by Shoira Toirova In this interview, we sit down with Ozan Sevimli, former Country Manager of the World Bank Group in Tajikistan, whose time in the country left a lasting imprint on both his career and soul. He led the World Bank’s efforts during a globally transformative period — navigating the aftermath of the COVID-19
US President Donald Trump on June 4 signed a proclamation resurrecting the travel ban from his first term, ordering a new ban on citizens of 12 countries, including Afghanistan and Iran, from entering the United States, RFE/RL reported. Trump said the travel ban is necessary to protect Americans from terrorist attacks such as a June
Kyrgyzstan’s parliament has passed amendments to The Law on Limiting the Circulation of Polymer Film and Plastic Bags, set to take effect on January 1, 2027, 24.kg reported. According to the Law, the following should have been banned throughout the country from 2027: The amendments propose that the Cabinet of Ministers exclude PET plastic bottles
by Paul Sawyer A three-strong British Kurash team, comprising Fiona Chan, Natasha Glassford and Danielle Batt and accompanied by coach Paul Sawyer, achieved outstanding success at the 2025 European Championships in Batumi, Georgia winning no less than one gold and two silver medals. For those unfamiliar with Kurash, it is the national sport of Uzbekistan,
A new group of Przewalski’s horses arrived in Kazakhstan on June 3, marking the second international transportation under the project of the reintroduction of this endangered species to the vast grasslands of Kazakhstan. According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the horses were transported from Prague Zoo and Hungary’s Hortobagy National Park by
The historic Langar Ota Complex, a 15th-century cultural and religious landmark in Uzbekistan’s Kashkadarya province, has been restored and reopened following a $250,000 emergency conservation project funded by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, according to the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan. U.S. Ambassador Jonathan Henick joined local officials, community members, and U.S. experts to
Around 100 tons of cherries from the Panjshir province of Afghanistan will be exported to several Central Asian countries and Russia, TOLOnews reported. According to local officials, traders from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan plan not only to purchase cherries but also to buy apples and grapes to export to Central Asian countries. Mohammad Agha Hakim, Governor
From May 22nd to 27th, London hosted the 7th annual Eurasian Film Festival, an international celebration of Eurasian cinema. Organized by the Silk Road Media and the Eurasian Creative Guild (ECG), the festival is traditionally held in partnership with the Romford Film Festival, uniting filmmakers, audiences, and industry professionals from across the globe. This year,
The Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Government of Finland, presented the interim results of the Aid for Trade initiative, which is contributing to stronger trade governance, institutional development, and enterprise-level competitiveness across Kyrgyzstan, UNDP Kyrgyzstan reported. This flagship project is
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is supporting the development of small businesses owned or led by women and the deployment of green technologies in Kyrgyzstan by providing a financial package of US$ 8 million (€ 7.6 million) to the country’s major microlender FINCA Bank Kyrgyzstan (FINCA). The package will consist of
Chairman of the Management Board of Kazakh Invest national company Yerzhan Yelekeyev and Director of Harvest Agro Holding LLP Daulet Uvashev have signed a framework agreement to implement a large-scale agro-industrial cluster project. The project envisions the conversion of 150,000 hectares of pasture and grazing lands into irrigated agricultural land using underground water and modern water-saving technologies
On June 1–2, the Second Uzbekistan–China Interregional Forum was held in Samarkand, strengthening the strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and China, enhance interregional cooperation, and expand investment and business ties. The forum brought together more than 2,800 representatives from the business communities, government bodies, regional administrations, as well as academic and educational institutions of both countries.
Afghanistan’s power company Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) announced that discussions are ongoing with Turkmenistan over the roadmap to begin work on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) Power Transmission Project in Afghanistan, TOLOnews reported. According to company officials, Turkmenistan has committed to implementing the project, and once completed, Afghanistan will annually receive between 300 to 350 megawatts
At the 7th ECG Film Festival, which ended on May 27 in London, several participants from Kazakhstan were awarded prizes. Organized by the Eurasian Creative Guild and serving as a cultural bridge between Eurasia and the British audience, the festival was held at the Lumiere Romford cinema and brought together films and authors from 23
Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Labor, Social Security and Migration Ravshanbek Sabirov last week in Bishkek met with Hitoshi Kanamori, President of IM Japan, the largest organization that accepts foreign technical interns in Japan, to discuss opportunities for organized employment of Kyrgyz citizens in Japan. The Kyrgyz side expressed its readiness to ensure proper training of skilled
On 30 May 2025, the first Central Asia + Italy Summit was held in Astana with the participation of Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov, Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic Giorgia Meloni. The leaders exchanged views on
The Second Uzbekistan–China Interregional Forum will be held on June 1–2 in the city of Samarkand. This large-scale event aims to strengthen strategic partnerships, foster interregional cooperation, and expand investment and business ties between Uzbekistan and China. The Forum is expected to bring together over 1,500 participants, including representatives from business communities, government bodies, regional
Kazakhstan continues to deepen its capabilities in key sectors – from digital technologies and AI to clean energy and value-added manufacturing, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at the Plenary session of the Astana International Forum on May 29. According to Tokayev, Kazakhstan is making significant progress in digital transformation, reflecting its desire to become an IT
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni paid an official visit to Uzbekistan. On May 29, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister Meloni held talks in Samarkand. The parties noted that trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Italy has grown almost threefold in recent years, the number of joint ventures and projects has doubled. Mutually beneficial
The Kazakhstan–Italy Business Forum was held in Astana on May 28. In his welcoming remarks, Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov highlighted the significant role of the business forum in expanding trade and economic ties between Kazakhstan and Italy. He noted that the strategic partnership between the two countries is dynamically developing thanks to the efforts
