Kazakhstan’s Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative has been named the winner of the prestigious Earthshot Prize 2024 in the “Protect and Restore Nature” category, awarded by His Royal Highness Prince William. The Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative has received the prestigious prize in recognition of its vision and results to conserve and restore the steppe ecosystem in
Tajik opposition activist Dilmurod Ergashev attempted to commit suicide before being deported from Germany to Tajikistan, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported with reference to the November 6 report of The Insider investigative group. According to the report, German police officers found Ergashev lying in a pool of blood in a cell in a deportation center. Ergashev
Late in October, the EU disbursed EUR 7 million as a budget support grant towards the education sector in Kyrgyzstan, the Delegation of the European Union to the Kyrgyz Republic said. The EU’s engagement is centred on supporting the Ministry of Education’s work in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), alongside a
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is helping to introduce a public-private partnership (PPP) model to Kazakhstan’s healthcare-sector by arranging a financing package of €365 million provided by six financial institutions for the construction and operation of a 630-bed multidisciplinary hospital in the city of Kokshetau. The financing, including the EBRD’s own
The European Union says it is launching a new four-year project to strengthen engagement with civil society organizations (CSOs) in Central Asia, in partnership with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), and in collaboration with the UN Resident Coordinators’ and national governments. The project, which will be coordinated by a regional project team
The government of Kyrgyzstan has introduced a visa-free entry for organized tourist groups from China for up to 21 days. This was announced by Deputy Chairman of the Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers, Edil Baisalov at the 11th China-Central Asia Cooperation Forum, which was held in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China on October 28. The
The official project launch conference of the EU-funded project “EU-Tabassum: Media Skills to Promote Gender Equality and Empower Young Women in Uzbekistan” was held in Tashkent with the participation of representatives from the Government of Uzbekistan, the Embassies of the EU Member States in Uzbekistan, NGOs, international and donor organisations, and mass media companies, the Delegation of the European
On October 24, the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution “Zone of Peace, Trust and Cooperation of Central Asia,” initiated by Turkmenistan, the Turkmen Foreign Ministry said. Presenting the resolution, Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the UN A. Atayeva expressed gratitude to the UN Member States for supporting the draft resolution initiated by Turkmenistan, as
On October 24, a ceremony took place in Almaty to launch the production of innovative drugs by the Swiss pharmaceutical giant F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Roche) in partnership with Nobel Almaty Pharmaceutical Factory JSC (Nobel AFF), Kazakh Invest reported. The investment project to localize production was implemented based on an agreement between Roche, SK-Pharmacy LLP, Nobel AFF, and
An expert discussion titled “Kazakhstan as a Middle Power: Geopolitics, Critical Minerals, and the Middle Corridor” was held at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London last week. Organized by one of the most respected think tanks in the world, the event provided a platform to exchange views and opportunity to analyze Kazakhstan’s role
The IV International ECOJER Congress and the Transition ceremony of the PAGE (UN Partnership for Action on Green Economy) Partnership took place in the capital of Kazakhstan on October 22. The congress gathered members of the Government of Kazakhstan, representatives of state authorities, business leaders, and representatives of international organizations, UNDP Kazakhstan reported. According to
The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan, in cooperation with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), has successfully completed the next stage of the reintroduction of kulans as part of the Turan tiger habitat restoration initiative. This month, more than 40 kulans were transported from Altyn Emel National Park to the Ile-Balkhash Reserve. In
A memorandum of understanding was signed on 17 October between the specially protected nature areas of Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic on the conservation of the snow leopard. The aim of this cooperation is to conserve the snow leopard and its habitats in the northern Tien Shan Mountains within four Specially Protected Nature Areas (SPNAs)
The Uzbek Foreign Ministry has rejected Afghan media reports saying that the Taliban-led government of Afghanistan requested the cancellation of concerts or other musical events at a trade center located on the shared border, RFE/RL reported. The statement comes after the Afghan outlet Atlaspress reported on October 14 that the Taliban had requested the Uzbek
On October 12-13, Uzbekistan hosted its first-ever Maker Faire Festival, supported by the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent, aimed at fostering a new wave of creative entrepreneurship in the country. The event brought together innovative minds not only from across Uzbekistan but also from other Central Asian countries, specializing in fields such as robotics, science, electronics,
The “Strengthening Financial Resilience and Accelerating Risk Reduction in Central Asia” program (SFRARR) – funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) and the World Bank – hosted a final regional forum in Almaty on October 14-15. The event marked the conclusion of a five-year effort to
Kazakh delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu on October 14 participated in the 21st meeting of the Cooperation Council “Republic of Kazakhstan – European Union”. The European delegation at the talks was represented by Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Economic Relations and Foreign Affairs of Hungary,
Umed Bobozoda, Tajikistan’s human rights commissioner, voiced serious concerns over the mistreatment of Tajik migrants in Russia, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported. In a letter to his Russian counterpart, Tatyana Moskalkova, Bobozoda accused Russian law enforcement of using illegal methods, including physical abuse and unjustified detentions, particularly since a deadly terrorist attack at the Crocus City
On October 2-11, the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent, in partnership with The University of Chicago held a two-week workshop in Tashkent’s State Museum of History on the preservation of cultural heritage for ten conservators and museum professionals from the National Museums of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan. The workshop was conducted by expert conservators
More than 80 Uzbek government officials and international partners met last week in Tashkent for the third meeting of the Uzbekistan Country Platform. The meeting discussed the progress completed by three Working Groups covering critical areas for Uzbekistan’s development: water resources and supply, and sanitation; transport; urban and rural development, the Delegation of the European
