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International Affairs KZ

Kazakhstan and Brazil seek to expand cooperation

The First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Kairat Umarov visited Brazil last week for political consultations. At the meeting with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, Eduardo Paes Saboia, the parties discussed current aspects of bilateral relations, the global agenda, as well as multilateral interaction on issues of mutual support for

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Eurasia International Affairs UZB

Uzbekistan to help Afghanistan become regional connectivity hub

The Special Representative of Uzbekistan’s President, Ismatullah Irgashev, and the Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan, Ilkhom Makhkamov, arrived in Kabul on May 12, Afghan broadcaster TOLOnews reported. During a meeting with the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate (the Taliban administration of Afghanistan), Ilkhom Makhkamov stated that Uzbekistan supports the Islamic Emirate’s

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Art & Culture KZ

‘Women’s compartment cars’ increasingly popular on Kazakhstan trains

Since the beginning of this year, about 70 thousand women have used the service of traveling in “women’s carriages” in trains of Kazakhstan’s national railways company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy. This figure has doubled compared to the same period last year — more than 34 thousand women, the company’s press service reported. Since the introduction of

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Business & Economy Eurasia KZ

USAID to host Central Asia Trade Forum in Kazakhstan

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will host the 13th Central Asia Trade Forum, entitled “Trade Connections: Bridging Globally,” on May 14 and 15 in Almaty, the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan announced. With more than 10,000 government and business leaders from 25 countries in Central and South Asia, Europe, and the United States participating since

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Eurasia International Affairs KZ World

Deepfakes about existence of US biological labs in Kazakhstan created by AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) was behind deepfakes, originated in China, about the existence of US laboratories allegedly developing biological weapons in Kazakhstan. Reuters reported citing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 2024 homeland threat assessment that last year, a Chinese government-controlled news site using a generative AI platform pushed a previously circulated false claim that

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Eurasia Geo Politics KZ

Kazakhstan president speaks at EEU meeting

On May 8, Russian President Vladimir Putin, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan gathered in Moscow for a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, the governing body of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). This year marks the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Russian-led economic integration

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Eurasia Geo Politics RU World

Armenia stops financial contributions to Russian-led military alliance

Armenia said on May 8 that it has stopped making financial contributions to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) after effectively suspending its membership in the Russian-led military alliance, RFE/RL’s Armenian Service reported. “Armenia will refrain from signing up to the November 23, 2023, decision on the CSTO budget for 2024 and, thereby, from participating

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International Affairs UZB

European Union celebrates 30 years of partnership with Uzbekistan

In 2024, the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan commemorates Europe Day and 30 years of partnership between the European Union and Uzbekistan. To mark this significant milestone, a public festival and concert celebrating “30 Years of European Union – Uzbekistan Partnership” will take place on 18 May at the Tashkent Botanical Garden, the EU

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Eurasia Geo Politics RU World

All 5 Central Asian leaders to attend Victory Day parade in Moscow

All five Central Asian presidents are scheduled to attend a parade on Red Square in Moscow on May 9 to commemorate the victory in the Second World War in 1945, RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service reported. Yury Ushakov, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, on May 7 said Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Tajik President

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Geo Politics UZB

Uzbekistan posthumously exonerates 198 people repressed during Soviet era

The Supreme Court of Uzbekistan has exonerated posthumously 198 individuals convicted by the Soviet regime in the 1920s-1930s for “counter-revolutionary actions, armed uprisings, terrorism, banditry and espionage, and anti-Soviet activities,” RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service reported. The Supreme Court announced on May 6 its decision to exonerate the men, many of whom were sentenced to death and others who were

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International Affairs TKM

Turkmenistan and UNDP collaborate to strengthen country’s healthcare system

The Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on May 3 signed a landmark agreement for a new project “Procurement of health products for the control of infectious diseases in 2024-2025”. This multi-year initiative, with a budget exceeding $34 million fully financed by the Government of Turkmenistan,

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Business & Economy KZ World

Kazakhstan billionaire buys English soccer club

Kazakhstan-based billionaire Mikheil Lomtadze has bought England’s Wycombe Wanderers soccer club, RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service reported. Lomtadze’s Blue Ocean Partners Ltd. paid an undisclosed amount for a 90 percent stake in the club, which plays in England’s League One, the third level of the English football league system, the BBC reported on May 5. The 48-year old Georgia-born

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Business & Economy KG

UNDP strengthens natural honey value chain in Kyrgyzstan

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Kyrgyzstan, in collaboration with the PF “Training and Consulting Center” (TES-Center), is launching an initiative to strengthen the value chain (VAC) of natural honey under UNDP project “Aid for Trade in Central Asia”, funded by the Government of Finland. The project will continue to provide support to key

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Business & Economy UZB

EBRD supports young entrepreneurs and SMEs in Uzbekistan

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is supporting micro, small and medium-sized businesses and improving access to finance for young entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan by providing a financial package of up to US$ 20 million (€18.8 million) to a major private lender, Ipak Yuli Bank. The package consists of a US$ 10 million loan under

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Eurasia Geo Politics KZ RU World

Information war: Russia advances its narrative in post-Soviet states

Amid Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine and geopolitical confrontation with the West, the Kremlin is taking efforts to strengthen its influence in Kazakhstan, Moldova, other countries of Central Asia, and in the South Caucasus. For this purpose, Russia has launched information campaigns using various news agencies and Internet platforms to disseminate Moscow’s narrative in

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Business & Economy KZ UZB

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan expand trade and economic cooperation

Significant steps towards expanding relations between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were made within the framework of the III Tashkent International Investment Forum on May 2-3, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan reported. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Nazira Nurbayeva spoke at the event, saying that last year, the trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan reached

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International Affairs KG RU

Kyrgyzstan advises its citizens to avoid traveling to Russia

Kyrgyzstan has advised its citizens to refrain from traveling to Russia in the face of rising scrutiny of Central Asians in the country following the deadly Crocus City Hall attack near Moscow in late March, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. The Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry issued the travel advisory on May 2, warning Kyrgyz citizens of intensified checks and controls at

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International Affairs UZB

EBRD helps upgrade key road in Uzbekistan

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on May 2 said it is contributing to the development of sustainable transport connections in Central Asia by financing the upgrade and expansion of a key transportation route in Uzbekistan. The EBRD’s sovereign loan of up to US$ 238 million (€224 million) will help rehabilitate around 81 km of

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Geo Politics UZB

Uzbekistan is a reliable partner for foreign investors, president says

Speaking at the Third Tashkent International Investment Forum on May 2, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev said that in the past few years, Uzbekistan has attracted over 60 billion dollars in foreign investments, and more than 14 billion dollars from international financial institutions have been directed to social and infrastructure projects. The volume of foreign

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Geo Politics TKM

Turkmenistan: Officials ordered to buy watches with leader’s pictures

Regional officials and employees of local state entities in Turkmenistan’s western region of Balkan have been forced to buy watches with pictures of President Serdar Berdymukhammedov and his father and predecessor, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, on the face of the timepiece, RFE/RL’s Turkmen Service reported. The watches cost between 1,500 and 3,000 manats ($410-$820). Those of higher

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