The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) last week added $6.1 million in new funding to its ongoing Development Objective Grant Agreement (DOAG) with the Ministry of Preschool and School Education, raising the total amount invested in the DOAG to over $47 million. This new funding demonstrates USAID’s long-term commitment to supporting the Ministry’s comprehensive
Tajik officials have said that electricity rationing is being introduced a month earlier than usual this year, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported. Electricity rationing has turned into an annual routine in Tajikistan over the past three decades. It is usually introduced in late October or early November. But the Barqi Tojik state energy holding announced over the weekend
With U.S. government support, the Kyrgyz Republic significantly improved tuberculosis (TB) detection rates and treatment outcomes, through community support of 1,183 TB patients with treatment and care, including 126 children, and detection of 92 new active TB cases through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) “Support to TB Patients” activity, the U.S. Embassy in
In order to strengthen interregional cooperation between Kazakhstan and Great Britain, Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to the UK, Magzhan Ilyassov, visited Scotland last week. The Ambassador met with representatives of the Scottish Government and Parliament, as well as with the leadership of Heriot-Watt University. In the course of negotiations with Angus Robertson, Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs,
One of Kyrgyzstan’s most picturesque places, the Saimaluu-Tash National Nature Park, may face serious environmental risks as parts of its territory may be used for the construction of a railway from China to Uzbekistan, mk.kg reported. One of the key problems is the possible change in the category of land on which the park is
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has announced the program for its Ninth Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors, to take place on September 25-26 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The AIIB is a multilateral development bank whose mission is financing infrastructure in Asia and beyond. The Bank began operations in Beijing in 2016 and has
On September 19, the United States Government officially launched the reconstructed water supply system in Palos municipality in Tajikistan’s Buston city. This project, part of USAID’s Rural Water Supply (RWS) Activity, aims to provide safe drinking water to underserved communities across Tajikistan, the U.S. Embassy in Tajikistan reported. Previously, only 50% of Palos municipality’s 4,500
Ahead of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank’s (AIIB) Ninth Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors in Uzbekistan, AIIB and the Government of Kazakhstan have committed to expand and strengthen cooperation to promote sustainable infrastructure development in Kazakhstan. On September 19 in Astana, Nurlan Baibazarov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan, who also
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 19 September approved a $300 million sector development program to support the Government of Uzbekistan’s efforts to expand access to finance for unbanked and underbanked microenterprises, fostering sustainable and inclusive growth in the country. “An inclusive and sustainable microfinance sector is essential to support micro and small businesses which
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 19 September said it has approved $109.5 million in financing to enhance the national road around the Issyk-Kul Lake, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Kyrgyz Republic and a strategic location that connects to neighboring Central Asian countries. The Issyk-Kul Ring Road Improvement Project will construct
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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,
