Kazakhstan continues to strengthen its position as an attractive destination for international visitors. In 2024, 15.3 million people visited Kazakhstan, marking a 66% increase from the previous year, according to the country’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports. The figure does not include those arriving for work or permanent residence. Of the total number of visitors,
A kick-off meeting for the regional project “Stakeholder Engagement for Uranium Legacy Remediation in Central Asia” (Phase III) was held in Tashkent on April 17-18. The main purpose of this event was to present and discuss the plans for Phase III of the project with government institutions and national and international partners from three Central
A Kazakh delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Serik Zhumangarin arrived in Kabul on April 21 to discuss investment opportunities and the expansion of economic, trade, transit, and railway cooperation between Kazakhstan and Afghanistan, TOLOnews reported. In meetings with Afghan officials, Zhumangarin discussed a roadmap for cooperation in the economic, trade,
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), in partnership with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), is launching an experience-sharing project for energy professionals from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Named “Supporting Sustainable Energy Development in Central Asia by Expanding Sub-Regional and Cross-Country Cooperation Through the Exchange of Competencies
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
On April 14, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic between Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Erkinov and the delegation of UK Export Finance (UKEF) headed by Ms. Shebnem Alp. The meeting was also attended by British Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Nicholas Bowler. The parties discussed key areas of
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
The 21st meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) on Ethnic Germans in Kazakhstan on April 9 in Berlin discussed the issues of supporting ethnic Germans, strengthening cultural and humanitarian cooperation between Kazakhstan and Germany. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko and Germany’s Federal Government Commissioner for Matters Related to Ethnic German Resettlers
On the sidelines of the Samarkand International Climate Forum, the Uzbek Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change and the World Bank launched the Uzbekistan Resilient Landscapes Restoration Project (RESILAND). The World Bank will provide $153 million in financing to support project activities. The project aims to expand sustainable landscape management, restore degraded forested
On April 7, the Permanent Mission of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United Nations hosted a reception in New York City to officially launch a country’s campaign for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council for 2027-2028. The event was led by Zheenbek Kulubaev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic. In his
At the inaugural EU-Central Asia Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan last week, European Investment Bank (EIB) Vice-President Kyriacos Kakouris signed four memorandums of understanding with partners in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. With these agreements, the EIB will provide €365 million, unlocking up to €1 billion of investment in sustainable transport, water management, and climate resilience projects, the EIB
The Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and the energy ministries of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan on April 4 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to support the Feasibility Study for the Caspian Green Energy Corridor Project. The MOU establishes a high-level framework for cooperation, focusing on the development of a
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
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
On April 2, the National Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan and the Russian Academy of Sciences officially opened the Kazakh-Russian Center for Advanced Technologies in the Agro-Industrial Complex. According to the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture, the new center will be located in Almaty and will operate in close cooperation with leading research institutes of Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan has taken a significant step toward integrating human rights principles into its economic policies. At a high-level meeting on March 28 hosted by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, government officials, business leaders, civil society representatives, and international partners came together to review progress on the Business and Human Rights Project, supported by the
The World Bank has approved an additional financing of $11.45 million to support the Kyrgyz Republic’s efforts to improve the quality of primary health care services across the country. This funding will complement the ongoing Primary Health Care Quality Improvement Program, which is jointly supported by the World Bank, the German Development Bank (KfW), and the
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan jointly convened the Second Coordination Meeting of the Sustainable Economy and Finance (SEF) Working Group on March 20 in Ashgabat, UNDP Turkmenistan reported. The participants of the meeting, representing the Government of Turkmenistan and the country’s diplomatic community, were informed about the current
Cardiff University has announced the establishment of a new campus in Astana, Kazakhstan, set to open later this year. This milestone marks a significant step in the university’s ongoing global development and its commitment to delivering world-class education in Central Asia. According to the Kazakh Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Cardiff University Kazakhstan will
On March 22, in Baku, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kyrgyz Republic to Azerbaijan Maksat Mamytkanov took part in the ceremony of handing over 10 fire trucks provided by Azerbaijan free of charge. This step is aimed at strengthening the material and technical base of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic
