enables individuals seeking employment in Tajikistan to access the necessary services directly from their smartphones. The app now offers services
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport said that the first meeting of the joint Kazakh-Chinese working group on cargo transportation along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) on September 25 agreed on the projected volumes of cargo transportation from China to Europe via Kazakhstan along the route until the end of 2029. The TITR, also known as
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the British Embassy in Turkmenistan are partnering to promote sustainable economic growth by supporting the development of the creative and innovative economy. This new initiative aims to diversify Turkmenistan’s economy, empower women and youth, and enhance global competitiveness, UNDP Turkmenistan reported. The purpose of the project is
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) last week added $6.1 million in new funding to its ongoing Development Objective Grant Agreement (DOAG) with the Ministry of Preschool and School Education, raising the total amount invested in the DOAG to over $47 million. This new funding demonstrates USAID’s long-term commitment to supporting the Ministry’s comprehensive
With U.S. government support, the Kyrgyz Republic significantly improved tuberculosis (TB) detection rates and treatment outcomes, through community support of 1,183 TB patients with treatment and care, including 126 children, and detection of 92 new active TB cases through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) “Support to TB Patients” activity, the U.S. Embassy in
In order to strengthen interregional cooperation between Kazakhstan and Great Britain, Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to the UK, Magzhan Ilyassov, visited Scotland last week. The Ambassador met with representatives of the Scottish Government and Parliament, as well as with the leadership of Heriot-Watt University. In the course of negotiations with Angus Robertson, Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs,
One of Kyrgyzstan’s most picturesque places, the Saimaluu-Tash National Nature Park, may face serious environmental risks as parts of its territory may be used for the construction of a railway from China to Uzbekistan, mk.kg reported. One of the key problems is the possible change in the category of land on which the park is
On September 19, the United States Government officially launched the reconstructed water supply system in Palos municipality in Tajikistan’s Buston city. This project, part of USAID’s Rural Water Supply (RWS) Activity, aims to provide safe drinking water to underserved communities across Tajikistan, the U.S. Embassy in Tajikistan reported. Previously, only 50% of Palos municipality’s 4,500
Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a law providing for the creation of a trade and logistics complex on the border with Kyrgyzstan, Tengrinews.kz reports. Tokayev signed the law “On ratification of the agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic on the creation and
On September 18, Kazakhstan Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov held the first meeting of the Board of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan. The meeting with the heads of delegations of the participating countries of the Fund considered the issues of joint use of transboundary water resources, as
The Ministry of Healthcare of Kazakhstan, the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office in Kazakhstan, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have announced a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing Kazakhstan’s health security and preparedness. As reported by UNDP Kazakhstan, this initiative will be driven by a comprehensive upgrade of critical health infrastructure, supported by
U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jonathan Henick and First Deputy Minister of Geology of Uzbekistan, Omonullo Nasritdinkhodjaev on September 16 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen cooperation between the United States and Uzbekistan on critical minerals. The signing ceremony took place on the eve of the Government of Uzbekistan’s participation in MINExpo INTERNATIONAL, the mining
In the first five months of the current solar year (which begins on March 21), Afghanistan has conducted trade worth nearly $700 million with Central Asian countries, TOLOnews reported with reference to the Afghan Ministry of Industry and Commerce. Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad, spokesperson for the ministry, said that trade between Afghanistan and Central Asian
The Kara-Suu checkpoint was re-opened at the border between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan on September 12, after being closed for 14 years. The checkpoint is located near the city of Kara-Suu in Kyrgyzstan’s Osh region, on the border with Uzbekistan’s Andijan region. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Bakyt
The U.S. Embassy in Tashkent welcomed 20 American English teachers this week to begin teaching and professional development programs throughout Uzbekistan, joining local teachers to provide direct classroom instruction to students. These teachers are just one part of the U.S. Government’s vast commitment to strengthening English language education in Uzbekistan, including training more than 18,000
The Government of Japan and UN Development Programme (UNDP) have agreed upon a new $4.9 million project, “Enhancing Urban Resilience to Disaster Risk and Climate Change in Central Asia”. The signing ceremony was held on September 11 in Astana, Kazakhstan. The project aims to enhance urban resilience to climate-driven risks in Central Asia by utilizing regional collaborative mechanisms and national transformational strategies, fostering sustainable
Central Asia’s high mountains are critical to the well-being of communities throughout the region and beyond. At the same time, the area is already facing significant climate-related security risks with impacts on the livelihoods of rural mountain and downstream communities that are dependent on agriculture, pastures, and forests. As these risks are shared across the
Construction work has been launched on the Afghan section of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline. A ceremony to start works on the pipeline’s Serhetabat-Herat section was held on September 11 at a checkpoint on the Turkmen-Afghan border. It was attended by the Chairman of the People’s Council of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Mullah Mohammad
