The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Hamkorbank have signed a 625 billion Uzbek sum (equivalent to about $50 million) loan to enhance access to financing to rural micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Uzbekistan. A majority of the loan will be allocated to support financial inclusion for MSMEs outside the capital of Tashkent. At
The opening ceremony of the new Fire and Rescue Station No. 9 took place in Bishkek last week. The construction of the station was part of the project “Improvement of fire safety of population by strengthening capacity of the Fire and Rescue Services in the Kyrgyz Republic”, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
On December 18, a meeting of representatives of the Ministry of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan and the Agency for Information and Mass Communications under the Administration of the President of Uzbekistan was held in Tashkent. The parties signed a Plan for interaction in the information sphere for 2025. The document was signed following the
A court in Moscow charged Uzbek citizen Ahmat Qurbanov on December 19 with terrorism and other charges in the high-profile killing of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, who headed Russia’s Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defense Forces, RFE/RL reported. In addition to terrorism, Qurbanov has been charged with murder and the illegal possession of weapons and ammunition,
The Euronews television channel opened its regional office in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, on December 18. The opening ceremony was attended by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Euronews Pedro Vargas and the Minister of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan Aida Balayeva, Orda.kz reported with reference to the press service of the Ministry of
The World Bank has approved a $350 million International Development Association (IDA) grant as part of the first phase of a program to help Tajikistan finance the completion of the Rogun Hydropower Plant (HPP) Project. With a projected installed capacity of 3,780 Megawatts, the Rogun HPP will provide about 10 million people in Tajikistan with better
During the 4th Uzbekistan Country Platform roundtable on 17 December, over 90 participants from Uzbekistan’s government and international development partners discussed progress on key reforms in the education, skills development and TVET, i.e., technical and vocational education and training, sectors, crucial for aligning the workforce with labour market needs and advancing the Strategy “Uzbekistan 2030”,
The World Bank has approved a comprehensive project to enhance digital services and improve digital skills in Tajikistan, including dedicated interventions targeting rural areas. The initiative aims to improve the delivery of digitally-enabled public services and boost digital literacy, fostering a more inclusive and resilient economy. The Tajikistan Digital Foundations Project, with a total funding of
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been appointed as a transaction advisor to the Ministry of Preschool and School Education and the Ministry of Economy and Finance to support the delivery of high-quality preschool education via public–private partnerships (PPPs) in Jizzakh, Kashkadarya, Surkhandarya and Tashkent regions in Uzbekistan. ADB is already providing similar advisory services
On December 15, the European Union Delegation in Turkmenistan hosted an annual open-air Christmas Book Fair. The event, held in the Delegation’s front yard, brought together the local community to enjoy books, charity, and holiday cheer. The fair attracted a large crowd who browsed a wide selection of books from popular Ashgabat bookstores. Particularly popular
Russia’s state-owned atomic company Rosatom is selling its stakes in uranium deposits in Kazakhstan to Chinese-owned companies as the Central Asian nation looks to avoid any international sanctions against Russian-linked assets and a sign of China’s growing influence in the region, RFE/RL reported. Kazatomprom, the world’s largest producer of uranium, said Uranium One Group —
Azerbaijani businessman Emin Agalarov and several other large investment companies plan to build an international tourist center, Sea Breeze Uzbekistan, on the shore of the Charvak reservoir in Bostanlyk district of Tashkent region. On December 16, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended a presentation of the project. Bostanlyk is one of the most attractive tourism places
Kazakhstan’s contributions to addressing global challenges and its emerging role as a growing middle power were in the focus of discussions at the 17th annual World Policy Conference (WPC), organized by the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) in Abu Dhabi on December 13-15. Thierry de Montbrial, founder and long-standing president of IFRI – one
A new World Bank report highlights Kazakhstan’s progress in reducing poverty and the challenges ahead for inclusive growth, stressing that the pace of poverty reduction has slowed in recent years despite significant advances since the early 2000s. According to the “Kazakhstan Poverty and Equity Assessment 2024” report, making fiscal policy more pro-poor, improving the quality of education, and strengthening
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has inaugurated a newly rehabilitated water supply system in Tajikistan’s Jomi District, bringing safe and reliable drinking water to 1,860 residents from 309 households. This is a part of the USAID Rural Water Supply activity, which is revitalizing water systems in 12 communities across Tajikistan through innovative public-private
Kazakhstan’s national railways company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), has launched a new electric train connecting the country’s capital, Astana, and Borovoye, one of the country’s most popular resorts. Borovoye is the commonly used Russian name of the Burabay National Park, located just 250 kilometers north of Astana and famous for its pine forests and beautiful
Kyrgyzstan’s Prime Minister Akylbek Japarov resigned on December 16 without offering an explanation, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov’s office confirmed that Akylbek Japarov (no relation) had stepped down and would be moved to another position. The president named First Deputy Prime Minister Adylbek Kasymaliev, 64, as acting prime minister. Pressure was growing on Akylbek
After launching a four-day train tour in November connecting the cities of Almaty, Turkestan, and Tashkent, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), Kazakhstan’s national railway company, has announced the launch of another train tour, “Jibek Joly (Silk Road) 2.0,” along the route Almaty-Turkestan-Tashkent-Samarkand-Shymkent-Almaty. The first train on this route will depart on January 2 and return to
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), the Ministry of Economy and Commerce and the Ministry of Energy of the Kyrgyz Republic have signed a trilateral Memorandum of Cooperation on the Suusamyr-Kokomeren HPP Cascade Project. An essential factor in Kyrgyzstan’s economic development is increasing energy capacity by utilising the natural hydropower potential of its rivers. The construction
At the 9th meeting of the Working Party on the Accession of Uzbekistan on December 5 and 6, a high-level government delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev reaffirmed the country’s strong intention to swiftly advance negotiations with World Trade Organization (WTO) members, with a view to completing the process by 2026. The high-level
