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International Affairs KG KZ

Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to build trade and logistics complex

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

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Eurasia International Affairs KG KZ TJK TKM UZB

Kazakhstan chairs International Fund for Saving Aral Sea

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

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International Affairs KZ

WHO and UNDP to renovate virological laboratories in Kazakhstan

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

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International Affairs UZB

US and Uzbekistan strengthen cooperation on critical minerals

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

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Eurasia Geo Politics KG KZ TJK TKM UZB World

Kazakhstan hosts 2nd Central Asia-Germany summit

The 2nd summit of Central Asian countries and Germany was held on September 17 in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana. Chaired by Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the meeting was attended by Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat

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Geo Politics KZ

Kazakhstan and Germany expand economic cooperation

On September 16 in Astana, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held talks with Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who arrived in Kazakhstan on an official visit. Tokayev emphasized that Germany is one of the main trading partners of Kazakhstan and a leading investor in its economy. “Last year, bilateral trade turnover increased almost 1.5-fold and reached almost

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Business & Economy Eurasia KZ

Two hundred container trains from China have passed through Kazakhstan’s Aktau port this year

Kazakhstan’s national railways company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy says that 200 container trains from China have passed through the Kazakh port of Aktau since the beginning of 2024, compared to 11 trains last year. The Aktau port is a transit hub on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor. The TITR

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Eurasia International Affairs KG KZ TJK TKM UZB

Afghanistan increases trade with Central Asian countries

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

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Geo Politics UZB

German chancellor visits Uzbekistan

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in the Uzbek city of Samarkand on September 15 and met with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Following the talks, the Uzbek and German governments signed a migration agreement that would allow skilled workers from Uzbekistan to travel to Germany, with a focus on the health-care sector, RFE/RL reported. It is also

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Business & Economy KG

EDB signs two agreements at 6th Kyrgyz-Russian Economic Forum

The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) participated in the 6th Kyrgyz-Russian Economic Forum, held on 11–12 September in the Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan. At the forum, the EDB and the Russian-Kyrgyz Development Fund (RKDF) signed an agreement on investment projects and a memorandum on establishing a waste management system under a public-private partnership involving the EDB,

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International Affairs KG UZB

Kara-Suu checkpoint resumes operation on Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan border

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

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International Affairs UZB

American English teachers arrive in Uzbekistan

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

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Eurasia International Affairs KG KZ TJK TKM UZB

Japan and UNDP to enhance urban resilience against climate risks in Central Asia

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

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Eurasia International Affairs World

Report maps regional cooperation on climate change and security in Central Asia’s high mountain areas

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

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International Affairs TKM

Construction launched on Afghan section of TAPI gas pipeline

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

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Business & Economy KZ

IFC supports micro and smaller businesses in Kazakhstan

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, says it is deepening its support for micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in Kazakhstan, with a particular focus on women entrepreneurs and rural agribusinesses, by investing up to $50 million in KazMicroFinance (KMF), one of the country’s leading microfinance institutions. KMF operates 18

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Business & Economy KG

Kyrgyzstan gets additional financing from World Bank for Kambarata-1 hydropower project

Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Finance on September 9 said that it signed the Credit and Grant Agreements with the World Bank on a $13.6 million additional financing for the Kambarata-1 Hydropower Plant (HPP) Project in Kyrgyzstan. Consisting of a $2.6 million grant and a $11 million loan, this additional funding will supplement the World Bank’s ongoing

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International Affairs KG

Kyrgyzstan and Japan expand energy cooperation

On September 9, Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Energy Taalaibek Ibrayev visited Japan and met with Ken Saito, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan. Following the meeting, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Energy and Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry signed a Memorandum of Cooperation aimed at implementing joint projects in the field of green

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Geo Politics RU TJK

Tajikistan warns its citizens against traveling to Russia

The Tajik Embassy in Moscow on September 10 warned citizens against traveling to Russia for the time being, citing beefed-up security measures and increased document checks by Russian border guards, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported. Last week, the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry put out a similar statement to its citizens citing the same reasons. Central Asian migrant

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Business & Economy KZ

Kazakhstan: Government approves action plan to implement president’s address

On September 10, the Government of Kazakhstan approved a draft of the National Action Plan for the implementation of the President’s Address to the people of Kazakhstan, “Fair Kazakhstan: law and order, economic growth, social optimism,” delivered on September 2, the Government’s press service reported. The plan consists of 76 measures aimed at improving the

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