Travel on the planned highway that will connect Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty, and Kyrgyzstan’s Lake Issyk-Kul would cost between $10 and $25, Tazabek news agency reported citing Kylychbek Jakypov, the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) representative and national coordinator of Almaty-Bishkek Economic Corridor. Almaty is only 80 kilometers away from Issyk-Kul, which is renowned for its
A Bishkek court on August 8 handed a seven-year prison term with a one-year suspension to Maya Alieva, who is the mother of late criminal kingpin Kamchy Kolbaev, on a charge of money laundering, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. Alieva’s lawyer said his client will not be imprisoned at all if she does not violate her parole-like restrictions
Kyrgyz prosecutors asked a Bishkek court to sentence Maya Alieva, who is the mother of late criminal kingpin Kamchy Kolbaev (aka Kamchybek Asanbek), to 10 years in prison on a charge of money laundering, lawyer Baktybek Jumashev told RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service on August 5. Kolbaev, who was killed during a police operation in Bishkek in
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on July 31 approved $27 million for the National Community Initiatives Project (NCIP) for the Kyrgyz Republic. The project aims to improve access to socio-economic infrastructure and increase economic opportunities at the local level, with a focus on women and youth. “The National Community Initiatives Project builds on more
Thirty-three Fellows are equipped to teach in rural schools across Chui region of Kyrgyzstan in September, thanks to Teach for Kyrgyzstan’s Summer Institute. The Summer Institute provided four-week training and development for these future social entrepreneurs in education: called ‘jaratmans’ in Kyrgyz, translated as ‘creators’ in English. The Teach for Kyrgyzstan project is administered by
Authorities in Russia have once again proposed sending immigrants who have received Russian citizenship to fight in Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry has increased the size of payments for those who sign contracts to join Russian troops fighting in Ukraine. An article published by Radio Azattyk (RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service) reveals how Russia lures Central Asians
Kyrgyz government spokesman Nazirbek Borubaev said on July 30 that 94 percent of the 972-kilometer Kyrgyz-Tajik border had been agreed upon by officials from the two Central Asian nations, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. Borubaev added that discussions between Kyrgyz and Tajik officials on defining the remaining sections of the border will be held on August
According to Kyrgyzstan’s National Statistical Committee, in 2023 trade turnover between Kyrgyzstan and China amounted to $5.433 billion, including Kyrgyzstan’s exports at $80.5 million and imports at $5.353 billion. In January-May 2024, bilateral trade amounted to $2.712 billion, including Kyrgyz exports at $38.8 million and imports at $2.673 billion. Chinese statistics on trade with Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov on July 22 attended the opening ceremonies of two small hydroelectric power plants (HPPs) in the country’s southern Jalal-Abad region. One HPP, Kok-Art, is located in the Suzak district of Jalal-Abad region. Its construction began in August 2023. The plant has a capacity of 6.8 MW and an estimated annual electricity
Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov last week signed amendments to the Law “On Sustainable Development of the Ecological and Economic System of Issyk-Kul,” his press service said. Passed by the Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament) of the Kyrgyz Republic on June 12, 2024, the amendments allow private ownership of recreational facilities (hotels and guesthouses) at Lake Issyk-Kul by
The Birinchi Mai district court in Bishkek said on July 17 that a relative of President Sadyr Japarov has been placed under arrest on fraud charges, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. According to the court’s press service, Ulan Japarov, who is a son of President Sadyr Japarov’s cousin, Rakymjan Japarov, was sent to pretrial detention until
As part of the operational-tactical command and staff military exercise Birlestik-2024, military sports competitions in terrain orienteering were held at the Oymasha training ground in Kazakhstan. As reported by the Kazakh Defense Ministry, military personnel from Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan participated, while the team of the host country, Kazakhstan, performed outside the competition. The
Authorities in Kyrgyzstan’s southern city of Osh have declared a state of emergency after mudslides and flooding caused by heavy rains killed at least four people on July 14, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. As of July 15, the deaths of a 44-year-old woman and her three daughters, as well as the death of another woman,
Since 2021, the U.S. government-sponsored Successful Aimak 2 project has improved the lives of 290,000 individuals across 42 partner municipalities across Kyrgyzstan. This initiative introduced 95 upgraded and new services, ranging from essential services like clean water supply and waste removal to enriching extracurricular activities such as English language classes, music clubs, and sports programs
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on July 11 approved $13.6 million in additional financing to supplement the ongoing $5 million Technical Assistance for Kambarata-1 Hydropower Plant (HPP) Project for the Kyrgyz Republic. The project aims to support the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic in the preparation of the Kambarata-1 Hydropower Plant (HPP) project in a
The National Investment Agency under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Vasta Discovery LLC (Russia), and the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) have signed a trilateral Memorandum of Cooperation on the creation of Baytik Mountain Resort in Kyrgyzstan. The signing ceremony of the Memorandum was attended by Talantbek Imanov, Director of the National Investment Agency, Sergey
The U.S. government through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Nookat Almasy Cooperative have opened the largest cold storage facility in Nookat district in Kyrgyzstan’s southern Osh region that will generate 200 full-time jobs and help farmers expand their sales and market opportunities. With a total storage capacity of 1,000 tons, the facility will enhance
The boyfriend of a niece of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has been sent to pretrial detention on a charge of production of illegal drugs, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. The decision to hold Aftandil Sabyrbekov in pretrial detention at least until August 3 was made three days earlier, the Birinchi Mai district court in Bishkek said
The Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to Japan Mr. Erkinbek Osoev on July 4 in Tokyo took part in the second meeting of a business dialogue “Central Asia and Japan”. The event was attended by Ambassadors of the Central Asian countries in Japan, President of the Japanese Association for Trade with Russia and the New Independent States
After participating in the U.S. government-sponsored “Okuu Keremet!” project, more than 450,000 primary school students in 1,679 schools in the Kyrgyz Republic are on track to improve their learning outcomes. The United States Agency for International Development project, implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic, presented its five-year
