In 2024, Kyrgyzstan consumed 18.3 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, 1.1 billion kWh more than in 2023, the country’s Ministry of Energy said. Kyrgyzstan’s hydroelectric power plants generated 12.77 billion kWh and coal-fired thermal power plants produced 1.76 billion kWh. In addition, small private hydroelectric power plants produced 156.2 million kWh, while solar power plants added
KTZ Express, a subsidiary of Kazakhstan’s national railway company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), and major Chinese operator Yiwu Timex have discussed expanding cooperation in the field of international transportation with a focus on the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) and new logistics services for deliveries to Central Asian countries, the KTZ press
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) recently hosted the final event of the “Drops of the Future” workshop series. The event brought together young leaders, experts, and key stakeholders from Central Asia and beyond to explore collaborative and consensus-driven approaches to finding sustainable solutions for water, energy and food systems. The goal was
A monument dedicated to world-renowned Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov was unveiled on February 27 at Villa Grazioli park in Rome. The opening of the monument was an initiative of the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in Italy as part of efforts to promote and popularize Kyrgyzstan’s cultural heritage. The marble monument was created by Kyrgyz
Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov last week met with Zeng Zhaoqiang, the Chairman of the Board of Fujian Hengwang Investment Co., Ltd, one of the leading metallurgical companies in China. The meeting discussed the construction of a metallurgical plant with a capacity of 3 million tons of steel on the territory of the special
On March 1, Laziz Kudratov, the Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan, held a meeting with a delegation led by Afghan Minister of Industry and Commerce Nuruddin Azizi, who was visiting the Termez International Trade Centre in Uzbekistan’s Surkhandarya region, at the border with Afghanistan. The meeting discussed trade and economic relations between
The Eurasian Creative Guild (ECG), with the support of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in London and ORZU Arts, is organizing a vibrant celebration of Navruz, a spring festival that embodies the rich cultural heritage of Eurasia. This special event will welcome the arrival of spring, a time of renewal and inspiration, and showcase the beauty
On February 27, Kyrgyzstan officially launched the preparation of its first Biennial Transparency Report (BTR1) under the Enhanced Transparency Framework of the Paris Agreement. This significant event, organized by the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), marks an important step
On February 26, Olzhas Bektenov, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, met with Nikolai Podguzov, Chairman of the Eurasian Development Bank’s (EDB) Management Board, to discuss further cooperation on joint projects. In 2024, the Bank allocated nearly US $1.4 billion to projects in Kazakhstan. Over the past three years, the Bank’s total investment in the country has reached
The first Uzbekistan Country Platform Roundtable of the year convened on February 25, reaffirming the joint commitment of the government and international partners to advance the implementation of the Uzbekistan-2030 Strategy. Over 90 representatives reviewed the progress made towards green growth and public finance management (PFM) and discussed an assessment of agriculture subsidies, while highlighting
As part of the visit of Adylbek Kasymaliyev, the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, to Kazakhstan on February 25, the Kazakh and Kyrgyz energy ministries signed a roadmap for construction of small hydroelectric power plants in Kyrgyzstan. According to the Kazakh Energy Ministry, the initiative is aimed at strengthening cooperation between the
On February 26, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif held negotiations in Tashkent. The leaders agreed to establish the Supreme Council of Strategic Partnership and hold its first meeting next year. The negotiations focused on expanding trade and economic cooperation. It was noted that in
Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan will build a new border checkpoint, Kazinform reported quoting Kazakh Minister of Transport Marat Karabayev as saying following the meeting of the Kazakh and Kyrgyz prime ministers in Astana on February 24. According to Karabayev, in 2024, the volume of automobile transportations between the two countries reached 2.4 million tons of cargo,
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Alibek Kuantyrov on February 24 held meetings with senior officials from Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ministry of Petroleum Resources. These discussions as part of the official visit of the Kazakh delegation were aimed to enhance economic and political cooperation between the
In an interview with the Kabar information agency, Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov said that the country’s external debt is “not a problem.” According to Japarov, Kyrgyzstan’s external debt now stands at $4.5 billion. “We are not afraid of the external debt now. Before 2020, we had reasons to worry. In 2020, Kyrgyzstan’s state budget was
The Council of the European Union (EU) has appointed Mr Eduards Stiprais as the new EU Special Representative for Central Asia. Stiprais will take up his duties on 1 March 2025 with an initial mandate of two years, succeeding Terhi Hakala. According to the European Council, the task of the new Special Representative will be to promote relations between
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $125 million loan to support the Government of Uzbekistan in modernizing water management, improving water security, and increasing access to safe and reliable water in the country. The Climate-Smart Water Management Improvement Project will improve asset management and sustainability of service delivery, while strengthening the institutional capacity of the
On February 24, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliyev held talks in Astana. Kasymaliyev is on his first official visit abroad since the appointment as the head of the Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers in December, which testifies to Kazakhstan’s importance for Kyrgyzstan. According to
On February 24, the UK announced new sanctions targeting those who continue to aid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions target Russia’s military machine and entities in third countries who support it. In particular, the UK has imposed sanctions on the Kyrgyzstan-based OJSC Keremet Bank for its alleged role in supporting Russia’s war machine. On
In 2024, 98.9% of all Kazakhstanis had access to centralized water supply services. Of them, 99.4% of urban and 97.8% of rural residents are provided with quality drinking water supply, according to the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. In 2020, 93.8% of Kazakhstanis had access to drinking water supply, in 2021 – 95.6%, in
