Tajikistan’s real gross domestic product (GDP) growth reached 8.4 percent in 2024 and 8.2 percent in the first quarter of 2025 with services and industry driving the expansion, according to the World Bank’s annual Tajikistan Economic Update released on July 30. Domestic demand was bolstered by substantial remittance inflows, which totaled approximately 49 percent of GDP in
On July 30, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a video-conference meeting on increasing the export of fruit, vegetable, and food products. Uzbekistan has significant potential in agriculture. Over the past three years, 250,000 hectares of land previously used for cotton and grain crops have been repurposed for cultivating food crops. A total of 160,000 hectares of
As part of the official visit of the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Turkey, a number of commercial agreements were signed with the support of the national company Kazakh Invest. These agreements aim to implement joint investment projects in priority sectors of the economy. Among the key outcomes was the signing of an Investment
A new partnership has been officially launched between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Business Development Bank (BDB) of Uzbekistan, marking a promising step forward for small and medium-sized businesses across the country, UNDP Uzbekistan reported. This partnership between BDB and UNDP aligns national goals with global expertise to support Uzbekistan’s SMEs, especially
From 2025 to 2030, 15 million Tajik somoni will be allocated annually for 200 grants of the President of Tajikistan to support and develop women’s entrepreneurship. The grants are aimed at creating conditions for the exercise of women’s rights and economic opportunities, ensuring their equal participation in public life, increasing women’s competitiveness in the labor
A networking session with representatives of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) was held in Almaty last week at the regional office of the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, Kazakh Invest reported. The session brought together business representatives from both countries, including KADIN, Atameken’s regional office, the Foreign Trade Chamber, as well as
According to the latest data for 2025, Kazakhstan’s largest city and business capital, Almaty, has become the absolute leader among the country’s regions in terms of foreign trade volume. The city’s trade turnover totaled $7.2 billion, including $1.3 billion of exports, 12.4% more than a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Trade and Integration.
KTZ Express, a subsidiary of Kazakhstan’s national railway operator, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), has established a new multimodal transportation route with the first container train from Shanxi Province (China) to Azerbaijan along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) through Kazakhstan. According to KTZ, the train, consisting of 50 containers with photovoltaic modules weighing more than
To help expand access to finance for small and medium enterprises and women entrepreneurs, IFC — a member of the World Bank Group — is investing $15 million in a private bond issuance by Demir Kyrgyz International Bank (DemirBank), a leading commercial bank in the Kyrgyz Republic. According to IFC, proceeds from the bond will
On July 22, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited Jizzakh region and reviewed the operations of the Zaamin Technopark special industrial zone. The head of state initiated the construction of this complex on June 27 of last year. Within the framework of the project, which spans 400 hectares, a total of 31 investment projects worth $1.2
Trade between Kyrgyzstan and China grew by an impressing 44.7% in 2024 and reached $5.3 billion, with exports from Kyrgyzstan to China increasing to $2.04 billion, 93 times higher than in 2023, Deputy Chairman of the Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers Bakyt Torobayev said during a meeting with a high-level delegation from China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous
Construction of a new transport and logistics complex, Tobyl, was officially launched in the city of Kostanay in northern Kazakhstan on July 16. According to the government’s press service, the facility will become a key point in the implementation of the country’s transit strategy and will be integrated into international transport corridors linking Kazakhstan to
Italian agricultural organization Unione Coltivatori Italiani (UCI), which unites over 300,000 farmers, agricultural entrepreneurs and agro processors, plans to implement an investment project in Kazakhstan for the cultivation and advanced processing of industrial hemp for subsequent production of textiles, construction materials, and pharmaceuticals. The project was discussed during an online meeting on July 17 between
Azamat Kozhanov, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Kazakh Invest national company, held a meeting with John M. Bek, Chairman of the Board of South Korean engineering company YPP Corporation. During the meeting, the parties signed a framework agreement on cooperation for the implementation of a green hydrogen production project in Kazakhstan, according to Kazakh
A Kazakh company, Kazakhmys Barlau, has begun exploration operations in Afghanistan’s mining sector, TOLOnews reported. The company has described Afghanistan as a promising location for mineral extraction and stated that the country possesses high-purity reserves of lead and zinc. At the same time, the Afghan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, referring to the close ties
Kazakhstan’s National Atomic Company Kazatomprom JSC has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Slovenské elektrárne a.s. (SEAS), Slovakia’s largest electricity producer, reflecting the mutual interest of both parties in developing long-term cooperation in nuclear energy sector. SEAS generates over 70% of Slovakia’s total electricity supply and operates two nuclear power plants
IFC — a member of the World Bank Group — says it is investing up to $3 million in local currency equivalent to Kompanion Bank, one of the leading community development banks in Kyrgyzstan, to provide financing for micro and small enterprises (MSEs) across the country. With 40 percent of the loan proceeds allocated to
To expand access to finance for micro and small enterprises, including women entrepreneurs across Kazakhstan, IFC (a member of the World Bank Group) and Arnur Credit have signed a local currency loan agreement of $10 million-equivalent. With 40 percent of the funding earmarked for women-run businesses, the financing includes a $5 million-equivalent local currency loan
Kazakhstan and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) have signed a Protocol of Intent providing for financing of up to USD 1.1 billion for the implementation of priority infrastructure projects. The document was signed following a meeting between Advisor to the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Nurlan Baibazarov and President of the Islamic Development Bank, Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser.
Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana lags behind Almaty, the country’s largest city in terms of key development aspects, Energyprom.kz reports with reference to the Oxford Economics Global Cities Index 2025. Astana is on the 276th position among a thousand cities in the ranking, and Almaty ranks 258th. Astana is behind Almaty in such categories as the quality
