U.S. President Donald Trump’s meeting with the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in August culminated in the signing of a trilateral Joint Declaration, which, among others, envisions the U.S. entering the South Caucasus region as the primary driver of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project, according to an article published by
In a significant boost to energy and water security in Central Asia, the European Union together with partners announced new investments in hydropower infrastructure in Central Asia, according to the Delegation of the European Union to the Kyrgyz Republic. Particularly, the Kambarata-1 hydropower plant megaproject in Kyrgyzstan marked noticeable progress, with a total of €900 million
On October 3–4, Kazakhstan’s Mangystau region was the venue of a commemorative event dedicated to the 275th anniversary of the renowned religious figure and Sufi, Beket Myrzagululy. Beket Myrzagululy (approximately 1750-1813), also known as Beket Ata, was a great figure who paved the way for the spiritual revival of the Kazakh people and the dissemination
On October 8, Aidar Abildabekov, Vice Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan, met with Khurram Teshabayev, Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan. It was noted at the meeting that Uzbekistan remains one of Kazakhstan’s priority trading partners in Central Asia. The two countries are consistently working to achieve the mutual trade
On October 9, the Second “Central Asia–Russia” Summit was held in Dushanbe. The event, chaired by the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, was attended by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and the
Over the past 34 years of independence after the breakup of the Soviet Union, Central Asia has faced problems that require joint efforts for their solution. These include water and energy shortages, access to the sea and international transport routes, environmental risks, and instability in Afghanistan. In recent years, however, Central Asian countries have strengthened
A Government meeting on October 7, chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, discussed measures to reduce the shadow economy. “The Head of State has set the goal of reducing the share of the shadow economy in GDP to 15% this year. We must continue striving for a consistent decline in this indicator. We need a
The 2025 Human Development Report was launched in Kazakhstan at the Digital Bridge 2025 forum last week. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Kazakhstan organized a panel session titled “The Power of Choice: Human Development at the Crossroads of Artificial Intelligence.” The event brought together diplomats, government officials, academics, civil society, educators, and thought leaders
From November 29 to December 2, 2025, the Borovoe resort (Burabay, Kazakhstan) will shine with the spirit of a Christmas fairy tale as it will host the 5th festival Voices of Friends, a place where art meets magic. The Voices of Friends V will feature author’s concerts, film festivals, art exhibitions, and master classes that
On October 2 in Astana, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan hosted the jubilee award ceremony for the winners of the 10th Annual International Contest “Kazakhstan Through the Eyes of Foreign Media”. This year, by decision of the jury, the works of journalists from Armenia, Belgium, Pakistan, the United States, and Uzbekistan were recognized
On October 1, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held the first meeting of the Council for the Development of Artificial Intelligence. Tokayev emphasized that without the development of artificial intelligence, it is impossible to withstand global competition. He stated that digital systems and artificial intelligence have become essential for the country’s sovereignty and a driving force
Chairman of the Investment Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Gabidulla Ospankulov and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Kazakh Invest national company Madiyar Sultanbek met with Chen Guanfu, Vice President of Chinese corporation POWERCHINA. The parties discussed opportunities to expand POWERCHINA’s participation in investment projects in Kazakhstan in the fields of
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is contributing to the optimization of international transport routes by supporting upgrades of key port infrastructure in Kazakhstan. A financial package of up to €45 million provided by the EBRD and the European Union will finance an increase in cargo handling capacity at the port of Aktau, Kazakhstan’s
A new crypto fund, Alem Crypto Fund, has started operating in Kazakhstan. It was established by the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of Kazakhstan, managed by Qazaqstan Venture Group and registered within the ecosystem of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC). The primary objective of the fund is to make long-term investments in
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and improving access to finance for young entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan by providing a loan of up to $7 million (€6 million) to local microlender Arnur Credit. The loan is extended under the EBRD’s Youth in Business (YiB) programme for Central
Deputy Chairman of the Board of Kazakh Invest national company, Madiyar Sultanbek on September 26 held a meeting with a delegation from the Jiujiang Economic and Technological Zone (China), led by Deputy Director of the Executive Committee Luo Gomin. Following the negotiations, the parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding providing for the development of joint investment
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and the Export-Import Bank of India (India Exim Bank) have released a joint research report, entitled ‘Exploring Trade and Investment Relations between India and Central Asia: Unlocking Economic Benefits’. The report analyzes the untapped potential of cooperation between the two dynamically growing economic centers. The report lists Central Asia and
Since 2023, China remains a key trading partner of Kazakhstan, accounting for more than 20% of the country’s total trade turnover, according to analysts at the Association of Financiers of Kazakhstan (afk.kz). In the first half of 2025, Kazakhstan-China trade grew by 5.9%, reaching $14.9 billion. However, the growth was only due to Kazakh imports from
Madiyar Sultanbek, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Kazakh Invest national company held a meeting with Yeonsu Oh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the South Korean company Microbus Co., Ltd. The parties discussed opportunities for the establishment of a modern industrial park K-Smart, which will integrate manufacturing, logistics, and educational functions; the development of
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) expects the Central Asian economies of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan to grow by 6.1 per cent on average in 2025, according to its latest Regional Economic Prospects report, published on September 25. This solid growth is supported by strong industrial output, robust domestic demand, investment,
