The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has released the latest Macroeconomic Review for its six member states — Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. In the face of a challenging external economic environment, the Review says, the EDB region saw a strong recovery in 2023, with the aggregate GDP of the Bank’s member states increasing
On February 19, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) launched the Central Asian Women’s Entrepreneurship Programme titled “Strengthening the Digital Skills of Women Entrepreneurs”. The programme will serve as an online platform for exchange, learning, and dialogue for 21 women-led businesses from Central Asia. Through a series of workshops,
Being close neighbors with centuries-long ties and common roots, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan continue to deepen their relationship, setting a good example for regional cooperation. Both countries are close trade and economic partners as part of the Eurasian Economic Union, which also includes Armenia, Belarus, and Russia. From January-November 2023, bilateral trade grew by 12% and reached
The UN secretary-general’s envoy for Afghanistan met on February 14 in Bishkek with EU and Central Asian officials to discuss joint efforts to assist people in Taliban-led Afghanistan ahead of a more formal international meeting scheduled to take place on February 18-19 in Doha, Qatar, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. UN Special Representative for Afghanistan Roza
The government of China’s Xinjiang will provide humanitarian financial assistance in the amount of 100 thousand US dollars to help Kyrgyzstan overcome the consequences of the recent accident at the Bishkek thermal electric power plant. This was announced during a February 12 meeting between Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, Aibek Moldogaziev
Kyrgyzstan has published the text of a letter by President Sadyr Japarov to U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, in which the Central Asian nation’s leader accused the United States of interfering in his country’s internal affairs, RFE/RL reported. On February 9, the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry said minister Jeenbek Kulubaev met with the U.S. Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan and Turkey have signed a contract for the export of 400 tons of walnuts from the Kyrgyz Republic. The first batch of walnuts will be exported to Turkey on February 15, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Economy and Commerce said. The contract comes as a result of the Kyrgyz-Turkish business forum held in the Turkish
The European Union’s special representative for Afghanistan said that Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek will host a meeting on Afghanistan in the near future, Afghan broadcaster TOLOnews reported. Speaking at a press conference in Kabul, Tomas Niklasson said the meeting will be held between the EU and Central Asian countries. “Next week I look forward to meeting
The Oktyabr (October) district court in Bishkek on February 9 issued a ruling to liquidate the Kloop Media Public Foundation, the main owner of the Kloop news agency, one of the leading independent media outlets in the country, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. The decision, which also affects the foundation’s journalism school, was made at the request
In the wake of the recent accident at the Bishkek thermal power plant, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have once again showcased their strong and amicable relationship. Following the explosion at the power plant on February 2, which resulted in significant damage and disruption to the supply of hot water and heat in parts of the capital
Kazakhstan increased the supply of electricity from its Zhambyl power plant to neighboring Kyrgyzstan following an explosion at the Bishkek thermal power plant on February 2. Three workers of the power plant were seriously injured in the explosion, which caused the plant’s breakdown and left parts of the capital city without hot water and heat.
Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov has ordered to fully modernize the Bishkek thermal power plant after an explosion at the old plant on February 2 left parts of the capital city without hot water and heat. Three workers of the power plant were seriously injured in the explosion. President Japarov visited the plant as its staff
Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have agreed to speed up the issue of opening an additional checkpoint for freight vehicles on the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border, as well as to strengthen cooperation in the water and energy sector. This was the result of the meeting between the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Alikhan Smailov and the Chairman of the Cabinet
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on January 31 approved $25 million for the Higher Education Quality and Innovation Project for the Kyrgyz Republic to help improve the quality of research and strengthen labor market alignment of higher education programs. “The Higher Education Quality and Innovation Project is fully aligned with the National Development Strategy of
There are no political contradictions between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, Jeenbek Kulubaev, said during negotiations with the Deputy Prime Minister-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Murat Nurtleu, who was in Bishkek on an official visit on January 29th, 24.kz reported. Minister Kulubaev emphasized that Kazakhstan is an
Kyrgyz presidential spokesman Askat Alagozov told RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service on January 30 that President Sadyr Japarov will take part in the next presidential election scheduled for 2026. A day earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Edil Baisalov said that during a recent meeting with Japarov, the latter mentioned he will seek a second term. According to amendments
The official opening ceremony of the new fire and rescue station was held on January 26 in Osh city in southern Kyrgyzstan. The construction of the new facility became possible within the framework of trilateral cooperation between the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Government of Korea through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and
Residents of Kyrgyzstan’s capital city of Bishkek will have access to greener public transport and better services thanks to new buses financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The project is part of the Green Cities programme designed to address environmental challenges and invest in sustainable municipal infrastructure, the EBRD said. Bishkek on January
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it invested more than €1.2 billion in projects across Central Asia in 2023 to stimulate the region’s sustainable and inclusive growth. Uzbekistan remained the leading recipient of EBRD funding in the region for the fourth year running, by attracting more than €700 million. The remaining €518 million
The Kyrgyz Interior Ministry’s official told RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service on January 26 that the former deputy chief of the Customs Service, Raimbek Matraimov, who in 2020-2021 was at the center of a high-profile corruption scandal, was added to the wanted list of the State Committee for National Security. The ex-official is suspected of abducting and