Starting from June 1, Uzbekistan Airways will begin operating regular flights between Almaty (Kazakhstan) and Nukus, the main city of Uzbekistan’s northwestern Karakalpak Autonomous Region, the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan has announced. Flights will run twice a week (on Wednesdays and Saturdays) on a 174-seat A320 aircraft. The ministry said that the new air
On May 28, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov held a roundtable meeting with about 30 leading Italian companies in Rome to discuss joint projects in energy, textile, transport, IT, engineering, and other areas. The Uzbek minister underscored the enormous potential of economic and investment cooperation between Uzbekistan and Italy. Speaking at the
Recognizing the critical importance of addressing violence against women and girls in ensuring comprehensive security and stability, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) hosted the third Regional Networking and Capacity Building Conference in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from 21 to 23 May. The Conference that followed networking events in 2022 and 2023, further reinforced
Interesting facts from the history of relations between the Central Asian region and Africa, as well as prospects for interaction, were presented during a media seminar on May 27 organized by the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Ethiopia together with the African Studies Professionals Association (ASPA) as part of the celebration of Africa Day. The event
The Safe Migration in Central Asia (SMICA) project, supported by USAID and implemented by Winrock International, successfully wrapped up its activities in Uzbekistan, marking notable accomplishments in the realm of safe migration and human trafficking prevention, the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan said. The regional Safe Migration in Central Asia (SMICA) project fostered safe migration practices
The first-ever One Stop Service Center for Victims of Violence opened in Kyrgyzstan on May 28. According to the U.S. Embassy in Kyrgyzstan, the new center was created by joint efforts of the U.S. and Kyrgyz governments, as well as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and will provide critical support for
A webinar was held last week by the British company FrontierView on the topic “Kazakhstan’s potential: macroeconomic and investment prospects for 2024”. Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the UK, Magzhan Ilyassov and Project Manager of the Task Force Department of National Company Kazakh Invest, Dinara Isabekova attended the event. The webinar was held with more than 40 representatives of the British
Delegations from the countries of Central Asia and international experts convened in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 27 May to discuss pressing issues around sustainable water and land management, energy, food security and environmental sustainability in the context of climate change in the region, the World Bank reported. Central Asia is increasingly impacted by climate change and climate-driven
Russia and Uzbekistan have signed an agreement to build a small nuclear power plant in the Central Asian country. The agreement was one of several deals signed on May 27 in Tashkent between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Uzbek counterpart, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, RFE/RL’s Russian Service reported. The Uzbek leader hailed the project as “vital” in a
Major companies from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan have shown interest in investing in Afghanistan’s oil and gas mines, Afghan broadcaster TOLOnews reported citing the country’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum. Homayoon Afghan, spokesperson for the ministry, says they welcome foreign companies to invest in Afghanistan’s oil and gas mines. According to Mr. Afghan, recently two large
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on May 24 approved a $100 million concessional loan for Uzbekistan to implement the Innovative Social Protection System for Inclusion of Vulnerable People (INSON) Project. The project aims to improve access to and quality of social services for vulnerable people in Uzbekistan. The project is also co-financed by a
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko and Director of the Continental Europe Department of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France Brice Roquefeuil on May 24 held the 10th anniversary round of Kazakh-French political consultations in Astana. The diplomats discussed the state of bilateral cooperation, welcoming its active dynamics and
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has challenged Central Asian leaders to put aside concerns of angering Russia, which considers the region part of its sphere of influence, and attend a summit in Switzerland next month aimed at achieving peace in Ukraine, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. Speaking to Central Asian journalists during a visit on May 24 to
The Central Asian Women Leaders’ Caucus Meeting concluded on 23 May in Bishkek. The event, centred on “The role of women in the economies of Central Asia: leadership for promoting digital, social, and environmental innovation,” brought together women leaders from across the region to strategize and commit to enhancing women’s roles in these critical sectors, the
On May 23, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Singapore on a state visit. During his meeting with Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Tokayev described Singapore as a time-tested and reliable partner of Astana. Currently, over 140 Singaporean companies and joint ventures operate in Kazakhstan, with total Singaporean investments in the Kazakh economy exceeding $1.7 billion.
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), a consortium of Tez Zhol and Zhagalmai, and DemirBank have signed agreements to build and maintain a bypass road around the town of Uzgen in the Osh region of southern Kyrgyzstan. According to EDB’s press office, the project aims to develop the road sector and improve connectivity in the Osh
Thirty organizations – such as schools, libraries, and universities – in Osh, Jalal-Abad, and Batken regions of Kyrgyzstan on May 22 received a total of over 12,000 English-language books from the United States. These are well-loved books donated from the American people to the Kyrgyz people, the U.S. Embassy in Kyrgyzstan reported. This project is
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and Kyrgyzstan’s Electric Stations have signed a technical assistance agreement for the purchase of equipment for the Bishkek combined heat and power plant (CHPP). This project, financed by the EDB Technical Assistance Fund (TAF), aims to address the consequences of an accident that occurred at the plant on 2 February
The 20th anniversary meeting of the Kazakh-German Intergovernmental Commission for the Affairs of Ethnic Germans in Kazakhstan was held on May 21 in Astana in order to strengthen cultural and humanitarian cooperation between Kazakhstan and Germany and discuss the affairs of the German ethnic group, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry reported. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of
The World Bank Group, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC (Masdar), and the Government of Uzbekistan have signed a financial package to fund a 250-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic plant with a 63-MW battery energy storage system (BESS). The project aims to expand clean and reliable electricity access to approximately 75,000 households, the World Bank said