The Times Of Central Asia | Eurasian Publication & News Online

Kazakhstan's campaign to bring foreign universities into the country has moved far beyond a small pilot. By July 2026, the government said it had established partnerships with 40 foreign institutions and had 32 foreign university branches in operation. A separate government summary said those institutions enrolled about 12,000 students and...

Caspian Pipeline Consortium

CPC Reportedly Stops Accepting Kazakh Oil as Storage Tanks Reach Capacity After Tanker Attacks

Citing three industry sources, on July 21 Reuters said the Caspian Pipeline Consortium had stopped accepting crude from Kazakhstan after tanker attacks halted Black Sea loadings. Two of the sources said the terminal's storage tanks were full. CPC has so far declined to comment. The stoppage marks a sharper disruption...

Extreme Heat

Extreme Heat Buckles Roads and Strains Power Grids Across Central Asia

Extreme heat across Central Asia in mid-July has buckled concrete highways, pushed electricity demand to record levels, and increased pressure on power grids and ambulance services. Kazakhstan reported road deformation and repeated failures in Almaty, Uzbekistan set consumption and generation records, Kyrgyzstan introduced temporary cuts to protect equipment, and residents...

Caspian Pipeline Consortium

Ukraine Says No Evidence of Role in Attacks on Tankers Loading Kazakh Oil: Statement in Full

Economic Growth

Uzbekistan Raises 2026 Growth Forecast to 8.1%

Uzbekistan has raised its 2026 economic growth forecast from 6.6% to 8.1%, after stronger-than-expected performance last year and in the first quarter of 2026. The Ministry of Economy and Finance’s updated Fiscal Strategy for 2027-2029 projects nominal GDP of 2.183 quadrillion soums this year (about $180 billion). The revision follows...

Caspian Pipeline Consortium

When the War Reaches Kazakh Oil

Taliban Troubles, Security Service Strife and the Deportation Divide

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Sunkar Podcast

Kazakhstan to Host 2027 Table Tennis World Championships

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Opinions

Opinion: Kazakhstan’s Demining Expertise Could Provide Boost to Afghanistan

Timur Serikuly

Opinion: Uzbekistan Census – When the Village Reappears in the City

Zamirbek Minbaev

Opinion: The Specter Is Back – A Kazakh Warning to America

Askar Alimzhanov

Opinion: The Amu Darya Stress Test – Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and the Politics of Agricultural Adaptation

Zamirbek Minbaev

Opinion: Kazakhstan’s New Income Growth Plan – Administrative Measures Against Market Realities

Igor Klevtsov

Opinion: Central Asia’s Shift from Silk Road Romance to Infrastructure Finance – What the June Forums Are Building

Dr. Magsud Mammadov

UNDP Opinion: Central Asia – Shared Wildlife, Shared Landscapes, Shared Responsibility

UNDP Representatives in Kazakhstan, Katarzyna Wawiernia, Kyrgyzstan, Alexandra Solovieva, Tajikistan, Sudipto Mukerjee, Turkmenistan, Narine Sahakyan, Uzbekistan, Akiko Fujii.

Opinion: Beyond Multivectorism – What Kyrgyzstan’s UN Security Council Win Really Shows

Zamirbek Minbaev

Opinion: Eurasia’s New Corridors Are More Than a Transit Race

Aidar Borangaziyev

Opinion: Silk Seven or the OTS? Central Asia May Not Have to Choose

Ken Moriyasu

Opinion: How AI Is Reshaping the Global Image of Nations

Sergey Akhmetov

Opinion: Middle Powers and the “Voice of the Region” – Is Central Asia Becoming a Coordinated Actor?

Timur Serikuly

Business & Economy

Business Registration

Registered Businesses in Kazakhstan Rise More Than 20% Despite Tax Reform

The number of registered businesses in Kazakhstan increased by more than 20% during the first half of 2026, according to government data, easing earlier concerns that the country’s new Tax Code would trigger widespread business closures. The growth came despite higher value-added tax (VAT) rates and tighter registration requirements introduced this year. During a government meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin said the number of registered business entities had reached 2.939 million by the end of June, up by nearly 499,000, or 20.4%, from the beginning of the year. The strongest increase came from individual...

Satellite Communications

Kazakhstan Allocates More Than $22 Million for New Communications Satellite

TCA Interviews

Interview: How Kazakhstan Plans to Finance Its Next Railway Expansion

Automotive Manufacturing

Kazakhstan Plans BYD Assembly and New Domestic Vehicle Brands

Allied Biofuels

Allied Biofuels Details Export Routes for Planned $6.1 Billion Uzbekistan SAF Project

Labor Migration

Lukashenko Tells Uzbek Workers Seeking Higher Pay to Consider Russia

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said Uzbek citizens coming to Belarus should not expect to earn several thousand dollars, suggesting that those seeking significantly higher salaries would be better off working in Russia instead. His remarks come as Belarus expands labor recruitment from Uzbekistan following complaints from some Uzbek workers about low wages. Speaking during a nationwide government meeting on July 21, Lukashenko returned to the issue of recruiting workers from Uzbekistan following recent agreements between the two countries to expand labor cooperation. Earlier this month, he invited Uzbek citizens to move to Belarus with their families, saying the country...

Critical Minerals

Resources, Capacity, Connectivity: Kazakhstan and the Critical Minerals Nexus

Kazakhstan’s place in diversified critical mineral supply chains rests on an unusual combination: a broad resource base, an established mining and metallurgical sector, and transport infrastructure extending across Eurasia. The task is to make these assets work together. Their strategic value depends on converting resources into financeable projects, existing capacity into internationally qualified products, and geographic connectivity into contractually reliable delivery. Kazakhstan approaches this task with an established industrial base. The world’s leading uranium producer, it also has production or processing capabilities in chromite and ferroalloys, titanium sponge, copper, zinc, aluminum, beryllium, molybdenum, rhenium, and other strategic materials. Much of...

Transit Trade

Pakistan and Uzbekistan Turn to China for Transit Trade Amid Regional Security Risks

Pakistan and Uzbekistan have agreed in principle to reroute some of their bilateral transit trade through China. The move follows worsening security that closed traditional routes through Afghanistan and disrupted alternatives through Iran, according to Pakistan Today. The two governments are expected to formalize the decision by signing amendments to the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Transit Trade Agreement during the visit of Uzbekistan’s deputy prime minister to Pakistan on July 21. Under the revised agreement, the China corridor will become an official transit route, allowing cargo to travel through Pakistan’s Sost Dry Port, cross western China, and continue into Central Asia. “The protocol...

Yak Farming

Kyrgyzstan Registers New White Yak Breed to Boost Mountain Livestock Farming

Kyrgyzstan has officially recognized the Kyrgyz White Yak as a new livestock breed after more than a decade of selective breeding. The move is intended to support high-altitude livestock farming and create new export opportunities. The breed was unveiled on July 20 at the high-altitude Syrt pasture in Issyk-Kul Region. Developed between 2014 and 2026, the Kyrgyz White Yak is the result of years of breeding work led by veteran livestock breeder Tashtanbek Akmatov. According to the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry, the animals combine high productivity with strong adaptation to harsh alpine conditions. Unlike traditional dark-coated...

Local Politics

Islamic Finance

Uzbekistan Establishes Islamic Finance Council as New Banking Law Takes Effect

The Central Bank of Uzbekistan has established an Islamic Finance Council to coordinate the work of banks, microfinance organizations, the Deposit Guarantee Agency and other institutions operating under Islamic financial principles. The council was created weeks after Uzbekistan’s new Islamic banking law took effect on June 29. It will prepare national standards, issue regulatory and supervisory recommendations, advise financial institutions and represent the Central Bank in its work with international standard-setters. Building an Islamic Finance Framework Islamic finance prohibits interest and generally requires financing to be linked to assets, trade, leasing or risk-sharing. Common structures include murabaha, in which a...

Election Funding

Kazakhstan Allocates $73 Million for August Kurultai Elections

Women’s Empowerment

Tajikistan Develops Gender Equality Strategy and Expands Support for Women

Tax Policy

Uzbekistan Bank Data Plan Sparks Privacy and Tax Debate

Gender Quotas

Kazakhstan’s New Kurultai Elections: What the 30% Quota Could Mean for Women in Parliament

Public health

Kyrgyzstan Tests Public Health Emergency Response Ahead of World Nomad Games

Kyrgyzstan has carried out large-scale interagency public health emergency exercises as part of preparations for the sixth World Nomad Games, which will take place from August 31 to September 6. Authorities say health security has become one of the key components of planning for what is expected to be the country's largest international event of the year. The two-day simulation exercise was held on July 14-15 in Cholpon-Ata, in the Issyk-Kul region. It brought together representatives of the Ministry of Health, healthcare institutions, the World Health Organization (WHO), other government agencies, and international development partners. Participants rehearsed the response to...

Cardiac Surgery

Kazakhstan Joins World’s Top 30 Countries in Cardiac Surgery Development

Kazakhstan has entered the world’s top 30 countries for cardiac surgery, according to the Ministry of Health, citing the country’s growing use of advanced cardiovascular procedures, including heart transplantation and other high-tech surgical interventions. In 2025, Kazakhstan performed 13,106 open-heart surgeries, a 7.2% increase from the previous year. Coronary artery bypass grafting accounted for the largest share of procedures, at 46.1%. It is the standard surgical treatment for severe coronary artery disease and restores blood flow to the heart by bypassing blocked or narrowed arteries. Operations for acquired and congenital heart defects together accounted for 35.8% of all open-heart procedures....

Urban Development

Urbanization: Only One in Four Tajik Residents Lives in a City

While its regional neighbors are increasingly undergoing urbanization, Tajikistan remains a predominantly rural country and the gap with the rest of Central Asia on this indicator is one of the most notable in the post-Soviet space. The Lowest Rate in the Region As of mid-2026, Tajikistan’s urban population stands at 27.98%, in other words, only slightly more than one in four residents of the country lives in a city. For comparison with the rest of the region: in Kazakhstan, the urban population is around 59%; in Turkmenistan, around 52%; in Uzbekistan, around 50%; and in neighboring Kyrgyzstan, roughly 38%. Against...

President Tokayev

Kazakhstan Court Ruling Clears Legal Path for Tokayev to Seek Another Term

Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Court has ruled that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev may seek another term under the country’s 2026 Constitution, effectively resetting the count created under the previous Basic Law while leaving the single seven-year presidential term formally in place. The ruling, issued on July 7 after Tokayev’s request, addressed whether people who held senior offices under the 1995 Constitution could be elected or appointed to those posts under the new Basic Law, adopted in a March 15 referendum and in force since July 1. The offices covered include the president, the chair and judges of the Constitutional Court, the chair of...

International Affairs

Black Sea Tanker Attacks

Huizenga Warns Kyiv Further Strikes on CPC “Will Not Be Tolerated”

The House Foreign Affairs subcommittee chair invoked nearly $200 billion in U.S. support as attacks around Kazakhstan’s principal oil-export route forced production cuts and sharpened questions about Europe’s response. Representative Bill Huizenga has warned that further strikes affecting the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal will not be tolerated, explicitly linking Ukraine’s obligation to protect legitimate allied energy exports with the scale of American support for Kyiv. Huizenga, a Michigan Republican who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, was asked by The Times of Central Asia what immediate diplomatic steps the administration should take to safeguard Kazakhstan’s...

Caspian Pipeline Consortium

CPC Reportedly Stops Accepting Kazakh Oil as Storage Tanks Reach Capacity After Tanker Attacks

Mongolia-Central Asia Relations

Tajikistan’s President Rahmon Visits Mongolia as Ulaanbaatar Expands Central Asia Outreach

Civil Aviation

China Launches Beijing-Bishkek Flights as Kyrgyzstan-China Links Grow

Middle East Crisis

Iran Says Trains Resume After Reported Strike on Railway Bridge to Turkmenistan

U.S.-Turkmenistan Relations

New U.S. Embassy Chief in Turkmenistan to Continue Building Ties

The United States has a new top diplomat in Ashgabat who is expected to continue what Turkmenistan calls the “positive momentum” in ties between the two countries. Kristin Hawkins assumed duties as chargé d’affaires ad interim at the U.S. Embassy in Ashgabat after Elizabeth Rood completed her tour as ambassador this month, the embassy said. Hawkins will lead the embassy until a permanent ambassador is appointed. Hawkins joined the Foreign Service in 2011 and served as U.S. consul general in Lahore, Pakistan, from 2023 to 2025, according to the embassy. Her other postings included senior Georgia desk officer at the...

Caspian Pipeline Consortium

Ukraine Says No Evidence of Role in Attacks on Tankers Loading Kazakh Oil: Statement in Full

The Times of Central Asia has reported on drone attacks against tankers serving the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s Black Sea terminal, including vessels loading Kazakh crude. Kazakhstan condemned the attacks on July 17 and 19 and called for an immediate halt. A fourth tanker, NELSA, was struck while loading on July 20. TCA asked Victor Mayko, Ukraine’s ambassador to Kazakhstan, to respond. His statement is published below in full. “Ukraine understands the concerns of the Kazakhstani side regarding the incidents that occurred on July 17 and 19 involving tankers loading Kazakhstani oil through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s marine terminals in the...

Caspian Pipeline Consortium

When the War Reaches Kazakh Oil

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine unleashed the war now expanding across the Black Sea, but it did not erase the distinction between Russian military logistics and the lawful commerce of other states. Kazakhstan is not a party to the war, yet its principal oil export route passes through an expanding maritime target zone. The attacks near the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal therefore raise a larger question: can civilian trade carrying Kazakh crude be treated as part of Russia’s war economy simply because geography places its outlet on the Russian coast? Four vessels were attacked near CPC’s Black Sea terminal on...

Black Sea Tanker Attacks

Kazakhstan Condemns Drone Attacks as CPC Oil Loadings Halt

Oil loadings at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s Black Sea terminal have been suspended again after a fourth tanker was struck by a drone on July 20. The NELSA was loading at single-point mooring SPM-1 when the drone hit the stern on its starboard side, between the superstructure and engine compartment. A fire broke out on the deck and inside the vessel but was extinguished after several hours. CPC said 22 crew members were evacuated aboard its tugboats, while the captain and chief officer remained on the tanker. NELSA stayed afloat. No oil spill occurred, and the crude in its cargo...

Life & Culture

Tourism

Japarov Says Tourist Flow to Kyrgyzstan Has Reached 13 Million as Central Asia’s Travel Boom Accelerates

President Sadyr Japarov says the number of tourists visiting Kyrgyzstan has reached 13 million, although his July 21 statement did not specify the reporting period or methodology behind the figure. For a country of roughly seven million people, the reported total is nearly twice the size of its population. Kyrgyzstan’s official tourism statistics count border crossings rather than unique visitors, meaning the same traveler may be counted more than once. Japarov said the total had risen from 2-3 million annual visitors before 2020-2021. However, official tourism datasets have used different measures over time, so the comparison should be treated cautiously....

Podcast

Pannier and Hillard’s Spotlight on Central Asia: New Episode Out Now

Children's Rights

Kazakhstan Leads Central Asia with 24th Place in KidsRights Index

Marriage Age

Average Marriage Age Rises in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan

Religion

Opinion: Christian Missions in Central Asia: Religious Freedom and Social Tensions

Boxing

Kazakhstan’s Zhanibek Alimkhanuly Moves to Super Middleweight After Doping Ban

Kazakhstan’s Zhanibek Alimkhanuly has announced that he is moving to the super middleweight division following a one-year suspension for a doping violation, relinquishing his remaining World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight title and potentially setting up future bouts against some of boxing’s biggest names, including Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Alimkhanuly had established himself as one of boxing’s leading middleweights after unifying the WBO and International Boxing Federation (IBF) world titles. His career was disrupted late last year, however, when he tested positive for a banned substance ahead of a planned title unification fight with World Boxing Association (WBA) champion Erislandy Lara. The suspension,...

Games of the Future

From Controllers to Courts: Kazakhstan Prepares for Games of the Future

When the basketball begins in Astana on July 29, two players from each team will sit at screens and chase 19 digital points. After that stage, they will take the score onto a real 2-on-2 court. The physical game continues until one side reaches 39, meaning a lead earned with a controller can disappear beneath the rim. That switch gives the Games of the Future its human appeal. The format asks athletes to handle screen timing, then contact and fatigue on the court. It also creates an unfamiliar training problem. A gifted basketball player can fall behind before reaching the...

Astronomy

Two Asteroids Named After Uzbek Astronomers

Two Uzbek astronomers have received an unusual form of international recognition: their names have been assigned to minor planets orbiting the Sun. The International Astronomical Union’s Working Group for Small Bodies Nomenclature approved (121339) Otabekburkhonov and (131358) Kamolergashev in its July 9 bulletin. The names will now be used in scientific catalogues and research. Both asteroids were discovered at the Ondřejov Observatory in the Czech Republic by astronomers Petr Pravec and Peter Kušnirák. Otabekburkhonov, first known as 1999 TO15, was found on October 13, 1999. Kamolergashev, previously 2001 KA2, was discovered on May 19, 2001. Otabek Burkhonov, born in 1975,...

Cultural Heritage

Rain Festival: How Ancient Tirgon Became an Official Holiday in Tajikistan

Until recently, Tirgon was remembered mainly through medieval poetry and scholarly references. In 2023, an apricot festival and dried-fruit exhibition were held in its honor in Dushanbe. Now, the ancient agricultural holiday is listed in Tajikistan’s official calendar of festive dates. In 2026, it was celebrated for the first time under its new official status. A Holiday Rooted in Antiquity Tirgon belongs to the ancient seasonal traditions of Iranian peoples and is mentioned in sources including Ferdowsi’s epic poem Shahnameh. Tajik sources trace these seasonal holidays back several millennia. Tirgon was traditionally associated with the 13th day of the month...

Justice

Press Freedom

Tajikistan Frees Two Journalists as Press Freedom Concerns Persist

An international media rights group has welcomed the release from prison of two journalists in Tajikistan, while urging the government to free others who remain in jail. Reporters Without Borders, or RSF, said Zavkibek Saidamini and Abdusattor Pirmukhammadzoda were freed on July 18 after four years in detention. “They should never have been jailed, just like their colleagues, who must also be released,” RSF said. The two journalists were sentenced to seven years in prison in 2022 after being convicted of links to groups labeled as extremist, and were released under an amnesty law that was passed by Tajikistan’s parliament...

Rule of Law

Former Tajik Prosecutor’s Office Investigator Detained in Case of 23-Year-Old Woman’s Death

Internet Restrictions

A Signal from Uzbekistan: How Turkmen Border Villages Reach the Outside World

Traffic Offenses

Kazakhstan Olympic Boxing Champion Jailed for Drunk Driving After Multiple Crashes

Kamchybek Tashiyev

Kyrgyz Court Convicts Former Security Chief Tashiyev, Parliamentary Speaker, and Six Others

Domestic Violence

After Bishimbayev, Kazakhstan’s Domestic Violence Laws Face an Enforcement Test

The release of Bakhytzhan Baizhanov, a cousin of former Kazakhstan Economy Minister Kuandyk Bishimbayev, following an amnesty has renewed public attention to one of the country’s most pressing social problems: domestic violence. The trial of Bishimbayev and Baizhanov attracted widespread attention in Kazakhstan and abroad. Bishimbayev was convicted of torturing and murdering his common-law wife. The proceedings were broadcast online and closely followed by journalists and the public. Bishimbayev was sentenced to 24 years in prison, while Baizhanov received a four-year sentence for concealing the crime. Amid the public outcry, Kazakhstan adopted legislation strengthening penalties for domestic violence. The legislation...

Artificial intelligence

Kazakhstan Police Robot Dog Raises Privacy Questions

Kazakhstan’s police used a mobile facial-recognition robot to scan crowds during Metallurgist Day celebrations in Karaganda Region, saying the machine helped identify four people sought over legal or administrative violations. The deployment extends the country’s rapidly expanding surveillance network beyond fixed cameras, allowing police databases to be accessed through a platform that can move through crowded public spaces. The four-legged robot was used during celebrations held on July 17-18 in the industrial cities of Balkhash and Temirtau, which attracted more than 115,000 visitors. More than 1,000 police officers were also deployed to maintain public order, according to the Karaganda police....

Labor Migration

Nearly 160,000 Citizens of Tajikistan Listed in Russia’s Controlled Persons Register

Nearly 160,000 citizens of Tajikistan, including about 25,000 minors, have been listed in Russia’s register of controlled persons, a senior official from Tajikistan’s migration service said. The figure reflects the impact of tighter Russian migration rules on one of Central Asia’s largest sources of migrant labor. Sharif Norzoda, Tajikistan’s deputy minister of labor, migration, and employment, said around 160,000 citizens of Tajikistan are currently listed in the register, with children included because they accompanied family members who had moved to Russia. The register, maintained by Russia’s Interior Ministry, is updated every four hours and contains information on foreign nationals who...

Fraud

Uzbekistan Busts Scam Call Centers Targeting Europe and North America

Uzbek law enforcement authorities have dismantled two illegal call centers in Tashkent that were part of a transnational fraud network targeting victims across Europe and North America, according to the country’s Ministry of Internal Affairs. The operation, carried out jointly by the Interior Ministry’s Cybercrime Department and the State Security Service, targeted offices located in the Yashnabad and Yakkasaray districts of the Uzbek capital. Authorities found 97 people, including five foreign nationals, at the first location, while 34 more, including three foreigners, were apprehended at the second site. According to investigators, the call centers conducted fraudulent phone calls and mass...

Environment

World Bank

World Bank Approves $20 Million Project to Boost Cross-Border Water Cooperation in Central Asia

The World Bank has announced a $20 million grant to strengthen transboundary water cooperation in Central Asia. The project is intended to improve management of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya basins as climate change, ageing infrastructure, and rising demand increase pressure on shared water resources. The funding, approved by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors, will support the Central Asia Water Efficiency Cooperation Project (CAWEC). It will be implemented by the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS). EC IFAS’s current procurement notice identifies Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan as the participating...

Extreme Heat

Extreme Heat Buckles Roads and Strains Power Grids Across Central Asia

Heatwave

Kazakhstan Wildfires: Heatwave Tests Reforms Three Years After Semey Ormany

Wildfire

Open Flames Extinguished at Semey Ormany as Crews Tackle Hotspots

Earthquakes

Central Asia Remains Highly Vulnerable to Major Earthquakes

Groundwater Management

Kazakhstan Hydrogeologists Complete Six-Month USGS Groundwater Training

Kazakhstani hydrogeologists have completed a six-month online training program led by experts from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The Department of Groundwater at Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation organized the seminars for specialists at Kazhydrogeology, the country’s National Hydrogeological Service. Staff from its branches also took part. The training covered current approaches to groundwater monitoring and assessment. Participants also studied groundwater modeling and water resource management, drawing on international practices in hydrogeology. The USGS awarded certificates to 20 participants from Kazhydrogeology and its branches. Employees from the ministry’s Department of Groundwater and the Department of Strategic Development received...

TCA Interviews

Saving The Caspian Seal: An Interview with Assel Baimukanova

The Caspian seal is the only marine mammal native to the Caspian Sea and the world’s only seal species found exclusively in an inland body of water. Once numbering close to one million, its population has declined dramatically over the past century due to commercial hunting, habitat degradation, pollution, accidental entanglement in fishing gear, and climate change. Today, the species is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Kazakh zoologist Assel Baimukanova has spent the past 13 years studying the Caspian seal alongside her father, renowned scientist Mirgaliy Baimukanov. Their work takes them to remote islands in the northern...

Plastic Recycling

From Waste to Design: How UpKel Is Rethinking Plastic Recycling in Kyrgyzstan

In Kyrgyzstan, much of the country’s plastic waste remains unsorted and ends up in landfills, while recycling infrastructure is limited. A growing number of local initiatives are treating discarded plastic as a usable material. One of them is UpKel, a circular design project that turns plastic waste into custom accessories and home decor. The Times of Central Asia spoke with UpKel founder Chinara Sultanalieva about plastic recycling in Kyrgyzstan and how design and local production can support a circular economy. She also discussed the obstacles holding back the sector. TCA: Tell us a bit about UpKel. How did the project...

Forestry

Tajikistan Turns to Satellites to Discover How Much Forest It Has Left

In Barvoz village in the Western Pamirs, Zarifkhon Gulchinov watched a green forest near his home become a semi-desert during the 1990s. The collapse of the Soviet Union and Tajikistan’s civil war left the isolated region short of electricity and coal. Families cut trees to heat their homes and cook. “I also went to the forest for firewood, but I cut down only old and dry trees and bushes,” Gulchinov recalled. He later joined a community forestry program and received five hectares of degraded land to restore. Villagers now plant hundreds of trees and protect young growth from livestock. They...

Huizenga Warns Kyiv Further Strikes on CPC “Will Not Be Tolerated”

Latest

Features

Features

Taliban Troubles, Security Service Strife and the Deportation Divide

Latest

Sunkar Podcast

Taliban Troubles, Security Service Strife and the Deportation Divide

Sunkar Podcast

Opinions

Opinions

Timur Serikuly

Zamirbek Minbaev

Askar Alimzhanov

Zamirbek Minbaev

Igor Klevtsov

Dr. Magsud Mammadov

UNDP Representatives in Kazakhstan, Katarzyna Wawiernia, Kyrgyzstan, Alexandra Solovieva, Tajikistan, Sudipto Mukerjee, Turkmenistan, Narine Sahakyan, Uzbekistan, Akiko Fujii.

Zamirbek Minbaev

Aidar Borangaziyev

Ken Moriyasu

Sergey Akhmetov

Timur Serikuly

Business & Economy

Business & Economy

Registered Businesses in Kazakhstan Rise More Than 20% Despite Tax Reform

Lukashenko Tells Uzbek Workers Seeking Higher Pay to Consider Russia

Resources, Capacity, Connectivity: Kazakhstan and the Critical Minerals Nexus

Pakistan and Uzbekistan Turn to China for Transit Trade Amid Regional Security Risks

Kyrgyzstan Registers New White Yak Breed to Boost Mountain Livestock Farming

Local Politics

Local Politics

Uzbekistan Establishes Islamic Finance Council as New Banking Law Takes Effect

Kyrgyzstan Tests Public Health Emergency Response Ahead of World Nomad Games

Kazakhstan Joins World’s Top 30 Countries in Cardiac Surgery Development

Urbanization: Only One in Four Tajik Residents Lives in a City

Kazakhstan Court Ruling Clears Legal Path for Tokayev to Seek Another Term

International Affairs

International Affairs

Huizenga Warns Kyiv Further Strikes on CPC “Will Not Be Tolerated”

New U.S. Embassy Chief in Turkmenistan to Continue Building Ties

Ukraine Says No Evidence of Role in Attacks on Tankers Loading Kazakh Oil: Statement in Full

When the War Reaches Kazakh Oil

Kazakhstan Condemns Drone Attacks as CPC Oil Loadings Halt

Life & Culture

Life & Culture

Japarov Says Tourist Flow to Kyrgyzstan Has Reached 13 Million as Central Asia’s Travel Boom Accelerates

Kazakhstan’s Zhanibek Alimkhanuly Moves to Super Middleweight After Doping Ban

From Controllers to Courts: Kazakhstan Prepares for Games of the Future

Two Asteroids Named After Uzbek Astronomers

Rain Festival: How Ancient Tirgon Became an Official Holiday in Tajikistan

Justice

Justice

Tajikistan Frees Two Journalists as Press Freedom Concerns Persist