Between May 19 and 21, the Uzbek city of Termez is hosting the first meeting of the Termez Dialogue on Connectivity between Central and South Asia, entitled “Building a Common Space of Peace, Friendship and Prosperity”. The event was organized by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan, the Ministry
Three films from Uzbekistan have been shortlisted for the 7th ECG Film Festival in London, one of the leading British festivals promoting Central Asian cinema. The screenings will take place on May 26 and 27 at the Lumiere Romford Cinema (The Mercury Shopping Centre, London). This year, the festival received over 100 submissions from 23
Representatives of railway companies from China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Türkiye met in Tehran on May 12 to develop multilateral cooperation in establishing a transport corridor passing through their countries. According to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, the country’s national railway company, in January-April 2025 container traffic along the China-Iran route via Kazakhstan increased by 2.6
The Taliban government has suspended chess in Afghanistan over gambling concerns. It has also suspended the Afghanistan National Chess Federation (ANCF), Chess.com reports. The Afghan online news service Khaama Press reported on Sunday that the country’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice has banned chess due to “religious considerations.” Chess-related activities in
Kazakhstan continues its confident cultural offensive on the world stage: two short films and works by an artist from Kazakhstan will participate in the 7th ECG Film Festival in London. The films will be shown on May 26 and 27 at the Lumiere Romford Cinema, The Mercury Shopping Centre. ECG Film Festival promotes films of
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has welcomed Türkiye as its newest regional member, strengthening ADB’s engagement in Central and West Asia. In a ceremony during ADB’s 58th Annual Meeting in Milan, ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov said Türkiye’s transition to regional membership would provide the country with development opportunities through
Kyrgyzstan has proposed introducing a single visa-free regime for foreign tourists that will allow visitors to travel freely throughout all countries of Central Asia. The initiative was put forward by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov during his meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in March. Japarov said that Central Asian countries need to introduce a single
The 6th meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Central Asia–China format was held in Almaty on April 26, attended by the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu, China Wang Yi, Kyrgyzstan Zheenbek Kulubaev, Tajikistan Sirojiddin Mukhriddin, Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov, and a representative of Turkmenistan. The meeting focused on strengthening political dialog, expanding trade and economic
Afghanistan’s economy is gradually recovering, but at a slow pace, and the outlook remains uncertain due to fiscal pressures, a widening trade deficit, and persistent poverty and food insecurity, says the World Bank’s latest Afghanistan Development Update. Afghanistan’s GDP is estimated to have grown 2.5 percent in 2024, marking the second consecutive year of economic expansion.
On April 16, Kuwait hosted the Third Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Strategic Dialogue between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Central Asia. The meeting was attended by the leadership of foreign ministries of Central Asian countries and six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council — the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab
Lusine Aleksanyan is a maxillofacial surgeon and a young author from Armenia. Her book, “And a Butterfly Soared,” was published in 2024 in the UK, following her victory in a literary competition organized by the Eurasian Creative Guild. Here below is an article about this talented person, originally published by OCA Magazine: The best investment
Taking an additional step towards empowering young women from Central Asia and Afghanistan to play an active role in peacebuilding and conflict resolution, the Young Women 4 Peace: Empowering Central Asian Young Women Initiative arrived in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from 8 to 10 April. Bringing together regional voices and perspectives to promote peace and security through youth leadership
According to a new study by World Weather Attribution (WWA), in March 2025, Central Asia experienced an unusually intense heatwave, with temperatures reaching record highs across the region, reaching 30.8°C in Jalalabad in Kyrgyzstan, 29.4°C in Namangan and 29.1°C in Fergana in Uzbekistan, and minimum temperatures of 18.3°C in Shahdara, making it the hottest March night in
A Regional Workshop was recently held in Tashkent as part of Switzerland’s Blue Peace Central Asia (BPCA) initiative aimed at fostering cooperation among Central Asian countries in the water sector, according to the Swiss Embassy in Uzbekistan. The event brought together delegations from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as representatives of international
On April 4, the first-ever Central Asia-European Union Summit was held in Samarkand, chaired by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The EU was represented by the President of the European Council António Costa and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. Together with President Mirziyoyev, Central Asian countries were represented by
OCA Magazine, published in London since 2009, is calling on universities across the Eurasian region to participate in a special issue titled OCA Magazine: Education 2025. The initiative aims to showcase the educational and human resource potential of Central Asia and the CIS countries, while also attracting experts and media attention to promote education in
Central Asia and the European Union are linked by deep historical roots, coinciding interests, and a common desire for close partnership, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said in an exclusive interview to Euronews on the eve of the first Central Asia-European Union summit in Samarkand on April 3-4. According to Mirziyoyev, the Central Asia-European Union format of cooperation
The following article by Roger Holland, Founder & Managing Partner of a leading property advisory firm, published in the latest issue of OCA Magazine, provides an insight on Central Asia’s growing real estate market: For many, the housing and wider real estate markets have had a miserable year. Interest costs have increased alongside inflation of
The European Union and the five Central Asian countries reaffirmed their strong political commitment to strengthening engagement and deepening cooperation during the 20th EU-Central Asia Ministerial meeting, chaired by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, on March 27 in Ashgabat. The Foreign Ministers of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as Deputy
Navruz originated in Central Asia and a number of Eastern countries in ancient times, when Zoroastrianism reigned here. Gradually, it acquired its own forms and outlines. It was enriched by new customs, rituals, and the experience of everyday life and it turned into a tradition. The answer to the question about the age of Navruz
