Central Asia News Bulletin

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

Steinmeier visits Central Asia; Kazakhstan’s PM visits Baku to discuss TITR; Turkmenistan participates in UN Counter Terror conference; Concerns are voiced on Women’s Right to Education in Afghanistan; Astana Process comes to an official end. /25.06.23

_{A student looking at the ruins of a classroom at Kabul University, after an ISIS attack that killed 22 students in November 2020. Source: NY Times}

This past week, media outlets focused on the increasing collaboration between Germany and Central Asian countries in the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), as well as in the industries of oil, gas and energy, and direct foreign aid and investment by the European country. The media also reported on the strengthening of relations between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan especially within the context of the TITR, Kazakhstan's announcement of ending the Astana Process on Syria, Turkmenistan’s participation in the UN’s Third Counter-Terrorism Week, and the concerns voiced at the UN Human Rights Council meeting about human rights violations, particularly the situation of women and girls, in the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

: 25 June 2023

EU – CAS to strengthen interregional ties; Iran – Taliban clash over Water allocation; Kazakhstan to build NPP without a referendum; Tajikistan receives ADB’s President; Direct passenger flights to connect Ashgabat - Incheon, South Korea. /18.06.23

_{Heavily-armed Taliban Fighters on a leisurely boat ride. Source: The National UAE}

This past week, the annual High-Level Political and Security Dialogue between the EU and Central Asian countries and their discussions over water security in the region, the longstanding water conflict between Afghanistan and Iran, the issue of constructing a nuclear power plant (NPP) in Kazakhstan, the Gazprom and QazaqGaz agreeing to transport Russian gas to Uzbekistan, the President of Asian Development Bank’s visit to Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan – South Korea moving toward closer ties made it to the regional headlines.

: 18 June 2023

Central Asia's Weekly

Media Monitoring

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

Steinmeier visits Central Asia; Kazakhstan’s PM visits Baku to discuss TITR; Turkmenistan participates in UN Counter Terror conference; Concerns are voiced on Women’s Right to Education in Afghanistan; Astana Process comes to an official end. /25.06.23

EU – CAS to strengthen interregional ties; Iran – Taliban clash over Water allocation; Kazakhstan to build NPP without a referendum; Tajikistan receives ADB’s President; Direct passenger flights to connect Ashgabat - Incheon, South Korea. /18.06.23