At the end of June, the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) concluded two agreements on the development of Islamic finance in Central Asia. This includes: Memorandum of Understanding between the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Institute and the EDB on the Development of Islamic Finance in Central Asia Cooperation agreement between EDB and Dar Al Sharia on […]
E-Commerce sector shaping up steadily in Central Asia
The ecommerce sector in Central Asia is steadily filling the gaps to attain full compatibility with the rest of the world. This entails vast enormous efforts in all the areas related to ecommerce. The progress is uneven – slow in some places and fast in the others – but there is certainly the movement forward. […]
Turkmenistan, EU Discuss Boosting Transport Cooperation, Upcoming EU-CA Ministerial Meeting in Focus
The Turkmen Ambassador to Belgium Sapar Palvanov met with Mr. Henrik Hololei, Hors Classe Adviser of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), Peteris Ustubs Director at DG INTPA and Andrea Rossi from European External Action Service, to discuss opportunities for further strengthening cooperation between the EU and Turkmenistan in the transport sector, […]
The President of Turkmenistan and the UN Secretary General held talks in Ashgabat
On Saturday, 6 July, negotiations between President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres took place at the Oguzkent Hotel in Ashgabat. At first, the parties held a meeting in a narrow format. Addressing Guterres, the President noted that “Turkmenistan aims to further strengthen relations with the United Nations […]
Ambassadors of the Central Asian countries to Belgium held a round table in Brussels on energy cooperation
A round table was held in Brussels with the participation of ambassadors of Central Asian countries, Mongolia, heads of European companies and various research institutes on the issues of energy potential and green policy of the Central Asian region. The event, moderated by Marat Terterov, founder of the Brussels Energy Club, was aimed at exploring […]
E-Commerce Opportunities in Central Asia
The 2nd CAREC Digital Trade Forum was held in Astana on 17 April 2024. The theme of the forum was: Advancing Digital Solutions and Deepening Regional Cooperation for Trade. Ms. Saida Nur, the director for business development, Mastercard, gave a useful and informative presentation at the forum. We are presenting here a reformatted version of […]
Ready4Trade and Central Asia Invest Projects Conclude, Paving the Way for Increased Trade and Investment in Central Asia
On June 26, 2024, Almaty hosted the final meeting for the EU-funded Ready4Trade (ITC) and OECD-led Central Asia Invest projects, marking the culmination of years-long efforts to streamline trade procedures, boost investment, and solidify economic cooperation within Central Asia. The event brought together deputy heads from government agencies across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. […]
OPEC Fund for International Development deepens commitment to Central Asia – New Agreements signed with Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan
The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) is significantly increasing its commitment to the countries and people of Central Asia, which currently stands at US$1 billion in public and private sector loans as well as grants. Three new agreements with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, signed during the OPEC Fund Development Forum in Vienna […]
The multiplier effect of investing in health
Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe Central Asia is a region with enviable potential. About half of its population of 80 million people is under the age of 30. It bridges the economic power blocs of Europe and Asia. This year GDP growth in these 5 countries is estimated to be […]
Locust invasion imminent in Central Asia
nCa Report Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are under direct threat of the locust invasion and the rest of Central Asia should not consider itself safe. Here is a report published by Daryo.uz on 10 June 2024: Cost of ignorance: Uzbekistan risks massive losses amid locust invasion Facing a looming locust invasion, Uzbekistan is on high alert, […]
SDG Platform for Central Asia funded by the European Union: partners sum up the outcomes of the project
The final meeting of the Steering Committee of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) project funded by the European Union (EU) on the set-up of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Platform for Central Asia was held on 25 June 2024 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The event was attended by representatives of UNDP Country Offices in Central […]
Delegation of Turkmenistan participates in the Program titled “2024 Next Generation Dialogue”
On 24 June 2024, the opening ceremony of the Program titled “2024 Next Generation Dialogue”, as well as a conference on cooperation in the field of natural resources were held in Seoul. The event was organized by the “Central Asia – Republic of Korea” Cooperation Forum Secretariat. The meeting brought together the representatives of […]
Sharing Economy and Central Asia – Part Two
nCa Report CORDIS (Community Research and Development Information Service) is the European Commission’s primary public repository and portal to disseminate information on all European Union funded research projects and their results in the broadest sense. Cordis-EC Here is the take of CORDIS on sharing economy: Understanding the role of governance in the sharing economy A […]
Sharing Economy and Central Asia – Part One
nCa Report Until recently, Sharing Economy was a rather fluffy concept. Even now, it is not fully structuralized but the experts recognize it as a fast growing sector of the global economy. According to Nitya Shukla, writing for Business Guides, Sharing Economy (also called Collaborative Economy or Peer Economy) refers to economic activities which include […]
Health audit of honeybees in Central Asia needed urgently
nCa Report Honeybees hardly ever get the attention they deserve. The World Bee Day (20 May) came and went without much fanfare in Central Asia. The honeybee population has been under constant threat for a long time. Dr Anneke Veenstra, the Senior Lecturer at the School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University (Australia), writes […]
Central Asian countries join forces to combat air pollution: The first high-level political dialogue has started
On 19 June 2024, Tashkent hosted the first high-level political regional dialogue under the slogan “Building a clean air future in Central Asia”, organized by the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change of Uzbekistan jointly with the World Bank and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The regional dialogue brought together representatives of […]
Sending your child to USA as Exchange Student? Be wary of unscrupulous placement services and irresponsible, even dangerous, host families
nCa Report It is the dream of many teenagers to go to the United States as an exchange student. For some it can turn into a nightmare. The cost of sending an exchange student to the USA for a school year is approximately USD 12000-15000. There are also additional expenses. Unless there are grants or […]
Central Asian States rally for water and climate solutions: Dushanbe Forum tackles critical water and climate challenges, signalling a united regional approach
Dushanbe, 14 June 2024 – The High-level Central Asian Forum on ‘Water and Climate Change’, organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in cooperation with the European Union and the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan, has become a cornerstone of the 3rd High-level International Conference on the International […]
Growing Role of AI in E-Commerce
The role of AI (artificial intelligence) is growing in all areas of life and economy, and ecommerce is no exception. Central Asia needs to remain abreast of the developments. Forbes has recently published several articles about how AI is transforming ecommerce. [It is becoming commonplace to spell e-commerce as ecommerce.] We have picked two of […]
An interregional meeting of customs services held in Ashgabat within the framework of the UNODC project
On 11-12 June 2024, the 9th annual interregional meeting of heads of customs services was held in Ashgabat within the framework of the UNODC’s project Passenger and Cargo Border Team (PCBT), the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan reports. The meeting was attended by heads and authorized representatives of the customs services of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, […]
Power Systems Cooperation in Central Asia
The power systems in Central Asia have undergone several phases of initial integration, subsequent dis-integration, and gradual and systematic reintegration. The Director of CDC Energia, Kh. Shamsiev, PhD, gave a useful and informative presentation at the recently held TESC 2024 in Ashgabat. The presentation was titled: Power systems’ cooperation within the framework of the United […]
President of S.Korea embarks on state visit to Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan
President Yoon Suk Yeol will be on a state visit to Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan next week, the Korea Herald reports. Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee will embark on the trip on Monday and are scheduled to wrap up their visit on 15 June. Seoul will work to integrate South Korea’s innovation prowess […]
Young women from Turkmenistan and Central Asia are invited to participate in the OSCE Renewable Energy Scholarship Program
To support young women’s early careers in the renewable energy sector, the OSCE is proud to announce the second edition of the fully-funded scholarship for the Master’s programme in Strategic Management of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. The scholarship will support female applicants from Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Mongolia to pursue a Master’s Degree at […]
Turkmenistan took part in the EU-Central Asia High-Level Political and Security Dialogue in Belgium
On 5 June 2024, the next meeting of the EU-Central Asia High-Level Political and Security Dialogue took place in Brussels. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs A. Gurbanov headed the delegation of Turkmenistan at the event. The event brought together representatives of Central Asian countries and the European Union. During the first session on the theme […]
Interdepartmental Working Group of Turkmenistan for monitoring implementation of GCM discusses institutional and practical aspects of systemic integration and application of gender-sensitive approaches in migration management
Ashgabat, June 3-4, 2024. Representatives of national organizations comprising the Interdepartmental Working Group for monitoring the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) and public associations of Turkmenistan discussed issues relating to systemic integration and application of gender-sensitive approaches in migration management at a two-day workshop in Ashgabat organized within […]
Changing algorithm of Google and e-commerce in Central Asia
Several things are necessary for the success of an online trading platform. One of them is to be found easily in a search by a client who has decided to make the purchase. Google, the largest search engine, keeps changing its algorithm continually. The server-side team of every e-commerce website, particularly the content creators, need […]
Astana hosted the 2024 China-Central Asia Human Rights Development Forum
The Central Asia-China cooperation mechanism has brought valuable opportunities for human rights protection, livelihood and economic development in the region, said stated participants at the 2024 China-Central Asia Human Rights Development Forum which was held in Kazakhstan’s Astana on 28-29 May 2024. The forum themed “building a China-Central Asia community of shared future: a new […]
Head of the UNRCCA Kaha Imnadze visits Brussels and participates in Troika meeting
On 27-29 May 2024, Kaha Imnadze, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Central Asia, Head of UNRCCA, visited Brussels and participated in the Troika meeting, organized together with Terhi Hakala, EU Special Representative for Central Asia, and Kate Fearon, Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre. The Troika format was established in 2010 to […]
Delegation of Turkmenistan took part in the Ministerial conference “Central Asia – Italy”
On May 29, 2024, a ministerial conference in the “Central Asia – Italy” format was held in Rome. The event was attended by the executives of foreign policy departments of Central Asian countries, Italy, as well as representatives of the European Union. The Deputy of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan […]
Law enforcement officers from special intervention units in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan enhanced their skills
20-24 May 2024, Bratislava, Slovakia – The European Union-funded project on Law Enforcement in Central Asia (LEICA) organised a second wave of training for nine law enforcement officers from special intervention units in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The first wave, held from 15-19 April, 2024, included participants from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan. This training was delivered by […]
Hope for the Aral Sea: Italy and Central Asia Partner on Restoration Project
The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (Aics) and the Water system management company (Sogesid) signed a document, which will pave the way for realization of project of Aral sea rehabilitation. The declaration of intent for the “definition of an operational and functional model for environmental remediation and regeneration interventions in contaminated areas” was inked on […]
Rome hosted 3rd Ministerial Conference “Italy-Central Asia”
On 29 May 2024, in Rome Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani met with the Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan for the third Ministerial Conference Italy-Central Asia. “Italy looks with great interest to the political collaboration and opportunities that arise for our companies […]
First TIR logistics hub opens in Western China in boost to pan-Asian trade
A new TIR logistics hub accredited by IRU, the first-of-its-kind, was inaugurated yesterday in Kashgar, China, a major city and trade gateway in the western region of Xinjiang, close to Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Tajikistan. The unique facility brings together all essential transit services under one roof: customs clearance, warehousing, cargo handling, route development, and transport […]
Turkmenistan intends to strengthen relations with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region
During a cabinet of ministers meeting on Saturday (25 May), the Deputy Prime Minister, foreign minister of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov reported on the measures being implemented to further develop Turkmenistan’s relations with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region. Countries such as China, Japan, Korea and Malaysia took a special place in the report. China: Regarding […]
Representatives of Turkmenistan took part in a diplomatic training for Central Asia on EU foreign policy
From 13 to 24 May 2024, five representatives of Turkmenistan’s institutions, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Belgium and the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, participated in a specialized training for diplomats and officials of […]
Tokayev delivered a lecture in Singapore on the theme “Kazakhstan and the role of the Middle Powers: promoting security, stability and sustainable development”
During the state visit, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev delivered the 46th Singapore lecture, in which he expressed his vision of the role of the middle powers in ensuring global security, stability and sustainable development. The Singapore lectures, organized by the Yusof Ishak Institute (ISEAS) since the 1980s, provide a unique opportunity for academics, political scientists, diplomats […]
Growing partnership between Kazakhstan and Singapore may become a bridge between Southeast Asia and Central Asia
On 23-24 May 2024, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev paid his first state visit to Singapore, a country that is a strategic partner of Kazakhstan in Southeast Asia. This was the first visit in more than 20 years, but not the first visit for Tokayev personally. He previously served as a young diplomat in Singapore […]
Expert Conference on Security Issues in the Central Asia-EU Format Held in Tashkent
On May 24, the International Institute for Central Asia (IICA) hosted an expert conference on the topic “Central Asia – the European Union: a new agenda for security cooperation”. The event was co-organised by the IICA and the European Union (EU). The forum was attended by more than 100 representatives of ministries and departments, diplomatic […]
Situation of e-commerce in Central Asia
The Daryo.uz news service of Uzbekistan published on 13 March 2024 a report on the ecommerce situation in Central Asia. Here, we are reproducing the report in full: Central Asian countries consider establishing dedicated bank accounts for e-commerce transactions The e-commerce sector in Central Asia reached a value of $8bn in 2022, as per IMARC Group, a […]
Central Asian Women Leaders’ Caucus Meeting Concludes with Pivotal Commitments to Digital, Social, and Environmental Innovation
On 23 May 2024, the Central Asian Women Leaders’ Caucus Meeting successfully concluded in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. 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 […]
Head of the UNRCCA participated in the opening of CAWLC’s event under the Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship
On 23 May, SRSG Kaha Imnadze participated in the opening event of the Central Asia Women Leaders’ Caucus under the chairmanship of Kyrgyzstan in 2024. The event was held within the framework of the Central Asia Women Leaders’ Caucus (CAWLC) launched in 2020 with the support of UNRCCA, UNDP and UN Women to boost the […]
Washington D.C. Hosts Annual Trans-Caspian Forum, Outlines Challenges
Assel Satubaldina The Caspian Policy Center organized the eighth Annual Trans-Caspian Forum on May 21 in Washington, D.C., to discuss the current challenges and prospects for a multi-modal Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) to maximize its capacity. From L to R: Tamar Satterwhite from the Commercial Law Development Program; Winnie Wang from the World Bank; […]
Central Asian States reaffirm commitment to registering all children at birth
On 17 May 2024, Representatives from the Governments of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, gathered in Tashkent today, reaffirming their commitment to ensuring every child born on their territories are registered at birth. The ‘Central Asian Conference on Ensuring Birth Registration to Prevent […]
Islamic Organization for Food Security Proposes Cooperation Areas with Central Asia
The Islamic Organization for Food Security offers the Central Asian countries several priority areas of cooperation, including attracting investments in agriculture and the creation of genetic banks. Ambassador Berik Aryn, Director General of IOFS outlined key initiatives for cooperation during his remarks at the meeting of the Secretaries of the Security Councils of the Central […]
Kazakhstan hosted the first Meeting of the Secretaries of the Security Councils of the Central Asian countries
The first Meeting of the Secretaries of the Security Councils of the Central Asian countries was held in Astana on 16 May 2024. The event was attended by Secretary of the Security Council of Kazakhstan Gizat Nurdauletov, Secretary of the Security Council of Kyrgyzstan Marat Imankulov, Secretary of the Security Council of Tajikistan Nasrullo Mahmudzoda, […]
A new park in Xi’an, China, strengthens the cultural ties between China and Central Asian countries
The Central Asia park was opened in Xi’an, China, a year after a historic summit of leaders of China and Central Asian nations, CCTV reports. The park features sculptures that pay homage to the Silk Road, the ancient trade route that fostered centuries of exchange between the regions. Visitors can immerse themselves in Central Asian […]
Brussels hosted first-ever informal meeting of the heads of diplomatic missions of Central Asia, Mongolia and the Caribbean countries
The historic first joint informal meeting of the heads of diplomatic missions of the countries of Central Asia, Mongolia and the Caribbean took place in Brussels. This meeting, initiated by the ambassadors of the Central Asian countries and Mongolia accredited in Belgium, marked a new stage in interregional cooperation and aimed to exchange experience in […]
E-Commerce in Tajikistan readying to bloom
Tajikistan is diligently working to mainstream the ecommerce across the economic and societal space of the country. On December 24, 2022, the country adopted the Law “On Electronic Commerce”. The Law seeks to protect the rights and legitimate interests of citizens and organizations engaged in e-commerce and ensures the free operation of e-commerce in the […]
President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received the secretaries of the security councils of Central Asian countries
Welcoming the heads of delegations, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted that the first meeting of the secretaries of the security councils of the countries of Central Asia is intended to become an effective platform for combining efforts to prevent external and internal challenges and threats, as well as developing the necessary response measures. – This is especially […]
UNRCCA co-organizes inaugural meeting of Regional Expert Council on Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Returnees
On 14 May 2024, the first meeting of the Regional Expert Council on Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Returnees took place in Tashkent. The high-level event was organized by UNRCCA in close partnership with the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the […]