Central Asia News Bulletin

Mine Collapse & a Day of mourning in Kazakhstan; CAS leaders in Minsk for Eurasian Security Conference; Uzbekistan condemns Israel’s hospital attack in Gaza; Turkmenistan & Türkiye deepen ties; Afghanistani migrants to be deported from Pakistan. /29.10.23

_{President Tokayev addresses the families of miners in Karaganda. Source: Astana Times}

This past week, the media paid attention to the mining catastrophe in Karaganda, Kazakhstan, which killed and trapped tens of miners following a methane gas explosion, the Eurasian Security Conference held in Minsk, reactions in Central Asia to Israel's bombing of the Palestinian al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, the meetings between Turkish and Turkmen leaders in Ankara, and Pakistan's establishing of holding centers on its border with Afghanistan in preparation for a November 1 deadline for deporting 1.7 million undocumented migrants back to Afghanistan.

: 29 October 2023

Central Asian leaders in Beijing for the 13th Belt and Road Forum; Kazakhstan hosts 11th Civil Forum; Kazakhstan’s ex-Minister of Justice detained; Iran seeks deeper ties with Central Asia; International Community's assistance to Herat. /22.10.23

_{President Tokayev shakes hands with the Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Wang Huning. Source: Akorda.}

This past week, the media covered the Third Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, where Central Asian presidents sought to mark the occasion by committing to deepen their countries’ relations with Beijing, the inauguration of the 11th Kazakhstan Civil Forum by President Tokayev, the arrest of Kazakhstan’s former Minister of Justice, Marat Beketaev, on suspicion of corruption and bribery charges, Iran's efforts in deepening ties with Central Asian states, and the continues humanitarian situation in Herat following multiple earthquakes these past couple of weeks.

: 22 October 2023

CIS leaders meet in Bishkek; Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan announce new gas line; The EDB to invest $10 billion in Central Asia by 2035; Multiple earthquakes shake Afghanistan's Herat province. /15.10.23

_{CIS heads of state met in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan this week. Source: BNN}

This past week, The annual CIS Summit took place in Bishkek, where the leaders also made use of the venue to discuss bilateral and multilateral deals, the Presidents of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Russia met in Moscow to inaugurate the Central Asia-Center gas pipeline, Kazakhstan’s President Tokayev led a summit of regional leaders to discuss the future of AI in the region, the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) announced that by 2035, the institution’s investments will grow to $10 billion in Central Asia, and the media paid attention to the multiple large-scale earthquakes that shook Afghanistan's Herat Province.

: 15 October 2023

Kazakhstan & Germany to strengthen bilateral ties; President Tokayev speaks on relations with Russia; EBRD signs deal with Tajikistan; Kyrgyzstan deepens trade relations with Kazakhstan; Continuous violations of women’s rights in Afghanistan. /30.09.2023

_{Kazakhstan’s President Tokayev and Germany’s Chancellor Scholtz answer questions from reporters in Berlin. Source: DW}

This past week, President Tokayev of Kazakhstan met with Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Olaf Scholz as part of the former's visit to Germany. In other news, President Tokayev responded to concerns about relations with Russia and Kazakhstan's stance on the conflict in Ukraine, Kazakhstan announced that it has made headway on creating commerce, transportation, and logistics centers along its borders with China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, Uzbekistan, and the Caspian Sea, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the State Savings Bank of Tajikistan forged a strategic collaboration aimed at bolstering local currency lending to drive growth in Tajikistan's real sector, The 11th session of the Intergovernmental Council between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan took place in the city of Taraz, and the media paid attention to the abrupt cessation of financial aid from the World Food Programme (WFP) to Afghanistan exacerbating the already dire circumstances for women in this country.

: 01 October 2023

Heads of Central Asian States meet; Kazakhstan & Türkiye explore new cooperation avenues; Over 80% of Chinese exports to Europe transit through Kazakhstan; electricity shortfalls plague Kyrgyzstan; Tension rises between Afghanistan-Pakistan. /18.09.23

_{The 5th Consultative Meeting of the Heads of States of Central Asia. Source: Akorda}

This past week, media outlets have been paying attention to interregional trade in Central Asia, as well as new opportunities for bilateral cooperation between Kazakhstan and Türkiye, highlighting the strategic importance of the creation of new transport and logistics routes to diversify and ensure reliable chains of supply and production. Attention was also paid to the German-Kazakh Business Forum, Kyrgyzstan’s Energy problems, and the rising tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

: 18 September 2023

Kazakhstan’s new economic strategy unveiled; Water crisis response in Mangystau Region; Kazakhstan & Italy to expand cooperation; Japan eyes higher education in Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, WFP to cut food aid to Afghanistan. /10.09.2023

_{President Tokayev introduces his new economic plan during the ‘state-of-the-nation’ address (Source: MFA of Kazakhstan)}

This week, the media paid attention to President Tokayev’s new economic plan which calls for Kazakhstan to develop rare earth metals as the country’s ‘new oil’ and in-turn double the country’s economy by 2029, launch of a project for building a desalination plant in Karakiya district which could alleviate the region’s rising need for water, Italy and Kazakhstan deepening cooperation in mutual trade and investment projects, leaders in Tajikistan and Turkmenistan receiving Japanese leaders to discuss cooperation on education, economic growth, and environmental issues, and concerns of food scarcity deepening in Afghanistan as the World Food Program slashes aid to the country.

: 10 September 2023

Kazakhstan’s SCO Chairmanship & Iran’s full membership; BREC’s first conference on energy security and sustainability in Central Asia; Malaysian FM in Kyrgyzstan; UN’s New Framework to support Afghanistan; New World Bank grant for Uzbekistan. /10.07.23

_{Flags of SCO member states. Credit: Azer News}

The online summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on July 4 and the handover of the SCO's chairmanship to the Republic of Kazakhstan have been the key focal points of media coverage this week. Iran’s full membership in the organization was also announced, which garnered media attention, especially in Tajikistan. Additionally, the inaugural conference on energy security and sustainability in Central Asia organized by the Brussels Energy Club (BREC), the official visit of Malaysia’s Foreign Minister to Kyrgyzstan, the UN’s new Strategic Framework for Afghanistan for the 2023-2025 period, and the announcement of a new World Bank grant to aid Uzbekistan in reducing greenhouse gas emissions received media attention.

: 10 July 2023

President Tokayev holds extraordinary Security Council meeting on the situation in Russia; Tajikistan - Sweden Foreign Ministers meet in Luxembourg; Luxembourg & Switzerland - Kazakhstan increase cooperation; Kazakhstan & Iran to increase Trade. /03.07.23

_{Kazakhstan’s PM Smailov chairing a June 27 government meeting on the new Social Code’s norms. Credit: Primeminister.kz}

Media sources this week covered Kazakhstan's contribution to advancing global standards in the areas of social welfare, particularly its reform of the Social Code, the broader economic repercussions of the war in Ukraine, the improvement of diplomatic ties between Kazakhstan and Iran, Luxembourg, and Switzerland, and between Tajikistan and the EU, through a new Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA), and the celebration of Eid al-Adha in the region.

: 03 July 2023

CCASC

Media Monitoring

Mine Collapse & a Day of mourning in Kazakhstan; CAS leaders in Minsk for Eurasian Security Conference; Uzbekistan condemns Israel’s hospital attack in Gaza; Turkmenistan & Türkiye deepen ties; Afghanistani migrants to be deported from Pakistan. /29.10.23

Central Asian leaders in Beijing for the 13th Belt and Road Forum; Kazakhstan hosts 11th Civil Forum; Kazakhstan’s ex-Minister of Justice detained; Iran seeks deeper ties with Central Asia; International Community's assistance to Herat. /22.10.23

CIS leaders meet in Bishkek; Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan announce new gas line; The EDB to invest $10 billion in Central Asia by 2035; Multiple earthquakes shake Afghanistan's Herat province. /15.10.23

Kazakhstan & Germany to strengthen bilateral ties; President Tokayev speaks on relations with Russia; EBRD signs deal with Tajikistan; Kyrgyzstan deepens trade relations with Kazakhstan; Continuous violations of women’s rights in Afghanistan. /30.09.2023

Heads of Central Asian States meet; Kazakhstan & Türkiye explore new cooperation avenues; Over 80% of Chinese exports to Europe transit through Kazakhstan; electricity shortfalls plague Kyrgyzstan; Tension rises between Afghanistan-Pakistan. /18.09.23

Kazakhstan’s new economic strategy unveiled; Water crisis response in Mangystau Region; Kazakhstan & Italy to expand cooperation; Japan eyes higher education in Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, WFP to cut food aid to Afghanistan. /10.09.2023

Kazakhstan’s SCO Chairmanship & Iran’s full membership; BREC’s first conference on energy security and sustainability in Central Asia; Malaysian FM in Kyrgyzstan; UN’s New Framework to support Afghanistan; New World Bank grant for Uzbekistan. /10.07.23

President Tokayev holds extraordinary Security Council meeting on the situation in Russia; Tajikistan - Sweden Foreign Ministers meet in Luxembourg; Luxembourg & Switzerland - Kazakhstan increase cooperation; Kazakhstan & Iran to increase Trade. /03.07.23