The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Turkmenistan, in cooperation with the Ministry of Communications of Turkmenistan, last week organized the International Startup Forum 2025 within the framework of the Turkmentel–2025 Exhibition and International Conference in Ashgabat. This event marked a significant milestone in advancing Turkmenistan’s innovation and digital transformation agenda, UNDP Turkmenistan reported. The
On November 11, Bishkek hosted the 26th meeting of the Kyrgyz-Russian Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical, and Humanitarian Cooperation, co-chaired by Adylbek Kasymaliev, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, and Alexey Overchuk, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia. According to Kasymaliev, Russia is a reliable ally and strategic partner of Kyrgyzstan. Russia
On November 13, the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan organized the first meeting of the Council of Ministers of Trade and Investment of the Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan in Tashkent. The event was aimed at strengthening regional cooperation in trade, investment, and industrial collaboration. The meeting was attended by Laziz Kudratov,
Specialists from Uzbekistan have arrived in Kyrgyzstan to prepare a master plan for an “Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan Friendship Garden.” The Kyrgyz Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry says it has allocated a 50-hectare land plot in the village of Bash-Kara-Suu near Bishkek for the project with a preliminary cost of $500,000. The funding will be
On November 11, Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda met with Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov in Ashgabat to strengthen ADB’s long-standing partnership with Turkmenistan and discuss ways to deepen cooperation in support of the country’s sustainable and inclusive growth. The visit marks the 25th anniversary of the ADB–Turkmenistan partnership and coincides with the country’s
The Central Asian-German Institute for the Protection of Ecosystems and Biodiversity has officially opened at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Almaty. The new institute’s goal is the scientifically based development of initiatives aimed at ensuring ecosystem sustainability and preserving biodiversity in Central Asian countries. The institute will serve as a platform for strengthening environmental cooperation
The European Union and Turkmenistan held their 24th Joint Committee on November 7 in Ashgabat. The two sides exchanged on the progress made in the relations between the EU and Turkmenistan, particularly, in the areas of trade, connectivity, energy and environment, and a number of other areas of cooperation, according to the Delegation of the European
Based on international studies, researchers have concluded that Samarkand’s history spans at least 3,000 years. The previously recognized age of the city—2,750 years—has been revised, and the official age of Samarkand has now been recognized as 3,000 years. This was announced at the international conference titled “Samarkand: A 3000-Year Legacy” held as part of the
A policy dialogue held last week marked a key milestone in Uzbekistan’s efforts to implement Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, advancing the country’s participation in international carbon markets and access to global climate finance. Organized by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Institute for Macroeconomic and Regional
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Turkmenistan has announced the approval of its new Country Programme Document (CPD) for 2026–2030, marking the next phase of partnership with the Turkmen Government, civil society, the private sector, and international development partners. Building on the successful results of the previous programme cycle, the new CPD reinforces UNDP’s commitment
Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan and Central Asia’s largest city, has been included in the list of “The Best Places to Go in Asia in 2026” by the international travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler. According to the magazine, “Tashkent has reinvented itself time and again—shaped first by Silk Road merchants, then by Arab dynasties and later Russian
On November 5, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov and Prime Minister of Belarus Alexander Turchin, who was on an official visit to Kazakhstan, discussed further development of bilateral trade and economic cooperation. The parties reviewed plans to increase bilateral trade turnover, deepen cooperation in investment, industry, agriculture, the digital industry and artificial intelligence, as
On November 4, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in the second World Summit for Social Development, held in Doha. The forum was attended by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, as well as heads of state and government, representatives of international and regional organizations. In
Starting January 1, 2026, citizens of the United States of America will be able to enter Uzbekistan without a visa for a period of up to 30 days. This measure is established by Presidential Decree of November 3, 2025, aimed at further strengthening Uzbek–American relations and creating favorable conditions for the development of cooperation in
In early November, Bishkek hosted a political dialogue titled “Women in Water and Energy,” bringing together female leaders and experts from five Central Asian countries. The event marked a continuation of the Green Central Asia program, which aims to strengthen regional cooperation on climate, environmental protection, and security. In a region facing mounting ecological challenges,
As part of the official visit of the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, to Uzbekistan, the Uzbekistan–Finland Business Forum was held in Tashkent. During the forum, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan and the Finnish company EPSE Oy on “Cooperation in Establishing the
The beginning of November marked a moment of unity, inspiration, and tangible results for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Tajikistan — as Dushanbe hosted a large-scale event titled “Hand-in-Hand,” bringing together more than fifty of the organization’s partners under one roof. Among the attendees were representatives of government institutions, international
A new shelter for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) was opened on October 31 in Fergana, marking a significant step in expanding protection and support services for women and girls in one of Uzbekistan’s most densely populated regions with high reported rates of GBV, UNDP Uzbekistan reported. The shelter was constructed by the United Nations
The Central Asia Higher School of Business, a joint project of the Central Asia Capital investment fund and the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, has opened in Bishkek. According to Central Asia Capital, this is the first internationally recognized MBA program in Central Asia, tailored to the realities of the CIS
On October 29, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov held a meeting with the Special Representative of the President of the United States for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor and the First Deputy Secretary of State of the United States Christopher Landau, who arrived in Kazakhstan on an official visit. According to Bektenov, the
