Kyrgyzstan has become the first Central Asian country to join a new UN rail freight convention designed to cut transport costs, speed up cross-border shipments and strengthen trade links between Europe and Asia.
Kyrgyzstan could become the first country in the world to ban energy drinks. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has instructed ministers to examine the possibility of prohibiting the production and import of the beverages, citing health concerns, state news agency Kabar has reported.
Tajikistan has banned electronic cigarettes and nicotine delivery systems, becoming the latest Central Asian country to outlaw their production, import and sale as part of a wider push to protect public health.
Kyrgyzstan has emerged as Central Asia’s fastest-growing economy, fuelled by a construction boom, public investment and trade linked to Russia. But with Western sanctions tightening, can the country sustain its rapid growth?
Kazakhstan could begin building its first nuclear power plant in 2027, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on 28 October, according to Azertac. But as Central Asia steps up its energy ambitions, which countries are investing in nuclear power and which are pursuing alternatives?
Kyrgyzstan has unveiled plans to significantly expand its protected natural areas, bringing more high-altitude glaciers, mountain landscapes and state-owned forests under environmental protection as part of a draft strategy for 2026–2035.
Kyrgyzstan doubled its petrol and diesel production in the first nine months of 2026, as disruptions at Russian oil refineries strained fuel supplies across Central Asia, highlighting the region’s reliance on Russian energy.
Georgia is seeking to join the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan transport route as part of efforts to boost trade and strengthen access to international markets. The country is also investing in transport infrastructure and deepening economic ties with Uzbekistan.
Central Asian countries are strengthening sanitary and quarantine controls amid the situation in Russia’s Irkutsk region. Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan have introduced preventive measures following the death of an employee of a plague research institute in the city of Shelekhov.
Afghanistan and Tajikistan have discussed boosting electricity supplies to Afghanistan and plans for a high-voltage power line through the country to Iran, as Kabul seeks greater access to imported energy.
Central Asian businesses and experts are proposing closer digital integration across Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, with the aim of making it easier for technology companies to operate across a regional market of more than 80 million people.
The World Nomad Games, which began in 2014, are a biennial tournament of traditional nomad sports, mostly originating from Central Asia. It's an alternative test of strength, both mental and physical, and are a wild, spectacular sight to behold.
From new Asia-Europe trade routes to investment, energy and security cooperation, the Organization of Turkic States has grown far beyond its original focus on shared language and culture.
Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan have agreed to raise bilateral trade to $200 million within two years, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif concluded a three-day visit to Kyrgyzstan.
Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) have gathered in Bishkek for a summit focused on trade, investment and transport as the group marks 25 years since its creation.
The sixth World Nomad Games have officially opened in Bishkek, bringing together athletes, cultural representatives and world leaders for a celebration of traditional nomadic heritage.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have concluded talks in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, as leaders gather for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
Kyrgyzstan is hosting the sixth World Nomad Games, bringing together thousands of athletes from around the world for a celebration of traditional sports, cultural heritage and nomadic traditions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to Kyrgyzstan next week to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, where he is expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings with regional leaders.
Central Asia is moving beyond experiments with digital assets as governments begin putting new forms of digital money into practice.
Georgia’s foreign trade data for January-July 2026 shows Kyrgyzstan, China and Russia as its top three export markets, highlighting its Middle Corridor ambitions and complex economic ties with Moscow.
Kyrgyzstan is seeking to boost fuel imports from China as it looks to diversify supplies and reduce the risks of its heavy reliance on Russia.
A power disturbance that swept across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on 14 August has highlighted both the benefits and vulnerabilities of Central Asia’s interconnected electricity grid.
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan all reported blackouts on Friday, which Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry said had been caused by a "sudden change in the power flow" from the Central Asian grid.
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