Author: Meder Israilov

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov on Friday discussed the expansion and development of trade and economic relations with his Turkmen counterpart Serdar Berdimuhamedov, ahead of a Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) leaders’ summit later in the day. “The head of state noted that Kyrgyzstan attaches great importance to the expansion and qualitative development of trade and economic relations, considering Turkmenistan as a significant economic partner,” said a statement by the Kyrgyz presidency, following the meeting in the country’s capital Bishkek. The statement said Japarov underlined an increase of $82 million in trade turnover between Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan, noting that the current…

The Kyrgyz Association of Women in the Security Sector in collaboration with the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek has successfully completed a three-day training course aimed at addressing gender-based and family violence. This training program had a dual focus: it concentrated on international gender equality standards and the enhancement of gender-sensitive legislative policies within the Kyrgyz Republic. Moreover, it provided law enforcement agencies with the necessary tools and knowledge to effectively prevent and respond to domestic violence, ultimately contributing to the creation of a safer and more equitable society. The participants in this program included representatives from the Ministry of…

The censorship has been made possible thanks to a contentious “fake information” law adopted in 2021. An order from Kyrgyzstan’s Culture Ministry to block access to the Kloop news website has come into effect, furthering darkening the clouds over a shrinking landscape for independent journalism. The motivation behind the block imposed on September 13 was an article published at the start of the month in which Kloop reported on allegations that a jailed opposition politician, Ravshan Jeenbekov, is being abused at his pre-detention facility. Culture Ministry officials claimed in their decree that the piece contained “unreliable information,” although it did…

Vienna, Brussels (26/9 – 36) David McCallum – the British actor who played as Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard, a pathologist on hit CBS TV program NCIS, has died aged 90 on Monday (25/09/2023). McCallum died on Monday of natural causes, surrounded by his family, at New York Presbyterian Hospital, CBS said in a statement. NCIS executive producers Steven D. Binder and David North shared their memories of working with McCallum. “For over twenty years, David McCallum endeared himself to audiences around the world playing the wise, quirky, and sometimes enigmatic, Dr. Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard,” they shared in a statement. “But…

Hungary and Kyrgyzstan are strengthening their agricultural collaboration, specifically on seed production, crop cultivation, and animal breeding, Zoltan Kovacs, Hungary’s Secretary of State for International Communication, said, Trend reports. Kovacs mentioned that Hungarian Agriculture Minister Nagy Istvan, held a meeting with Kyrgyz Agriculture Minister Askarbek Djanybekov, in Bishkek to explore this partnership. During their discussion, Istvan emphasized the growing significance of agriculture in a rapidly changing world and stressed the importance of forming partnerships to address relevant challenges. During the meeting, Hungarian minister highlighted that Kyrgyzstan has increased its seed imports tenfold this year compared to the previous year, underlining…

Copenhagen (17/08 – 78) Kidnapping, intimidation, and blackmail are just some of the means used to hit enlistment quotas in Tajikistan. When conscription season comes around in Tajikistan, military recruiters begin resorting to desperate measures. Scooping young men off the streets in actions tantamount to kidnapping is standard. But that is just for starters. To pressure communities into giving up their sons, recruiters will disconnect the electricity, detain relatives, and shut down mosques. Eligible levees draw lots to decide who will be the one to hand themselves over. The hunting season for men of draft age, which applies to people…

Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Akylbek Zhaparov held talks with the head of the World Bank office in the Kyrgyz Republic Naveed Naqvi, Azernews reports, citing Kabar. During the meeting, the sides discussed the new World Bank Partnership Framework for 2024-2028, agreements between Kyrgyzstan and the World Bank, the development of the energy industry and the Digital CASA project. The head of the Cabinet noted that the World Bank is a reliable partner of Kyrgyzstan in terms of affordable and flexible financing, technical and expert support, and providing significant support to Kyrgyzstan in all major areas of development. In…

Twenty-six newly sworn in Peace Corps Volunteers will co-teach English with local teachers in secondary schools across Chui, Naryn, Issyk-Kul, Talas, Osh and Jalal-Abad regions over the next two years. This is the 29th group of Volunteers to serve in the Kyrgyz Republic. In attendance at the ceremony were U.S. Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic Lesslie Viguerie, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aibek Moldogaziev, Head of the international cooperation and investment department of Ministry of Education and Science Aizada Apysheva, Peace Corps Regional Director for Europe, Mediterranean and Asia Rebecca Sharp, and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, former…

MEPs have wrapped up a visit to Central Asia, where the issues of the circumvention of sanctions featured prominently in exchanges with high-level politicians and stakeholders, the EU Delegation to the Kyrgyz Republic said. In Kyrgyzstan, the delegation met with President Sadyr Japarov, the Speaker and members of Kyrgyzstan’s Jogorku Kenesh and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, as well as representatives of civil society and independent media. Following the visit, Foreign Affairs Committee Chair David McAllister (EPP, Germany) said: “Central Asia is a strategically important region for the European Union. Our visit to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan reconfirmed the need…

The next meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council will be held in Kyrgyzstan in October, the press service of the Eurasian Economic Commission said following the extraordinary meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council that was held in Armenia’s Tsaghkadzor on 24-25 August, BelTA informs. “Members of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council discussed ways to deepen integration within the EAEU and strategic development vectors for the union in the medium and long term. Earlier, in his address to the heads of member states of the Eurasian Economic Union, Chairman of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin…