Chinese President Xi Jinping on June 17 called on China and Central Asian countries to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and forge ahead toward the goal of building a China-Central Asia community with a shared future, Xinhua reported. Xi made the remarks in his keynote speech at the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana
The World Bank says it has approved additional financing from the International Development Association (IDA) to benefit local communities, including youth, women, and vulnerable groups, in the Districts of Republican Subordination, Khatlon region, and Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) of Tajikistan. The $25 million grant will extend the Tajikistan Socio-Economic Resilience Strengthening Project (SERSP), which uses
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 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Central Asia–India Dialogue was held in New Delhi on June 6. The meeting focused on main areas of partnership between the Central Asian countries and India, covering such fields as transport and logistics, regional cooperation, counter-terrorism, and the development of advanced technologies. The foreign ministers adopted a Joint Statement
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
On 30 May 2025, the first Central Asia + Italy Summit was held in Astana with the participation of Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov, Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic Giorgia Meloni. The leaders exchanged views on
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved $60 million in financing to support the first phase of the One Health Program in Central Asia. The financing package includes a $30 million concessional credit for Kyrgyzstan and a $30 million grant for Tajikistan to help strengthen their capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to priority
As the renewable energy sector in Central Asia grows, so does the need for a skilled and inclusive workforce to support it. In response, the OSCE and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) officially launched the OSCE Regional Task Force on Education for Just and Inclusive Energy Transition (RTEET) in Central Asia with a kick-off
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Institute, and the London Stock Exchange Group have published a joint report, “The Future of Islamic Finance in Central Asia”. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the current status and prospects of Islamic finance in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. According to the
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union are boosting access to finance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Central Asia and Mongolia. According to the EBRD, an additional €25 million in EU guarantees will be made available to local partner financial institutions for on-lending to this business segment.
The 6th meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Central Asia–China format was held in Almaty on April 26, attended by the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu, China Wang Yi, Kyrgyzstan Zheenbek Kulubaev, Tajikistan Sirojiddin Mukhriddin, Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov, and a representative of Turkmenistan. The meeting focused on strengthening political dialog, expanding trade and economic
A kick-off meeting for the regional project “Stakeholder Engagement for Uranium Legacy Remediation in Central Asia” (Phase III) was held in Tashkent on April 17-18. The main purpose of this event was to present and discuss the plans for Phase III of the project with government institutions and national and international partners from three Central
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), in partnership with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), is launching an experience-sharing project for energy professionals from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Named “Supporting Sustainable Energy Development in Central Asia by Expanding Sub-Regional and Cross-Country Cooperation Through the Exchange of Competencies
On April 16, Kuwait hosted the Third Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Strategic Dialogue between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Central Asia. The meeting was attended by the leadership of foreign ministries of Central Asian countries and six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council — the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab
On April 11, Almaty hosted the eighth meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign ministers of Central Asian countries: Deputy Prime Minister – Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu, Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Jeenbek Kulubayev, and Foreign Minister of Tajikistan Sirojiddin Muhriddin. Turkmenistan was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmet Gurbanov,
Tajikistan’s economic growth is projected to remain robust in 2025 and 2026, supported by investment in energy and industry, strong consumer demand, and private sector development, according to the latest forecast by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The growth, however, could be further boosted by a renewed focus on digital transformation and e-governance. The country’s
At the inaugural EU-Central Asia Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan last week, European Investment Bank (EIB) Vice-President Kyriacos Kakouris signed four memorandums of understanding with partners in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. With these agreements, the EIB will provide €365 million, unlocking up to €1 billion of investment in sustainable transport, water management, and climate resilience projects, the EIB
On April 4, the first-ever Central Asia-European Union Summit was held in Samarkand, chaired by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The EU was represented by the President of the European Council António Costa and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. Together with President Mirziyoyev, Central Asian countries were represented by
OCA Magazine, published in London since 2009, is calling on universities across the Eurasian region to participate in a special issue titled OCA Magazine: Education 2025. The initiative aims to showcase the educational and human resource potential of Central Asia and the CIS countries, while also attracting experts and media attention to promote education in
On April 1, the President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon attended a ceremony to lay the foundation stone for the construction of an iron ore enrichment plant of CJSC Tajik Metallurgical Plant in Bobojon Ghafurov district, the first ore enrichment plant in Tajikistan since independence. The plant will be built with domestic and foreign capital and
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