ASTANA (TCA) — For many critics, the EXPO-2017 which is going on in Astana represents just a glittering façade behind which lies the true, not green, energy sector and economy of Kazakhstan. We are republishing this article by Chris Rickleton on the event, originally published by EurasiaNet.org:

TASHKENT (TCA) — The President of Uzbekistan on June 21 signed the Resolution "On measures to further support domestic exporting organizations and improve foreign trade activities", which is intended to motivate all producers of fresh fruit and vegetable products to participate independently in its supply to foreign markets, and abolishes the monopoly of specialized foreign trade company Uzagroexport in this area, the Jahon information agency reported.

BISHKEK (TCA) — Islamic State terrorists are seeking to shift the main focus of their activity from Syria and Iraq to Afghanistan and neighboring countries in Central Asia, Russian Col. Gen. Andrey Novikov, the head of the Anti-Terrorist Center of the Commonwealth of Independent States said, RT reported on June 24.

KABUL (TCA) — Afghanistan has been removed from the gray list of the Financial Action Task Force after meeting its commitments to crackdown on banking crimes, Afghanistan’s TOLOnews agency reported.

ASTANA (TCA) — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is deepening its outreach to small businesses and women-led enterprises in Kazakhstan, the Bank said on June 23.

ASTANA (TCA) — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said it is increasing its support for municipalities in wider areas of Kazakhstan with a new investment signed on the sidelines of the 30th Foreign Investors’ Council meeting in Astana last week.

BISHKEK (TCA) — Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbai Jeenbekov recently inspected the Issyk-Kul regional plant quarantine laboratory and was impressed with its modern equipment and qualified staff.

BISHKEK (TCA) — The Publisher’s note: Central Asia is an important geopolitical area between Europe, Russia and China. It is in Central Asia that world powers have confronted each other for centuries; it is here that China needs to succeed with its new Silk Road Belt for direct access to the Western markets; and it is here that a large wealth of raw materials has its origin. Every week thousands of news appears all over the world in printed and online media and it is quite understandable that many of them may escape the attention of busy readers. At The Times of Central Asia, we strongly believe that more information can better contribute to peaceful development and better knowledge of the region, and for this reason we are presenting this Weekly Digest of Central Asia which compiles what other media have reported during the past week.

BISHKEK (TCA) — Early in the morning of June 22, police officers cordoned off the Ak-Keme hotel in Bishkek. All the hotel employees were taken out of the building and inventory of the hotel property began.

ASTANA (TCA) — Kazakhstan is the first country to take up a new EBRD-EU programme to develop better financing for small and medium-sized businesses, which is planned to cover the wider Central Asian region, the EBRD press office said on June 23.

BISHKEK (TCA) — More than 100,000 people living in 52 villages across Kyrgyzstan are expected to benefit from improved access to quality water and sanitation services, thanks to US$ 36 million in additional financing for the Sustainable Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Development Project, approved on June 22 by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors. Out of this financing, US$ 19.8 million is a concessional credit, while US$ 16.2 million is a grant.

BISHKEK (TCA) — Officials in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have said both countries are not holding any official negotiations on sending Kazakh and Kyrgyz military to Syria.

TASHKENT (TCA) — A business forum of Uzbekistan and Switzerland was recently held in Zurich, the Jahon information agency reports.

ASTANA (TCA) — During the 30th plenary meeting of the Foreign Investors’ Council in Astana on June 22, chaired by Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kazakh Minister for Investment and Development Zhenis Kassymbek reported on the implementation of the instructions for the establishment of the Astana International Financial Center, the official website of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan reported.

ASTANA (TCA) — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on June 22 said it is deepening its efforts to promote economic inclusion in the energy sector and the extractive industries of Kazakhstan with a US$ 140 million loan to Bakyrchik Mining Venture LLP for the development of the Kyzyl gold deposit.

KABUL (TCA) — The security situation in Afghanistan remains "intensely volatile," according to a new report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, RFE/RL reports.

ASTANA (TCA) — Following the opening last week of Expo-2017 in Kazakhstan’s capital of Astana, over 100 top officials, senior business executives, and global thought leaders came together on June 21 for an interactive discussion at Moving Forward, Fueling the Future, the General Electric-hosted forum focused on emerging trends and technologies in the energy and transportation industries, including the digital revolution that is radically reshaping the industrial world, GE said.

ASTANA (TCA) — Transnational companies have established a consortium to implement the Eurasia project to develop super-deep hydrocarbon deposits in Kazakhstan’s section of the Caspian Sea, Kazakh Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev said after the signing of cooperation agreements between the Government of Kazakhstan and international companies on June 21, the official website of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan reported.

ASTANA (TCA) — The relationships between Moscow and Astana over Russia’s use of Kazakhstan’s Baikonur cosmodrome have never been smooth since the Soviet Union’s collapse, but Moscow has always been consistent in its desire to remain at Baikonur. We are republishing this article by George Voloshin on the issue, originally published by The Jamestown Foundation’s Eurasia Daily Monitor:

ASTANA (TCA) — Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, took part in the Kazakhstan-Chinese business forum as part of the opening ceremony of China’s Jiangsu Province Week at the international exhibition EXPO-2017 in Astana, the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan reported on June 21.

DUSHANBE (TCA) — Tajikistan plans to issue government securities for a total of $1 billion for placing in international financial markets, Avesta news agency reported.

ASTANA (TCA) — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has signed a mandate letter for the co-financing of a new solar power plant in Kazakhstan near the world-famous space centre in Baikonur, the Bank said on June 21.

DUSHANBE (TCA) — Authorities in Tajikistan have barred citizens under the age of 40 from performing this year's annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reported.

ASTANA (TCA) — The airport in Kazakhstan's capital city, Astana, has been renamed after President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kazakh state media have reported.

BISHKEK (TCA) — The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) — a security alliance of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan — will for the first time hold a large-scale operation targeting recruiters affiliated with a number of terrorist organizations, a CSTO deputy secretary general said, TASS news agency reported on June 21.