A major new environmental initiative has been launched in response to increasing pressure on Central Asia’s water and land resources, the growing impacts of climate change, land degradation, and more frequent droughts. The Central Asian Water and Land Nexus (CAWLN) Program, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the National Committee of
On November 25, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held negotiations with President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, who arrived in Kazakhstan on a state visit. The leaders discussed priority areas of trade, economic, transport, logistics, cultural and humanitarian cooperation. Particular attention was paid to joint projects in energy, industrial cooperation, agriculture, IT, education, and medicine. Over
The Alem.Cloud national supercomputer ranked 86th in the TOP500, the international ranking of the world’s most powerful computing systems. The ranking includes only those clusters that undergo independent testing based on the HPL (High-Performance Linpack) standard, the global benchmark for computing performance, according to the Kazakh ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development. The Alem.Cloud national
On November 22, a meeting of water and energy ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan was held in Almaty. The ministers agreed on further water and energy cooperation. Given the low water level in the reservoir of Kyrgyzstan’s Toktogul hydropower plant (HPP), the meeting participants decided to support each other with mutual electricity supplies and
As part of the High-Level Dialogue on enhancing the strategic impact of the 20th Conference of the Parties to CITES, a signing ceremony was held for the Samarkand Declaration and the Regional Cooperation Action Plan for 2026–2032 to support the sustainable use of wildlife and plant resources and combat illegal trade in wild animals and
Turkey’s Alarko Holding has inaugurated a large tomato greenhouse complex, ALSERA KZ, in Shymkent in south Kazakhstan. The opening ceremony on November 20 was attended by Kazakh Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov and Izzet Garih, Alarko’s Chairman of the Board. Saparov emphasized that Turkey is one of Kazakhstan’s key partners in the agricultural sector, with 14
The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment of the Republic of Korea have signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation for Flood Forecasting and Prevention through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Technology. The document was signed during Korea International Water Week in Daegu, South Korea.
On November 13, London’s Shaw Theatre welcomed the Kazakh company The Arts Stage, presenting The Black Cloak, based on Georgy Khugaev’s play and directed by Askhat Mayemirov. The performance became one of the standout events of the autumn theatre season, reminding us that profound theatre does not need loud effects to feel contemporary. The play
The Kazakh Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kazakhstan, and the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) have signed a financial agreement on the project “Developing a Business Ecosystem for Sustainable Irrigation in Kazakhstan.” The Bank is providing a $3.5 million grant to launch an initiative aimed at modernizing and strengthening the irrigation
Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan Nurzhan Nurzhigitov and Minister of Water Resources of Uzbekistan Shavkat Khamrayev have signed an intergovernmental agreement on the joint management and rational use of transboundary rivers and canals. The agreement, signed on November 15 in Tashkent, establishes mechanisms for cooperation on transboundary rivers and canals that provide
The 44th annual meeting of the Berlin Eurasian Club took place in Brussels last week, focusing on the theme “The Middle Corridor and Global Gateway.” The discussions centered on Kazakhstan’s growing role in shaping a new architecture of transport connectivity between Europe and Asia. The meeting brought together representatives of government from Kazakhstan and the
Historian Maral Tompiev has discovered a previously unknown peak which he believes may be the highest point in Saryarka, or the Kazakh Uplands, in Central Kazakhstan, Liter.kz reported. Tompiev had encountered descriptions of the Karkaraly Mountains numerous times in the works of travelers of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society in the mid-19th century and in
On November 16, the seventh Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia was held in Tashkent under the chairmanship of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The summit was attended by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, President of Tajikistan Emomali
The second meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan was held in Tashkent on November 15, co-chaired by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Mirziyoyev stated that Kazakh-Uzbek relations have now reached the highest level of a strategic partnership and alliance. The parties discussed new areas of cooperation and
The Digital Autumn immersive art festival is taking place from November 13th to 20th at the Almaty Creative Hub, bringing together the best examples of digital art and virtual reality from France. This year’s festival highlight is the premiere of the AR (Augmented Reality) fresco “La Forêt qui fait peur” (The Scary Forest), created under
Central Asia is entering a new, historically significant stage of its development. Today we are shifting to a real unity. For the first time in many years an atmosphere of trust, good neighborliness and mutual respect is being formed in the region, becoming a foundation for joint movement forward, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev wrote in
Kazakhstan has increased its export cargo transportation by rail through Russia, as well as rail transit along the China-Russia route. According to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, the country’s railway company, from January to October 2025, rail freight volumes between Kazakhstan and Russia totaled 71.6 million tons, a 5% increase compared to the same period last year,
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,
As part of the state visit of Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Russia on November 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tokayev signed the Declaration on the Transition of Interstate Relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and Alliance. An extensive package of intergovernmental agreements was also signed to expand Kazakh-Russian cooperation in security policy, trade, investment, culture, and humanitarian affairs. Following their talks, Putin and Tokayev
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
