U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jonathan Henick on July 30 joined officials from the Uzbek State Customs Committee and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Office of Military Cooperation (OMC) to celebrate two significant milestones in the ongoing partnership between the United States and Uzbekistan. These initiatives underscore the shared commitment to enhancing border
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Turkmenistan, in close partnership with the Government of Turkmenistan, has officially concluded the project “Strengthening National Capacity for Seismic Risk Assessment, Prevention and Response to Potential Earthquakes,” marking a significant milestone in the country’s disaster risk reduction efforts, UNDP Turkmenistan reported. Spanning from 2018 to 2025, the project has played
Tajikistan’s real gross domestic product (GDP) growth reached 8.4 percent in 2024 and 8.2 percent in the first quarter of 2025 with services and industry driving the expansion, according to the World Bank’s annual Tajikistan Economic Update released on July 30. Domestic demand was bolstered by substantial remittance inflows, which totaled approximately 49 percent of GDP in
On July 30, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a video-conference meeting on increasing the export of fruit, vegetable, and food products. Uzbekistan has significant potential in agriculture. Over the past three years, 250,000 hectares of land previously used for cotton and grain crops have been repurposed for cultivating food crops. A total of 160,000 hectares of
Kazakhstan, a country with deep agricultural roots, is rapidly emerging as a major agro-industrial hub. This transformation necessitates the development of a new generation of professionals who are knowledgeable in advanced technologies, scientific innovation, and international standards. Within this context, Saken Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University (KATRU, Seifullin University) plays a crucial role in shaping
Some thirty-five students from Turkmenistan’s institutions of higher education participated in an OSCE organized workshop entitled “Youth Negotiation on Climate, Security and Co-operation: OSCE Best Practices” that took place in Ashgabat on July 29. The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized this event to build practical negotiation and diplomacy skills of youth representatives who have been
As part of the official visit of the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Turkey, a number of commercial agreements were signed with the support of the national company Kazakh Invest. These agreements aim to implement joint investment projects in priority sectors of the economy. Among the key outcomes was the signing of an Investment
On July 29, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held talks in Ankara to discuss prospects for further development of the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and Turkey. Tokayev and Erdogan chaired the 5th meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council of Kazakhstan and Turkey. The meeting discussed issues of expanding bilateral
A new partnership has been officially launched between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Business Development Bank (BDB) of Uzbekistan, marking a promising step forward for small and medium-sized businesses across the country, UNDP Uzbekistan reported. This partnership between BDB and UNDP aligns national goals with global expertise to support Uzbekistan’s SMEs, especially
The city of Ashgabat came alive on July 24 as the U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan, in partnership with the State Library of the State Cultural Center of Turkmenistan, hosted a vibrant Book Fair that celebrated the power of literature and strengthened cultural ties between the United States and Turkmenistan, according to the embassy. The event
From 2025 to 2030, 15 million Tajik somoni will be allocated annually for 200 grants of the President of Tajikistan to support and develop women’s entrepreneurship. The grants are aimed at creating conditions for the exercise of women’s rights and economic opportunities, ensuring their equal participation in public life, increasing women’s competitiveness in the labor
Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov, speaking at the First International Environmental Conference in the city of Manzherok (Altai, Russia), highlighted the issue of the Caspian Sea’s shallowing as one of the key regional challenges, his press office reported. Bektenov emphasized that environmental security is not merely part of the global “green” agenda, but a
From 1 to 18 July, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe organized the first-ever Summer School of Journalism for 20 aspiring journalism students and young media professionals from across Tajikistan. The three-week intensive training aimed to strengthen their foundational reporting skills and prepare the next generation of journalists for a rapidly evolving media environment. Participants
A networking session with representatives of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) was held in Almaty last week at the regional office of the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, Kazakh Invest reported. The session brought together business representatives from both countries, including KADIN, Atameken’s regional office, the Foreign Trade Chamber, as well as
In recent years, Central Asia has experienced not merely a surge of interest in music, but a cultural renaissance in which music itself becomes a pivotal element in educational reform, social transformation, and soft power projection. At the heart of this process lies not only the revival of genres once confined to folklore, but also
According to the latest data for 2025, Kazakhstan’s largest city and business capital, Almaty, has become the absolute leader among the country’s regions in terms of foreign trade volume. The city’s trade turnover totaled $7.2 billion, including $1.3 billion of exports, 12.4% more than a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Trade and Integration.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is facilitating the introduction of upland rice in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, which will reduce water consumption by up to 40% compared to traditional rice cultivation. On May 27, 2025, with UNDP assistance, the first seed samples of 15 varieties of upland rice were provided to the Scientific-Production Association
The President of Mongolia, Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, arrived on a state visit to Tajikistan. On July 24, the President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon welcomed the President of Mongolia and the official delegation of this country and expressed confidence that today’s fruitful exchange of views will give a positive impetus to the process of strengthening and expanding
Kazakhstan is launching a unique project – GeoLab Eurasia, the first internationally certified full-cycle rock analysis laboratory in Central Asia. The new scientific and industrial center will enable high-precision analysis of ore composition and quality in accordance with international standards such as NI 43-101, JORC, and ISO/IEC 17025, according to Kazakh Invest. Establishing a modern
KTZ Express, a subsidiary of Kazakhstan’s national railway operator, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), has established a new multimodal transportation route with the first container train from Shanxi Province (China) to Azerbaijan along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) through Kazakhstan. According to KTZ, the train, consisting of 50 containers with photovoltaic modules weighing more than
