Raimbek Matraimov, the former deputy chief of Kyrgyzstan’s Customs Service, was placed in pretrial detention for at least one month on March 27, a day after being extradited from Azerbaijan, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. The Birinchi Mai district court in Bishkek ruled that Matraimov must stay in the detention center of the State Committee for National Security
According to Conrad Albrecht, Managing Director and Head of the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) Directorate of Sustainability, the EDB, as a financier for regional projects, has a unique mandate with a primary focus on fostering cross-country infrastructure development and business integration among its six member countries: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. “Our main
Kyrgyzstan has called on its citizens not to travel to Russia, where Central Asian migrant workers and visitors are facing enormous pressure following last week’s deadly attack near Moscow that left 139 people dead, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. Russian officials said earlier that 11 suspects, including four men who allegedly attacked the Crocus City Hall entertainment center,
A court in Uzbekistan has sentenced influential crime boss Salim Abduvaliev to six years in prison on charges of illegal possession and transportation of arms and explosives, RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service reported. The 73-year-old Abduvaliev, who is also known as Salimboi, was sentenced last week, according to Tashkent courts’ joint press service. Abduvaliev is believed to
China has been strengthening ties with Central Asian nations with the aim to secure access to the region’s energy resources — oil, natural gas, coal, uranium, and renewable energy sources. China needs these energy resources for accelerated economic development in its northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which borders Central Asian countries. This is one of
First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, Adylbek Kasymaliev on March 20 officially inaugurated the modernization of the Kant Cement Plant. The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has allocated up to CNY 351.2 million for the project. The ceremony brought together heads of relevant national and regional authorities. The EDB’s financing
The Koraozak Technical School of Agroeconomics and the UNESCO Office in Uzbekistan on March 18 hosted the inauguration ceremony of the newly renovated college as part of the project Skills Development for Employability in Rural Areas of Uzbekistan, funded by the European Union, the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan reported. The event was attended
The death toll of the March 22 attack on a Moscow concert venue claimed by the Islamic State (IS) militant group has reached 133 and Russian security officials said four suspected gunmen had been detained in connection with Russia’s worst terrorist violence in nearly two decades, RFE/RL’s Russian Service reported. Russian officials said the suspects
The Navruz and iftar celebrations held in London were a resounding success, marking a vibrant start to the year’s festivities. The event was organized and sponsored by the Eurasian Creative Guild, London (ECG), OCA magazine and Orzu Arts, and served as the inaugural event in a series of celebrations marking the 15th anniversary of OCA
Kazakh officials have confirmed the conviction of a nephew of former President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who lost his influence on the country’s political scene after deadly, unprecedented anti-government protests in January 2022, RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service reported. The Astana City Court told RFE/RL on March 20 that Samat Abish was convicted of abuse of power and handed a suspended
The J. Paul Getty Museum and the State Museum of the State Cultural Center of Turkmenistan on March 1 concluded their second mission to preserve and restore a 5th century Buddha head found in the ancient city of Merv. This joint project is funded by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) and restoration
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is helping to address pressing water treatment and environmental issues in Kazakhstan’s fourth-largest municipality, Aktobe, by financing the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant and associated infrastructure. The Bank is extending a sovereign loan of up to KZT 47.4 billion (€ 96.4 million) to state-owned JSC Aqtobe
On March 18, with the participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov and the Director General of the Agency for Transport and Communications under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan Mammethan Chakyev, a roundtable was organized with the European business community on the topic “Turkmenistan and the EU: towards a new
Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov on March 18 held a meeting on the implementation of instructions of the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to improve the quality of life in the country, announced at the third meeting of the National Kurultai (Congress) on March 15. On the issue of repair and modernisation of the
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is supporting the expansion of Araltuz, a leading Kazakhstan-based producer of table and low-grade technical salt in Central Asia, by extending a convertible loan of up to KZT 5.5 billion (€11 million). The funds will be provided to Salt Industry Ltd., a joint-stock company operating under the
Deputy Prime Minister–Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu during his visit to Austria on March 16 met with the top management of the leading companies in the construction, logistics, and machinery industries. During the conversation with the CEO of the Lasselsberger Group, Josef Lasselsberger, the progress of the investment project for the production
On March 15 in Suzak village of the Jalal-Abad oblast of Kyrgyzstan, an official opening ceremony of the fire and rescue unit №65 within the framework of trilateral cooperation between the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Government of the Republic of Korea, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the United
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a loan in the amount of $600 million to Kazakhstan, marking the first phase of a series of reforms aimed at promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the country. The reforms support Kazakhstan’s transition towards an economy that is greener, has more competitive markets, and is more
The Governments of the United States, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan joined private sector representatives in the inaugural B5+1 Forum in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from March 13-15. Announced by President Biden during the inaugural C5+1 Summit in September 2023 and highlighted in the corresponding New York Declaration, the B5+1 is the private-sector-led counterpart
A former resident of Almaty, who now lives in Germany, on his Tik Tok page under the nickname “mambethologe” creates provocative content regarding Kazakhs, Kriminalnyi Kazakhstan reported on Telegram. In his videos, the man insults residents of Central Asia, in particular residents of Kazakhstan. The author of the videos is Vladislav Richter. Born in 1973
