On April 11, Almaty hosted the eighth meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign ministers of Central Asian countries: Deputy Prime Minister – Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu, Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Jeenbek Kulubayev, and Foreign Minister of Tajikistan Sirojiddin Muhriddin. Turkmenistan was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmet Gurbanov,
Both Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have imposed temporary restrictions on the import of chicken eggs in efforts to support domestic producers. Kazakhstan imposed a six-month ban on the import of chicken eggs from April 9. The Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture said the decision is intended to support domestic producers during spring and summer, when demand for
Tajikistan’s economic growth is projected to remain robust in 2025 and 2026, supported by investment in energy and industry, strong consumer demand, and private sector development, according to the latest forecast by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The growth, however, could be further boosted by a renewed focus on digital transformation and e-governance. The country’s
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a law on Uzbekistan’s accession to the Agreement Establishing the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB). Uzbekistan has become the seventh member of the Bank and its third largest shareholder with a 10% equity stake. The EDB’s other members are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. “We welcome Uzbekistan’s
Economic growth in Kyrgyzstan is projected to moderate but remain robust at 8.5% in 2025 and 8.6% in 2026, according to the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) April 2025 report, the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) flagship economic publication. “This growth forecast reflects strong private consumption, steady gains in remittances, and ongoing government investment projects,” said ADB Country Director
According to a new study by World Weather Attribution (WWA), in March 2025, Central Asia experienced an unusually intense heatwave, with temperatures reaching record highs across the region, reaching 30.8°C in Jalalabad in Kyrgyzstan, 29.4°C in Namangan and 29.1°C in Fergana in Uzbekistan, and minimum temperatures of 18.3°C in Shahdara, making it the hottest March night in
The 21st meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) on Ethnic Germans in Kazakhstan on April 9 in Berlin discussed the issues of supporting ethnic Germans, strengthening cultural and humanitarian cooperation between Kazakhstan and Germany. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko and Germany’s Federal Government Commissioner for Matters Related to Ethnic German Resettlers
On the sidelines of the Samarkand International Climate Forum, the Uzbek Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change and the World Bank launched the Uzbekistan Resilient Landscapes Restoration Project (RESILAND). The World Bank will provide $153 million in financing to support project activities. The project aims to expand sustainable landscape management, restore degraded forested
On April 7, the Permanent Mission of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United Nations hosted a reception in New York City to officially launch a country’s campaign for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council for 2027-2028. The event was led by Zheenbek Kulubaev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic. In his
An ambitious project to grow olive trees and produce olive oil has taken an important step forward in Kazakhstan. On April 4, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Agriculture, Aidarbek Saparov and President of Georgia’s Global Olive Corporation, George Svanidze signed a memorandum of cooperation on the project and agreed to develop a roadmap determining the timetable and
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have joined forces to improve farmland management and strengthen food security in Kyrgyzstan. The two institutions have launched an initiative named Greening Kyrgyzstan’s Economy: Know More, Act Better, Enhance Results, which will foster climate-smart agriculture through the use
At the inaugural EU-Central Asia Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan last week, European Investment Bank (EIB) Vice-President Kyriacos Kakouris signed four memorandums of understanding with partners in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. With these agreements, the EIB will provide €365 million, unlocking up to €1 billion of investment in sustainable transport, water management, and climate resilience projects, the EIB
From October 2024 to April 1, 2025, Uzbekistan supplied 12.6 billion cubic meters of irrigation water to Kazakhstan, 1.7 billion cubic meters more than planned. Kazakhstan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov announced this at an international climate forum in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on April 5. According to the Kazakh Ministry of Water Resources
The Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and the energy ministries of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan on April 4 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to support the Feasibility Study for the Caspian Green Energy Corridor Project. The MOU establishes a high-level framework for cooperation, focusing on the development of a
A Regional Workshop was recently held in Tashkent as part of Switzerland’s Blue Peace Central Asia (BPCA) initiative aimed at fostering cooperation among Central Asian countries in the water sector, according to the Swiss Embassy in Uzbekistan. The event brought together delegations from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as representatives of international
Production of John Deere agricultural machinery and equipment has been officially launched at the Localization Center of the AGROMASH plant in the northern Kazakh city of Kostanay. John Deere is a world leader in the production of agricultural machinery, and the beginning of its manufacturing in Kazakhstan, the largest agricultural producer in Central Asia,
On April 4, the first-ever Central Asia-European Union Summit was held in Samarkand, chaired by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The EU was represented by the President of the European Council António Costa and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. Together with President Mirziyoyev, Central Asian countries were represented by
OCA Magazine, published in London since 2009, is calling on universities across the Eurasian region to participate in a special issue titled OCA Magazine: Education 2025. The initiative aims to showcase the educational and human resource potential of Central Asia and the CIS countries, while also attracting experts and media attention to promote education in
On April 2, the National Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan and the Russian Academy of Sciences officially opened the Kazakh-Russian Center for Advanced Technologies in the Agro-Industrial Complex. According to the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture, the new center will be located in Almaty and will operate in close cooperation with leading research institutes of Kazakhstan
The French Alliance in Bishkek presents the Francophone Week in Bishkek from 4 to 12 April 2025. This week of events is organized jointly with the Embassies of France, Switzerland, the Delegation of the European Union, the Embassies of Belgium, Canada, and Morocco. The program includes educational, cultural and entertainment events. This year’s festival theme
