The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan organized the launch in Tashkent of a digital platform developed by the social start-up Coozin, aimed to further develop women’s entrepreneurship and increase their self-employment skills by using advanced digital technologies. The Coozin start-up was launched in 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, it has
Türkiye says people from Turkmenistan and Russia are the two largest groups of foreigners living in the country as they seek better living conditions, Current Time reported. According to a report from the Migration Directorate of Türkiye, among the 1.1 million foreign nationals residing in the country with residence permits, 109,000 are Turkmens and 100,000 are Russian
A day after searching the offices of the news website 24.kg, law enforcement officers in the Kyrgyz capital detained for questioning eight current and former members of the Temirov Live investigative group and the Ait Ait Dese project, as the government continues to pressure independent media, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. Temirov Live’s founder, prominent investigative
As Western governments are intensifying their relations with Central Asian countries against the backdrop of Russia’s war on Ukraine, this offers an opportunity to achieve specific advances for human rights in the region, Human Rights Watch said on January 11 in its World Report 2024. “Central Asia’s authoritarian governments severely restrict freedoms of speech, assembly, and
On January 15, seven U.S. Peace Corps Response Eco-Tourism Volunteers arrived in Bishkek to help promote sustainable tourism in partnership with local non-profit Kyrgyz Community Based Tourism Association (KCBTA). After completing training, Response Volunteers will work with CBT partners to develop nature-based tours, assist in creating effective marketing strategies to attract domestic and international tourists,
On January 15 in Astana, the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Alikhan Smailov and Vice-President of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas discussed further steps to strengthen trade and economic relations between Kazakhstan and the European Union. The parties considered issues of increasing trade turnover, attracting investment, strengthening cooperation in the transport and logistics sector, easing the
I love finding connections between places I know and love, wether it be an unexpected meeting with the Uzbek landlady of a local bar, a neighbour who went to a wedding in Bishkek or a familiar name. In Kenya these connections can be more difficult to seek unless they literally fly across the road in
In 2024, Central Asian countries are poised to experience a series of significant events and global influences that will shape their political, economic, and social landscapes. Building on recent developments, these nations are likely to navigate a complex geopolitical environment with both challenges and opportunities. One key factor influencing Central Asia is the evolving relationship
In 2024, new conflicts may occur in the Middle East and Central Asia, says Vladimir Prokhvatilov, a military analyst at the Russian Academy of Military Sciences. He believes that the West may be planning a coup in Kazakhstan. “I am concerned about the situation in Central Asia, where the United States and Great Britain have
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on January 12 approved $7 million in additional financing to the ongoing Digital Central Asia South Asia (Digital CASA) project for the Kyrgyz Republic. This additional financing complements the original $50 million Digital CASA–Kyrgyz Republic Project approved in March 2018 to support Kyrgyzstan’s digital transformation through increasing access to more
Afghanistan and Turkmenistan had $481 million worth of trade in 2023, the Afghan Ministry of Trade and Industry said. The acting minister of trade and industry met Turkmenistan’s ambassador to Kabul and discussed a range of trade issues, including the expansion of Afghanistan’s marble export to Turkmenistan, Afghan broadcaster TOLOnews reported. The ministry in a
In the 2024 Military Strength Ranking released by the Global Firepower, Kazakhstan ranked 58th among the 145 countries listed — the best position compared to other Central Asian countries. In the ranking, Uzbekistan is 65th, Turkmenistan 83rd, Kyrgyzstan 100th, and Tajikistan 107th. In the 2023 Ranking, Kazakhstan was in 63rd place. The Global Firepower ranks
The “Work in the EAEU” mobile app, developed by the Eurasian Development Bank’s (EDB) Fund for Digital Initiatives, has incorporated public and commercial services for labour migrants in the Kyrgyz Republic. This development enables citizens of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Tajikistan moving to work in the Kyrgyz Republic to access the services necessary for
In 2024, Kyrgyzstan must create at least 250 thousand jobs. This is one of the most important tasks of the Cabinet of Ministers for 2024, the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic – Head of the Administration of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Akylbek Japarov said at the Cabinet meeting
Hundreds of workers at the Velikaya Stena (Great Wall) oil company, owned by a Chinese investor in Kazakhstan’s western Manghystau region, are striking for a pay increase, improved working conditions, and the cancellation of planned layoffs, RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service reported. The workers, who are located in the Caspian port city of Aqtau, told RFE/RL that
The 12th global Summit, “Dynamic Vibrant Gujarat,” was held in Gandhinagar, India. The summit included the “Kazakhstan–India: Emerging Ties” seminar, during which the participants heard from the speakers representing public and private sectors of Kazakhstan and India, in particular, Mulubhai Hardasbhai Bera, Minister of Tourism, Cultural Activities, Forest and Environment of India, Kairat Torebayev, Vice Minister of
A delegation of the Bishkek municipality, led by Deputy Mayor Jyrgalbek Shamyraliev, visited the city of Changsha in China to get acquainted with the work of Hunan Junxin Environmental Protection Co Ltd, which built a large environmentally friendly waste incineration plant in this city, the press service of the Bishkek municipality said. In November 2023,
The European Union has transferred to the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic EUR 3 million as the budget support in the field of digital transformation, the Delegation of the European Union to the Kyrgyz Republic said on January 11. The grant funds were allocated to promote the work of the Innovation Center of
The World Road Transport Organization (IRU) said the first Chinese TIR truck loaded with electronic products departed from China’s southern city of Shenzhen to reach its final destination, the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, via a new 6,500-kilometer transportation corridor that runs through Kyrgyzstan, RFE/RL reported. According to the IRU, the new route, a sign of China’s
On January 10, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) handed over $1.4 million worth of modern energy sector management equipment and software to the Coordinating Dispatch Center (CDC) Energia in Tashkent. The official handover ceremony showcased cutting-edge technology which will allow CDC Energia’s dispatchers to display relevant information for maintaining the region’s energy
