The Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov on March 14 visited the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi in the Turkestan region to inspect the progress of execution of the Head of State’s instruction to ensure the preservation of this unique architectural monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Mausoleum is part of the architectural
Construction of solid waste processing plants in major cities of Kazakhstan was considered at a government session this week. Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Yerlan Nysanbayev reported that the government approved a mechanism of preferential financing of projects in the field of waste management. This applies to the purchase of rubbish trucks, the launch
The Kyrgyz parliament has approved without debate the third and final reading of a controversial bill that would allow authorities to register organizations as “foreign representatives” in a way that critics say mirrors repressive Russian legislation on “foreign agents,” RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. Five lawmakers voted against the bill on March 14. President Sadyr
The Kazakh-Belgian business forum with the participation of more than 60 officials and representatives of business communities of Kazakhstan, Belgium and Luxembourg was organized on March 12 in Brussels by the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Brussels, as well as the BEСI (Brussels) and BeNeLux (Astana) Chambers of Commerce. While greeting the participants, Ambassador of Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations, and Aerospace Industry has announced that Google launches YouTube Premium in Kazakhstan, unlocking new opportunities for users and content creators alike. This event marks a significant step in the country’s digital infrastructure and its integration into the global network, the ministry said. During a working visit in March of
Kazakhstan intends to sign an agreement with Kyrgyzstan on the promotion and protection of investments, KazTAG information agency reported on March 12. “To approve the draft agreement between the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic on the promotion and mutual protection of investments,” says the draft
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has contributed US$7 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to bolster assistance for vulnerable households facing rising food insecurity in Tajikistan, the U.S. Embassy in Tajikistan said on March 12. The funding will enable WFP to support vulnerable communities to better meet their food
The Kizirik Technicum of Agriculture and the UNESCO Office in Uzbekistan on March 12 hosted the inauguration ceremony of the newly renovated college as part of the project Skills Development for Employability in Rural Areas of Uzbekistan, which is funded by the European Union, the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan reported. The event was attended by the First Deputy Minister of
March 11 marked a significant milestone in disaster monitoring and forecasting with the introduction of a cutting-edge IT module designed for Glacier Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) monitoring, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kyrgyzstan reported. The unveiling took place within the framework of the “Reducing Risks and Vulnerabilities from Glacier Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF)
The Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to Italy, Taalai Bazarbayev took part in a recent event organized by the Italian Senate jointly with the Italian Institute for Cooperation with Asia (ISIA) on the topic “Middle Corridor: A secure transit route between Italy, Azerbaijan and Central Asia.” The event was attended by deputies of the Italian
On March 11, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Azerbaijan on a state visit. In Baku, Tokayev held talks with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev. The two leaders also participated in the first meeting of the Interstate Council of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. Tokayev and Aliyev also took part via a teleconference in the ceremony of
The U.S. ambassador to Tajikistan, Manuel Micaller, called on Tajik authorities on March 11 — the Day of Press in the Central Asian nation — “to support the rights of journalists and to respect their freedom of expression,” stressing that “an independent press is a key element of building democracy.” The ambassador said that free, independent media
On the initiative of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Bulgaria, on the eve of International Women’s Day, in the National Library “St.St. Cyril and Methodius” in Sofia, a photo exhibition, “Women of the Great Steppe,” opened with the first visitors including deputies of the National Assembly of Bulgaria, representatives of the diplomatic community, creative intellectuals,
Kazakhstan on March 9 confirmed that two of its citizens were shot dead in Russia in what the Kremlin said was an antiterrorism operation that prevented an attack against a synagogue in the Moscow area, RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service reported. “The media published reports about the killing of two Kazakh citizens by Russian law-enforcement agencies during an attempt
Feminist activists and domestic violence survivors marched in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, on March 8 to mark International Women’s Day and to demand that women’s rights be defended and respected, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. The demonstrators gathered near the monument of Urkia Salieva, a figure of female emancipation in the Central Asian nation, and marched to Gorky
Reports about the existence of Pentagon biological laboratories in Kazakhstan are untrue, says Zauresh Zhumadilova, director general of the National Scientific Center of Especially Dangerous Infections under the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan, as reported by KazTAG information agency. “There are no American biological laboratories in Kazakhstan. All our laboratories are Kazakhstan’s own. They are
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced the launch of the Business Support Project, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at fostering sustainable and inclusive economic growth in Uzbekistan. The launch event on March 5 marked the beginning of a five-year journey towards enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises across four key sectors: information
On March 6, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the European Union (EU) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), in cooperation with the Government of Uzbekistan, launched the “Roadmap for Sustainable Investment Policy Reforms (RSIPR)” Project funded by the EU and ADB. The project will provide a comprehensive assessment of the investment framework currently
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is providing fresh funds and creating new growth opportunities for women-owned and managed businesses in Uzbekistan by offering a loan of up to US$ 6 million (€ 5.5 million equivalent) to Uzbek Leasing International (Uzbek Leasing). The loan to Uzbek Leasing is extended under the EBRD’s Central Asian Women in
Kyrgyzstan’s commitment to the mountain agenda, environmental conservation and climate action took center stage as stakeholders gathered in Bishkek to discuss the establishment of a Conservation Trust Fund (CTF) at a UNDP-hosted round table on March 5 aimed to explore innovative financing mechanisms to safeguard the country’s rich biodiversity and fragile ecosystems, the United Nations
