We are living through a profound shift in the relationship between education and work — and nowhere is that shift more consequential than in Central Asia. Artificial intelligence is not coming to education. It is already here. It is in the assignments students submit, the tools employers use to screen candidates, and increasingly in the
A ceremony for signing a BOT agreement (Build-Operate-Transfer) on the transfer of a land plot in the port of Shahid Rajaee (Bandar Abbas) for the construction of a Kazakh transport and logistics terminal was held at the Ports and Maritime Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Trade and Integration. On the Kazakh
The Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan has adopted the Resolution of July 8, 2026, “On Supporting the Broad Implementation of a System to Enhance the Tourism Attractiveness of the Republic of Uzbekistan Through Cinema.” The resolution introduces two major initiatives aimed at strengthening the country’s tourism appeal through the film industry, according to the Tourism
Representatives of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, the City of Osh, the Government of Japan, the Centre for Emergency Situations and Disaster Risk Reduction, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), technical institutions, academia, civil society and development partners gathered in Osh on 10 July to launch a new regional initiative aimed at strengthening disaster risk
On July 9, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov received Steve Daines, a member of the United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and Senator from the state of Montana, who arrived in Turkmenistan on a visit. Senator Daines conveyed warm greetings and best wishes from President Donald Trump to the Turkmen head of state. President
Some events are remembered not only for the book being presented, but also for the people gathered in the room. It was a pleasure to attend the recent launch of From Dependency to Freedom: The Birth of Modern Kazakhstan, a new biography of Nursultan Nazarbayev, held at the historic Reform Club in London. London has
Nostalgia can become a source of strength, but it is time to stop pushing away those who have long acted as our unofficial ambassadors. I am standing in the reception hall of the Uzbek embassy in a European capital. An inspiring speech is being delivered in Uzbek. There are nearly one hundred people in the
KTZ Express, a subsidiary of Kazakhstan’s national railway company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), is providing the pilot transportation of passenger cars in specialized containers along the international route Chongqing (China) – Dostyk (Kazakhstan) – Vorsino (Russia). According to KTZ, the project is being implemented as part of cooperation between China Railway Container Transport Corporation (CRCT),
Delegates from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as leading scientists and experts from countries across Europe and Asia, attended the International Summer School “Glacier Study, Conservation and Climate Change Adaptation” (IPROMO) in the city of Naryn, Kyrgyzstan between 24 June and 7 July. The school served as a platform for consolidating scientific
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan, has completed the installation of two solar photovoltaic systems at the Yoloten Etrap Hospital in Mary Velayat, marking an important step towards more resilient, sustainable, and climate-smart healthcare services. With a combined capacity of 30 kilowatts, the
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on July 8 arrived in Minsk on an official visit. On July 9, Mirziyoyev and President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko held tête-à-tête talks, followed by expanded talks with members of their official delegations. At the beginning of the meeting, President Mirziyoyev noted that Uzbek-Belarusian multifaceted relations had reached a qualitatively
Kazakh Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov met with a delegation of leading Asian companies—Full Vision Capital (FVC), Towngas, and EcoCeres. During the talks, the parties discussed prospects for attracting investment in the country’s agro-industrial complex, the introduction of modern environmental technologies, and the implementation of joint high-value-added projects. Particular attention was paid to a project to
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Uzbekistan have reaffirmed their commitment to improving water security, strengthening climate resilience, and supporting more sustainable use of water resources across the country, according to UNDP Uzbekistan. The commitment was highlighted during a high-level meeting between Mr. Haoliang Xu, UNDP Associate Administrator, Ms. Ivana Živković,
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, says it is investing in Umai Group, Kyrgyzstan’s largest grocery retailer, to create more and better jobs, improve food distribution, and expand access to affordable, quality food across the country. Umai Group is the country’s leading grocery retailer, with more than 24 years of experience in developing
On July 7, the President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, inaugurated the Antimony Metallurgical Plant of the Talco Gold Closed Joint-Stock Company in the Sughd Province. The enterprise is equipped with modern production technologies, and its annual capacity is up to 5 thousand tons of processing and production of antimony metal. The commissioning of this production
Uzbekistan plans to transform Samarkand into an environmentally sustainable, climate-resilient, and modern green city in Central Asia. The “Green Samarkand” model was reviewed during a government meeting chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on July 6. Under this model, specific environmental targets are planned to be achieved in Samarkand by 2030. These include preventing the emission
From 7 to 11 July, Uzbekistan is hosting the First International Forum of Islamic Civilization, “The Path of Peace, Tolerance and Enlightenment,” across Tashkent, Samarkand, and Termez, bringing together leading scholars, religious figures, representatives of international organizations, and experts from around the world, according to the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan. The official opening ceremony took
The Central Asian C909 Flying Hospital Mission, organized as part of China’s airborne health Silk Road initiative, was launched in Almaty last week, aimed at bringing high-quality ophthalmic services to medically underserved regions in Belt and Road partner countries. This is the first such project in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, implemented in partnership between Al-Farabi
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) are launching a new program to strengthen the resilience of water systems in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in response to growing climate pressures on water resources and services. The Resilient Water Systems program, which combines €100 million of loans from the EBRD and
Uzbekistan can unlock significant private investment, create more and better jobs, and accelerate its transition to a more competitive, private sector-led economy by advancing reforms in logistics, tourism, and pharmaceuticals, according to IFC, a member of the World Bank Group. A new Country Private Sector Diagnostic (CPSD) for Uzbekistan, released by the World Bank Group,