This week, the media in Central Asia covered several diplomatic events, such as Uzbekistani President Mirziyoyev’s visit to Mongolia, Kyrgyzstani President Sadyr Japarov’s visit to Malaysia, and the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Minsk. They also reported on various critical investment stories, including the President of the EBRD’s visit to Astana, Eximbank providing $500 million to modernize Uzbekistan’s telecommunication network, the decline of oil and gas investment in Kazakhstan, and the World Bank loaning $101 million to aid Kyrgyzstan’s energy reforms and $150 million to construct small HPPs in Uzbekistan.

30 June 2025

Read more ...

This week, the media across Central Asia reported on numerous critical diplomatic, trade, and investment stories, such as the China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, the China-Central Asia Industrial and Investment Cooperation Forum, and the China-Central Asia Business Council meeting. They also covered several important energy stories, such as the Taliban cancelling an oil exploration deal with a Chinese company, Russia writing off $300 million of Tajikistan’s electricity debt, Uzbekistan commissioning a new wind power plant and a small HPP, and the Uzbekistani-French joint venture Nurlikum Mining, led by the French company Orano, announcing it will begin mining uranium ore in 2025. Several outlets also noted that Kazakhstan started constructing its new center-west highway and postponed plans to build a new gas processing plant at the Karachaganak oil field as talks broke down with international investors.

23 June 2025

Read more ...

This week, the media across Central Asia covered several important diplomatic stories, such as the visits of Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan and the visit of Kazakhstani Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu to Washington D.C. They also reported on multiple critical trade and investment events, such as the Tashkent International Investment Forum, the EBRD’s plan to invest $1.1 billion in Uzbekistan in 2025, and Kyrgyzstan and India signing a new Bilateral Investment Treaty. Several outlets also noted Kazakhstan’s announcement that Rosatom will construct the country’s first NPP, while China’s CNNC will lead the construction of its second. Others reported on Rosatom expanding its footprint in Uzbekistan, announcing the construction of a large-scale NPP alongside the small modular plant it is already building. Lastly, multiple sources noted Kazakhstan’s discovery of another 38 mineral deposits.

16 June 2025

Read more ...

Last week, the media in Central Asia covered several important diplomatic and investment stories. For instance, the India-Central Asia Business Council met in New Delhi, the China-Central Asia Interregional Forum took place, and the CIS Heads of Government met in Dushanbe. Kazakhstan also announced that it would receive $280 million from the UN Green Climate Fund. They also reported on the increase in cargo transit through Kazakhstan, and Japan and Uzbekistan agreeing to cooperate in training 10000 medical specialists. Several outlets also noted numerous important energy stories, including Kyrgyzstan commencing construction on its first wind power plant, Kazakhstan holding talks with Chinese companies on increasing gas production, several Chinese companies winning new oil and gas deposits at auction in Kazakhstan, and Kazakhstan pressuring international energy firms to buy more local goods and services. Other sources reported on ERG announcing a substantial new copper deposit and the continued rise in inflation across the region.

09 June 2025

Read more ...

This week, the media in Central Asia covered several significant diplomatic stories, such as the Astana International Forum and the Central Asia-Italy summit. They also covered important energy stories like Uzbekistan and Bell Energy signing deals worth $660 million and the CPC’s plans to ship one billion tons of crude oil by October 2025. Several sources noted that the eight OPEC+ countries, including Kazakhstan, plan to raise oil production in July, and reports that the international shareholders in Kazakhstan’s Karachaganak oil and gas field are reluctant to invest in a new gas processing plant. Other outlets highlighted Uzbekistan signing 20 investment agreements with companies from China’s Fujian Province and the Kazakhstani-French Investment Forum.

02 June 2025

Read more ...

This week, the media in the region covered several energy stories, such as the Russian energy firm Inteco Group concluding a deal to drill for oil in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan doubling its oil exports to China, KazMunayGas committing to raising output at the Kashagan field, and Russia promising to increase oil deliveries to China through Kazakhstan. Several outlets reported on the Organization of Turkic States’ summit in Budapest and President Mirziyoyev’s visit to Slovenia. They also noted the 16th Meeting of the Kazakhstani-German Business Council in Astana and Kazakhstan’s plans for a cryptocurrency reserve. Other sources highlighted Uzbekistan adding 1.1 million jobs in 2025, as remittances rose 32% to $3.3 billion over the same period.

26 May 2025

Read more ...

This week, the media in Central Asia covered several diplomatic events, such as the Emirati Crown Prince’s visit to Kazakhstan and the EU Special Representative to Central Asia paying a visit to Tashkent. They also reported on multiple significant energy stories, such as Rosatom beginning to manufacture components for Uzbekistan’s first NPP, the U.S. Treasury lifting restrictions on the provision of oil-related services to the CPC and Tengiz oil field, Petronas, XRG, and Turkmenistan conclude production sharing deal for the Block 1 natural gas field in the Caspian Sea, and Uzbekistan and the World Bank signing a $150 deal to upgrade the country’s electricity grid. Several outlets noted that Kazakhstan and China agreed to construct a new $1.1 billion grain processing facility, and the EU and Ukraine sanctioned numerous Uzbekistani companies. Other sources reported that Kazakhstan recorded 6% GDP growth in the first four months of the year, while economic growth in Kyrgyzstan surged by 11.7%.

19 May 2025

Read more ...

This week, the media in the region covered several notable diplomatic events, such as the state visit of the General Secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party, Tô Lâm, to Kazakhstan and Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov’s visit to Paris. Several outlets reported on critical energy developments, such as Uzbekistan approving the site plan for its new small modular nuclear power plant, Kazakhstan considering a new tax on energy companies, and Kazakhstan reiterating its commitment to OPEC+ in light of media allegations that it is facing pressure from its partners to reduce oil production. Nevertheless, the Energy Ministry once again refused to countenance lowering production. Multiple sources also noted Kyrgyzstan launching its new National Council for the Development of Virtual Assets and Blockchain Technologies and Uzbekistan signing a new $3.6 billion program with the ADB.

12 May 2025

Read more ...