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	<title>Last news - Сentralasianlight.org</title>
	<link>https://centralasianlight.org/rss/</link>
	<description>Economy</description>
	<pubDate>Sun, 15 Nov 2026 06:17:00 +0600</pubDate>
	<copyright>centralasianlight.org</copyright>
	<ttl>60</ttl>
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		<title>Uzbekistan and China’s Hainan Sign Memorandum to Expand Trade and Investment</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Uzbekistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry has signed a memorandum of understanding with business organisations from China’s Hainan province, reported Trend.

The other signatories are the Hainan Provincial Committee of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Hainan Chamber of the China Chamber of International Commerce. The document was signed after a joint business forum in Tashkent, the “Hainan Free Trade Port – Tashkent Trade and Economic Exchange Meeting.” The memorandum aims to strengthen business ties, expand direct contacts between entrepreneurs and create new trade and investment projects.

At the forum, the Uzbek side presented investment conditions in the country’s free economic zones, technology parks, the Tashkent International Financial Centre and IT Park Uzbekistan. The Hainan delegation said it was interested in joint projects in agricultural processing, machinery manufacturing, new energy and tourism. Chinese companies Hainan Nicepal Industry,]]></description>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2026 20:16:53 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/uzbekistan-and-chinas-hainan-sign-memorandum-to-expand-trade-and-investment/</link>

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		<title>Mirziyoyev and World Bank Chief Discuss Joint Portfolio Approaching $16 Billion</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met World Bank Group President Ajay Banga on the sidelines of the COP31 climate conference in Antalya, reported UzDaily, citing the presidential press service.

The two sides noted that the joint portfolio of projects between Uzbekistan and the World Bank is approaching $16 billion. They discussed implementing the Growth and Jobs Programme and preparing a new Country Partnership Framework. Other topics were attracting private investment into infrastructure, privatisation and water security.

They also discussed preparations for the mid-term review forum of the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s fund for the poorest countries. The forum will take place in Tashkent in December 2026.

The meeting underlines how important the World Bank has become for Uzbekistan’s reforms. Since Mirziyoyev came to power in 2016, the bank has become the country’s largest development partner, financing energy, water supply, roads and social programmes.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2026 18:52:54 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/mirziyoyev-and-world-bank-chief-discuss-joint-portfolio-approaching-16-billion/</link>

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		<title>AIIB Identifies up to $6 Billion in Infrastructure Projects for Kazakhstan</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has identified potential infrastructure projects in Kazakhstan worth up to $6 billion, reported Trend, citing the bank’s chief investment officer.

The projects form part of a multi-year pipeline agreed under a memorandum of understanding signed in Beijing in September 2025. The memorandum provides for up to $6 billion of AIIB investment by 2029 in 14 large sovereign-guaranteed projects. They cover three areas:


	modernising transport networks and strengthening Kazakhstan’s role as an international transit hub;
	supporting the transition to green energy;
	social infrastructure, including perinatal healthcare.


AIIB vice president Konstantin Limitovskiy and Kazakhstan’s ambassador to China, Shakhrat Nuryshev, signed the memorandum in the presence of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and then AIIB president Jin Liqun.

The Beijing-based bank, founded on China’s initiative in 2016, has become one of Kazakhstan’s main sources of long-]]></description>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2026 18:50:50 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/aiib-identifies-up-to-6-billion-in-infrastructure-projects-for-kazakhstan/</link>

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		<title>Kyrgyzstan Records the Highest Producer Price Growth In the Eurasian Economic Union</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Industrial producer prices in Kyrgyzstan rose by 24% year on year in September 2026, the highest rate in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), reported Economist.kg, citing the Eurasian Economic Commission.

The figure is 15.6 percentage points above the EAEU average of 8.4%. Producer prices grew by 8.6% in Armenia and Russia, 6.4% in Kazakhstan and 5% in Belarus.

By sector, the steepest increases in Kyrgyzstan were:


	water supply, sewerage and waste management: 43.1%;
	manufacturing: 27.9%;
	electricity, gas and steam supply: 13.3%;
	mining and quarrying: 3.8%.


In January–August, producer prices had risen by 26.7%, also the fastest pace in the union.

Producer prices measure what factories and utilities charge for their output, and they usually feed into consumer prices within a few months. Persistently high growth threatens to push up the cost of food, building materials and utility services for households. The figures point to pressure from higher tariffs for water and energy,]]></description>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2026 18:47:28 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/kyrgyzstan-records-the-highest-producer-price-growth-in-the-eurasian-economic-union/</link>

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		<title>Kazakhstan’s economy grows 4.5% in ten months as manufacturing accelerates</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Kazakhstan’s GDP grew by 4.5% in January–October 2026, 0.3 percentage points faster than after nine months, reported KazPravda.kz, citing the government and preliminary data from the Bureau of National Statistics.

The non-commodity sectors drove growth, rising 5.6%. Industrial output was up 3.5%, while manufacturing accelerated from 8.6% to 9.3%. The fastest-growing manufacturing segments were:


	pharmaceuticals: up 50.9%;
	finished metal products: up 30.4%;
	machinery: up 22.2%;
	chemicals: up 21.9%;
	rubber and plastics: up 18.1%;
	food products: up 13%.


Construction grew by 13.1%, transport and warehousing by 7.5%, trade by 6.2%, agriculture by 5.2% and communications by 4.9%.

The figures matter because Kazakhstan, Central Asia’s largest economy, is trying to reduce its dependence on oil. Oil output has been constrained by OPEC+ quotas and by disruptions on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium route through Russia. Double-digit growth in machinery,]]></description>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Nov 2026 19:18:22 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/kazakhstans-economy-grows-4.5-in-ten-months-as-manufacturing-accelerates/</link>

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		<title>World Bank-backed $35 Million Project to Modernise Kyrgyz Power Grid and Support Kambarata-1</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Kyrgyzstan has launched a $35 million project to modernise its power grid and support construction of the Kambarata-1 hydropower plant, reported Akchabar.

The five-year programme, Innovative Financing for the Transition to Sustainable Energy (iFIRST), is backed by the World Bank and the Transformative Carbon Asset Facility (TCAF). The agreements were signed in Bishkek on October 23. The money will go to:


	modernising electricity grids;
	digitalising power system management;
	developing renewable energy;
	building a national greenhouse gas monitoring system;
	energy sector reforms;
	social assistance for vulnerable households if electricity tariffs rise.


The project targets the country’s most pressing economic problem. Kyrgyzstan expects to import about 4.1 billion kWh of electricity this winter, roughly a fifth of its demand, and many households live with consumption limits. Kambarata-1 on the Naryn River is planned at 1,860 MW. It is a joint project of Kyrgyzstan,]]></description>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Nov 2026 19:15:50 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/world-bank-backed-35-million-project-to-modernise-kyrgyz-power-grid-and-support-kambarata-1/</link>

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		<title>Uzbekistan plans $11.6 billion in 164 electrical industry projects</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Uzbekistan plans to carry out 164 projects worth $11.6 billion in electrical engineering and related manufacturing over the next three years, reported Trend, citing President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s press secretary.

Mirziyoyev announced the programme during a visit to the NURA Electric plant in Tashkent region. The largest planned investment, $3.5 billion across 21 projects, is in electronic components and microelectronics. The other segments are:


	industrial robotics and machinery: 45 projects, $3 billion;
	cable manufacturing: 41 projects, $2.5 billion;
	transformers and pumps: 29 projects, $1.4 billion;
	equipment for transport and electric vehicles: 9 projects, $650 million;
	household appliances: 19 projects, $600 million.


The president told officials responsible for each sector to attract “anchor investors”. He also called for closer cooperation with research centres and technical universities,]]></description>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2026 19:20:59 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/uzbekistan-plans-11.6-billion-in-164-electrical-industry-projects/</link>

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		<title>Kazakhstan presents investment priorities to foreign diplomats</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Kazakhstan has briefed heads of diplomatic missions and international organisations in Astana on new opportunities for foreign investors, reported The Astana Times.

The briefing set out priorities from President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state-of-the-nation address on foreign policy, transport and industry. Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi called for joint ventures, localised manufacturing and technology transfer. The government also promised stronger investor protection, including an investment court based on English common law principles.

Officials named energy, agriculture, digital technologies, water infrastructure and critical minerals as priority sectors, including battery and semiconductor materials. Transport received particular attention:


	The Bakhty–Ayagoz railway is expected to add 20 million tonnes of annual capacity toward China.
	The 800 km Aral–Caspian highway would shorten the Trans-]]></description>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2026 19:16:51 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/kazakhstan-presents-investment-priorities-to-foreign-diplomats/</link>

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		<title>Kyrgyzstan&apos;s Kumtor gold mine to keep operating until 2050</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Gold production at Kumtor, Kyrgyzstan’s largest gold mine, will continue until at least 2050, President Sadyr Japarov said at a meeting with voters, reported 24.kg.

Japarov rejected reports that the mine could close in 2032. He said ore at the Central Pit, one of Kumtor’s main open pits, will run out in the coming years, but that this would not stop the whole operation. Equipment from the pit will move to the nearby Zhetim-Too deposit. “We intend to eventually deploy more than 100 units of heavy mining equipment,” he said. He urged citizens to rely on official information rather than speculation about the mine’s closure.

The president said Kyrgyzstan plans to develop all its mineral deposits on its own. Last week he announced that three gold deposits in Talas region would be developed by the state company Kyrgyzaltyn without foreign investors.

Kumtor sits at about 4,000 metres in the Tian Shan mountains of Issyk-Kul region and has long been the backbone of Kyrgyz industry,]]></description>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2026 19:13:57 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/kyrgyzstans-kumtor-gold-mine-to-keep-operating-until-2050/</link>

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		<title>Uzbekistan to Outsource Up to 30% of Hospital Services to Private Sector</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Uzbekistan will gradually outsource up to 30% of clinical and support services in public healthcare to private providers by 2030, reported UzDaily, citing Presidential Resolution No. PP-392 of November 4, 2026.

From January 1, 2027, state medical institutions will be able to buy services from private companies under public procurement law. Outsourcing will apply to services that need little investment and already have a competitive private market. Institutions providing state-guaranteed medical care will remain under state control. New facilities requiring large capital investment will generally be built through public-private partnerships.

An electronic system, “Tibbiyot autsorsingi” (Medical Outsourcing), will launch on April 1, 2027. Contracts will normally run for up to five years, and up to ten years where longer payback periods justify it.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2026 21:49:18 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/uzbekistan-to-outsource-up-to-30-of-hospital-services-to-private-sector/</link>

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		<title>Turkmenistan Holds Talks with Foreign Companies on Building Data Centres</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Turkmenistan is holding preliminary talks with international companies on building modern data centres for high-performance computing, reported Turkmenportal.com, citing Deputy Minister of Energy Serdar Saparov.

Saparov made the statement at the CIET-2026 international conference and exhibition in Ashgabat on November 3–5. He said the data centres would use surplus electricity, attract investment and create high-tech infrastructure. The companies involved were not named. Turkmenistan’s law “On Virtual Assets” has been in force since January 1, 2026.

The plan builds on the country’s power surplus. The Ministry of Energy runs 11 power plants with a combined installed capacity of more than 6,500 MW, which fully covers domestic demand and supports growing electricity exports. A unified ring energy system has been completed.

The ministry is also modernising and digitalising its grids, including a possible automated metering system with smart meters.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2026 21:39:54 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/turkmenistan-holds-talks-with-foreign-companies-on-building-data-centres/</link>

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		<title>Construction Advances at Tamchy Special Financial Zone on Issyk-Kul</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Construction is continuing at the Tamchy Special Financial and Investment Territory (SFIT) on the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul, reported 24.kg, citing the press service of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Cabinet Chairman Adylbek Kasymaliev visited the site and was briefed on construction work, infrastructure and planned facilities. The project provides for phased construction of office centres, residential complexes, business and tourism infrastructure, housing for future residents and a resort and recreation zone. After the visit, Kasymaliev gave instructions to the officials responsible for its further implementation.

Tamchy is designed to attract international capital and develop financial services, fintech, the IT industry, logistics and tourism. Its key feature will be a special legal, tax and foreign-exchange regime for participants. The zone will also have an international dispute resolution centre based on English law,]]></description>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2026 21:28:53 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/construction-advances-at-tamchy-special-financial-zone-on-issyk-kul/</link>

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		<title>Tekhnochem to Invest $420 Million in Bukhara Petrochemical Cluster</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Uzbek-Canadian joint venture Tekhnochem will invest $420 million in its petrochemical cluster in Bukhara region under a 2024–2028 programme, reported UzDaily, citing the press service of the President of Uzbekistan.

The company has already invested $200 million. The financing comes from $300 million of its Uzbek and Canadian founders’ funds and $120 million in loans from InfinBank and the Islamic Development Bank. The cluster occupies 69 hectares in the Gijduvan Free Economic Zone and employs about 500 people.

Processing capacity is set to rise from 260,000 to 660,000 tonnes of raw materials a year. Projects due in 2026 include a pyrolysis distillate hydrotreatment unit and a naphtha, gas condensate and methanol facility. The largest project, a $250.4 million aromatic hydrocarbons plant, is planned for 2027–2028.

The company expects to raise annual output to 6.2 trillion soums, pay up to 575 billion soums in taxes, create 700 new jobs and export about $200 million worth of products a year,]]></description>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2026 20:06:41 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/tekhnochem-to-invest-420-million-in-bukhara-petrochemical-cluster/</link>

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		<title>Kyrgyzstan Commissions $500 Million in Green Energy Projects This Year</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Green energy projects commissioned in Kyrgyzstan this year represent about $500 million in investment, reported AKIpress, citing Emilbek Orozbaev, Director of the Green Energy Fund.

Orozbaev made the statement on November 4 as part of the government’s “Open Cabinet” project. He also announced that the first 100-megawatt phase of a planned 250-megawatt solar power plant in Kochkor district of Naryn region is scheduled to start operating in 2027.

The country is also developing small hydropower. New legislation requires small hydropower plants to transfer 1% of their net profit to local self-government bodies, said Kanat Askeev, Deputy General Director of Chakan HPP. The rule is intended to give communities near the plants a direct share of the income.

The investments come as electricity demand rises sharply. According to the National Electric Network of Kyrgyzstan, daily consumption reached 66 million kWh on October 30, 29% more than a year earlier. Winter peaks regularly strain the system,]]></description>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2026 19:59:35 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/kyrgyzstan-commissions-500-million-in-green-energy-projects-this-year/</link>

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		<title>Samruk-Kazyna Reports 19% Profit Growth as Prime Minister Demands Faster Projects</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund Samruk-Kazyna increased revenue by 13% and net profit by 19% in the first nine months of 2026, reported Qazinform, citing the Government of Kazakhstan.

The results were presented by Fund Chairman Nurlan Zhakupov at a Board of Directors meeting chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov. The Fund is reviewing 69 major projects worth 43.8 trillion tenge, mostly in oil and gas, petrochemicals and power generation, and construction is under way on 44 of them.

Several projects have already been completed. A 380-km fibre-optic line linking Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan was launched in October. The Darbaza–Maktaaral railway opened, and the first freight train carrying Kazakh coal has left for Uzbekistan. The Fund also made its debut yuan bond issue, raising 3 billion yuan in Hong Kong and Astana. Purchases from domestic producers rose 45% to about 1.4 trillion tenge.

Bektenov nevertheless criticised the Fund’s management and subsidiaries for missed deadlines.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2026 20:03:10 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/samruk-kazyna-reports-19-profit-growth-as-prime-minister-demands-faster-projects/</link>

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		<title>Turkmenistan Signs 15 Memoranda with Foreign Companies at CIET-2026</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Turkmen state bodies have signed 15 memoranda of understanding with 14 companies from 10 countries at the CIET-2026 international conference and exhibition in Ashgabat, reported Turkmenportal.com.

The event, held on November 3–5, focuses on the construction, industrial, chemical and energy sectors and has brought together more than 800 delegates from 60 countries.

The agreements cover a wide range of sectors:


	Construction: the Ministry of Construction and Architecture signed with Britain’s Zaha Hadid Architects on urban planning, with Kazakhstan’s FALTEC on earthquake-resistant construction, and with Switzerland’s Leica Geosystems.
	Industry: five agreements with German companies VEM Sachsenwerk, NTS Service, Refratechnik Cement and Grenzebach BSH, and with China’s Sany.
	Energy: agreements with China’s TBEA Shenyang Transformer Group and Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation.
	Chemicals: the Türkmenhimiýa state concern signed with Denmark’s Topsoe on the reliable operation of the gas-to-]]></description>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2026 19:57:17 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/turkmenistan-signs-15-memoranda-with-foreign-companies-at-ciet-2026/</link>

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		<title>Report Warns of Tajikistan’s Dependence on Labour Migration</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Tajikistan faces growing risks from its heavy dependence on labour migration, according to a report by the Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development (EFSD), reported Asiaplus.tj.

The report, “Economic Growth, Demographics and the Labour Market: Realities and Challenges”, was presented on October 29 at a conference in Astana. It finds that migration eases unemployment and supports household incomes. However, remittances mainly boost consumption and imports rather than domestic production or better-paid jobs, and may discourage vocational training.

The scale is considerable. According to World Bank data cited in the article, remittances equalled about 46% of GDP in 2025, after 49% in 2024, one of the highest shares in the world. About a quarter of Tajikistan’s workforce works abroad. Migrants in Russia can earn at least three times as much as in comparable low-skilled jobs at home, where the average monthly wage was 3,508 somoni in July 2026.

The outlook makes the issue more pressing. Russia,]]></description>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2026 19:54:01 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/report-warns-of-tajikistans-dependence-on-labour-migration/</link>

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		<title>Uzbekistan Turns to China for Fuel as Russian Supplies Fall</title>
		<description><![CDATA[State energy company Uzbekneftegaz is negotiating with Chinese companies, including PetroChina, on supplies of AI-92 and higher-grade petrol and diesel, reported Gazeta.uz.

The company is also discussing larger imports of crude oil and gas condensate for the Bukhara Oil Refinery. Volumes will depend on domestic demand. “Today, there are various risks associated with ensuring a stable supply of petroleum products to the population,” said Farid Muminov, deputy chairman of the Uzbekneftegaz Management Board.

The company did not directly link the move to the Russian market, but the figures point to a sharp shift. Russia previously supplied 85–90% of Uzbekistan’s petrol imports. Monthly imports fell from about 141.8 million litres in April to 11.4 million litres in August, down 76.8% year on year. The Ministry of Energy has attributed the drop to shutdowns of Russian refineries after Ukrainian drone attacks.

Imports have also become more expensive.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2026 20:22:23 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/uzbekistan-turns-to-china-for-fuel-as-russian-supplies-fall/</link>

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		<title>Kyrgyzstan to Develop Three Talas Gold Deposits Without Foreign Investors</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Kyrgyzstan will develop the Taldy-Bulak, Andash and Bala-Chychkan gold deposits in Talas region on its own instead of selling licences to investors, reported 24.kg, citing President Sadyr Japarov.

Japarov made the announcement at a meeting with residents of the Aitmatov and Manas districts during his working trip to the region. The state company Kyrgyzaltyn has formed a team of specialists for the projects. The state already runs the Togolok, Kyzyl-Ompol and Unkur-Tash deposits, providing funding, machinery, equipment and trained staff. The president said environmental protection would be a top priority.

Recent amendments to the law require a mandatory 30% state stake in all mining projects.

The Jerooy deposit in Talas shows what is at stake. Its operator, Alliance Altyn, employs about 1,000 people, most of them local, and paid 20 billion soms in taxes and other payments in the first nine months of 2026. Since 2021, the company has contributed more than 3.5 billion soms to local development funds.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2026 20:14:12 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/kyrgyzstan-to-develop-three-talas-gold-deposits-without-foreign-investors/</link>

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		<title>South Korea to Grant Dushanbe $1.9 Million for Smart Transport System</title>
		<description><![CDATA[South Korea will provide Dushanbe with a grant of up to $1.9 million to develop an intelligent transport system, reported Asiaplus.tj, citing the Dushanbe mayor’s office.

The protocol was signed by the mayor’s office and South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport during a Dushanbe delegation’s working visit to Korea on November 2–6. The delegation met Assistant Minister Kim Sok Ji and visited the Road Traffic Research Institute, the Gyeonggi Province Transport Information Centre and KD Transportation Group.

The project, “Smart Transport Development in Dushanbe”, covers traffic monitoring systems, road situation analysis, infrastructure management and better public transport. It also includes training for city transport staff.

The grant is the latest in a series of Korean transport projects in Tajikistan. Under a November 2025 memorandum,]]></description>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2026 20:09:14 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/south-korea-to-grant-dushanbe-1.9-million-for-smart-transport-system/</link>

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		<title>Kazakhstan Resumes Oil Exports via Atyrau - Samara Pipeline After Drone Attack</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Kazakhstan resumed oil exports through the Atyrau–Samara pipeline on November 3, a day after a drone attack on a Russian transit hub halted pumping, reported The Times of Central Asia, citing the Kazkah Ministry of Energy.

The attack hit facilities of the Samara Production and Dispatch Centre in Russia, and oil transport stopped at 6:09 a.m. Astana time on November 2. Pumping resumed after a technical inspection, and no injuries were reported. “As of November 3, 2026, oil transportation through the Atyrau–Samara trunk pipeline is operating normally,” ministry spokesperson Assel Serikpayeva said.

Atyrau–Samara is Kazakhstan’s second-largest export route after the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC). According to KazTransOil, it carried about 9.2 million tonnes in 2025 and 7.57 million tonnes in the first nine months of 2026.

The incident is the latest in a series of disruptions to Kazakh exports. CPC, which carried about 80% of the country’s oil exports in 2025,]]></description>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2026 20:04:41 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/kazakhstan-resumes-oil-exports-via-atyrau-samara-pipeline-after-drone-attack/</link>

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		<title>Namangan Signs $105 Million Investment Agreement with Italy’s Gamma Meccanica</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Uzbekistan’s Namangan region has signed a $105 million investment agreement with the Italian company Gamma Meccanica, reported Trend, citing the regional administration.

The agreement was signed on November 1 during a visit by a Namangan delegation to Italy. It covers industrial equipment manufacturing, energy-efficient technologies and plastic waste processing. The Italian side is expected to supply industrial equipment, introduce energy-saving solutions and develop plastic recycling technologies.

The aim is to bring Italian technology and expertise into Namangan’s manufacturing sector, make production more efficient, save resources and expand recycling. The document sets a framework for further cooperation; the timetable, production capacity and breakdown of the investment have not yet been disclosed.

The deal fits Uzbekistan’s strategy of attracting European technology into its regions and developing processing industries. It was one of several investment announcements today.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2026 21:28:49 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/namangan-signs-105-million-investment-agreement-with-italys-gamma-meccanica/</link>

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		<title>Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan Sign Caspian “Super Ferry” and Baku Terminal Agreements</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have signed two agreements to strengthen freight transport across the Caspian Sea, reported Azernews, citing Azerbaijan Railways.

The documents were signed in Kazakhstan during a visit by an Azerbaijani delegation led by Shahin Babayev, Executive Director of AZCON Holding. The delegation met the management of the Samruk-Kazyna sovereign wealth fund, chaired by Nurlan Zhakupov.

The first agreement, between AZCON and Samruk-Kazyna, sets out strategic cooperation on the Caspian Bridge project, also known as the “Super Ferry”. It provides for modern high-capacity ferries running regular cargo services between Azerbaijan’s Alat port and Kazakhstan’s Kuryk port, with specialized terminals and an integrated logistics system.

The second, between Azerbaijan Railways and Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, sets out terms for a joint venture to run an intermodal cargo terminal at the Port of Baku.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2026 21:23:30 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/kazakhstan-and-azerbaijan-sign-caspian-super-ferry-and-baku-terminal-agreements/</link>

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		<title>Kyrgyz and Kazakh Companies Sign $95 Million in Agreements in Bishkek</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Kazakh companies signed agreements and contracts worth $95 million during a trade and economic mission to Bishkek, held as part of the Second Forum of Interregional Cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, reported 24.kg, citing Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration.

About 80 Kazakh companies from mechanical engineering, food production, construction, information technology and logistics took part. Talks focused on expanding exports, joint investment projects and direct business ties.

Among the deals, Kazakhstan’s Hyundai Trans Auto and Kyrgyzstan’s Trust Technologies agreed to cooperate on supplying passenger, special and commercial vehicles, as well as maintenance and servicing. QazTrade, Kazakhstan’s export development agency, signed memorandums with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kyrgyzstan and with Kyrgyz Agroholding to launch joint agro-industrial initiatives.

The forum also produced an agreement between the two countries’ largest cities. On October 30,]]></description>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2026 21:04:25 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/kyrgyz-and-kazakh-companies-sign-95-million-in-agreements-in-bishkek/</link>

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		<title>Tajikistan Plans to Increase Budget Revenues by 23%</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Tajikistan's state budget revenues in 2027 are projected to be 80.1 billion somoni (approximately $8.7 billion), an increase of 15.1 billion somoni, or 23.2%, compared to the target approved for 2026, Avesta.tj reported.

The draft of the country's main financial document for 2027, as well as the medium-term forecast for 2028–2029, were reviewed on October 29, 2026, at a government meeting chaired by President Emomali Rahmon, according to the presidential press service.

According to the presented calculations, a significant increase in budget revenues is based on the projected growth dynamics of key sectors of the national economy and the expansion of the tax base.

The social sector remains a key budget priority: 36.7 billion somoni ($3.99 billion) is planned for its funding in 2027, accounting for 44.8% of total government spending.

According to medium-term budget targets,]]></description>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Oct 2026 20:56:50 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/tajikistan-plans-to-increase-budget-revenues-by-23/</link>

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		<title>Kazakhstan’s Investment in the Water Sector Exceeds $1.85 Billion</title>
		<description><![CDATA[At a government meeting on October 29, 2026, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov announced large-scale funding for the country's water management sector. Since September 2023, investments in fixed assets in the sector have amounted to approximately 1 trillion tenge (approximately $1.85 billion), Zakon.kz reported.

Over the past two years, over 1,400 kilometers of canals, 5 reservoirs, and 8 hydraulic structures have been reconstructed in the country.

Work is currently ongoing on 4,600 kilometers of irrigation networks; 964 kilometers are planned to be commissioned by the end of the year, improving water supply to 200,000 hectares of irrigated land. Kazakhstan is a country highly dependent on external hydrological sources: average annual river flow is approximately 100-102 km³. However, only 55% of this volume is generated domestically, with the remaining 45% arriving via transboundary waterways from China, Uzbekistan, Russia,]]></description>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2026 18:40:11 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/kazakhstans-investment-in-the-water-sector-exceeds-1.85-billion/</link>

	<guid>https://centralasianlight.org/news/kazakhstans-investment-in-the-water-sector-exceeds-1.85-billion/</guid>
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		<title>Dragon Oil Plans to Increase Oil Production in Turkmenistan to 200,000 Barrels per Day</title>
		<description><![CDATA[UAE-based Dragon Oil plans to increase production in the Cheleken contract area in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea to 200,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2030, according to the state-run newspaper Neutral Turkmenistan.

The subsidiary of the UAE-based ENOC Group also announced its intention to extend its strategic partnership with the Turkmen government beyond 2035, when the current Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) expires.

Dragon Oil has been operating in Turkmenistan since May 2000, and its cumulative investment during this period has approached $12 billion, resulting in total oil production of over 490 million barrels on the Caspian shelf.

Dragon Oil's ambitious plans underscore the company's key role in Turkmenistan's oil production sector,]]></description>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2026 18:23:35 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/dragon-oil-plans-to-increase-oil-production-in-turkmenistan-to-200-000-barrels-per-day/</link>

	<guid>https://centralasianlight.org/news/dragon-oil-plans-to-increase-oil-production-in-turkmenistan-to-200-000-barrels-per-day/</guid>
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		<title>Kazakhstan Expands Business Opportunities in the EAEU Market</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The Kurultai has passed in two readings the law ratifying the Protocol amending the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union, Kazpravda.kz reported, citing the Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The adopted document contains 30 amendments covering issues related to the internal market, public procurement, technical regulation, trade in services, competition, electric power, and transport.

A key innovation introduced at Astana's initiative is the mutual recognition of bank guarantees for participation in public procurement across all member states of the Union.

Kazakhstani entrepreneurs will now be able to enter the public procurement markets of EAEU countries using documents issued by domestic banks, without needing to apply to foreign financial institutions.

Additionally, the Protocol clarifies the powers of the Eurasian Economic Commission to address unfair competition and eliminate trade barriers.

At the end of 2025,]]></description>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Oct 2026 20:26:22 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/kazakhstan-expands-business-opportunities-in-the-eaeu-market/</link>

	<guid>https://centralasianlight.org/news/kazakhstan-expands-business-opportunities-in-the-eaeu-market/</guid>
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		<title>Turkmenistan and IOGP Europe Discuss Prospects for Gas Supplies to Europe</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Turkmenistan's Ambassador to Belgium, Sapar Palvanov, held talks in Brussels with the leadership of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers Europe (IOGP Europe). The main topic of the meeting was the development of Caspian energy infrastructure and the organization of Turkmen natural gas supplies to the European market, Orient.tm reported.

Representatives of the European association emphasized the particular importance of route diversification for ensuring the EU's energy security, noting the continuing role of natural gas in the transition to clean energy. Participants discussed establishing direct cooperation between the Turkmengas State Concern and international oil and gas corporations, as well as regular expert consultations.

Sapar Palvanov expressed the country's readiness to develop long-term export routes to the west, tapping the vast resource potential of Turkmenistan's fields.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Oct 2026 19:04:29 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/turkmenistan-and-iogp-europe-discuss-prospects-for-gas-supplies-to-europe/</link>

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		<title>Small and Medium-Sized Businesses Account for More Than 50% of Kyrgyzstan’s GDP</title>
		<description><![CDATA[By the end of 2025, the share of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Kyrgyzstan's gross domestic product reached 50.9%, 24.kg reported.

According to a preliminary estimate from the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic, the gross value added generated by SMEs amounted to 1 trillion 6.7 billion soms (approximately $11.51 billion), while the average annual figure for the period 2021–2025 was 42.7%.

In 2025, there were 27,200 small and medium-sized enterprises and 479,000 farms operating in the country, and the number of registered individual entrepreneurs by January 1, 2026, increased by 3.4% year-on-year, reaching 504,900.

The sector's foreign trade turnover increased by 9.2% to $8.7 billion (exports $1.3 billion, imports $7.4 billion), with key areas of activity remaining trade and motor vehicle repair (33.8%), industry (11.9%), and construction (11.1%).

Although the average salary in the sector, at 34,643 soms (approximately $396),]]></description>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Oct 2026 18:46:02 +0600</pubDate>
		<link>https://centralasianlight.org/news/small-and-medium-sized-businesses-account-for-more-than-50-of-kyrgyzstans-gdp/</link>

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