• KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00196 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09217 0.55%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28615 0.14%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00196 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09217 0.55%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28615 0.14%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00196 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09217 0.55%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28615 0.14%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00196 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09217 0.55%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28615 0.14%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00196 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09217 0.55%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28615 0.14%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00196 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09217 0.55%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28615 0.14%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00196 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09217 0.55%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28615 0.14%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00196 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09217 0.55%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28615 0.14%
08 February 2025

Viewing results 1 - 6 of 2337

Are Registry Errors Behind Migrants’ Bank Account Freezes in Russia?

Dozens of migrants in Russia have complained that they were wrongfully included in the newly launched Register of Controlled Persons, leading to blocked bank accounts, detentions at the border, and job dismissals, according to human rights activist Valentina Chupik. During the first two days of the registry's operation, 31 people sought Chupik's assistance: 13 were citizens of Kyrgyzstan, eight from Tajikistan, seven from Uzbekistan, and one each from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan. Among them were three holders of Russian residence permits and one with a temporary residence permit. All claim they were added to the list without justification. The majority - 17 people - discovered their inclusion in the register through blocked bank accounts, with 12 of them clients of T-Bank. Four were notified by police following their detention, another four were denied entry at the Russian border, and one individual lost their job. Interviews with those affected revealed no valid reasons for their inclusion in the registry, except for four cases where there might have been formal grounds for entry bans. However, none of these migrants had received prior notification. In addition, five had previously faced unlawful restrictions: three were expelled, one was stripped of a residence permit, and another was banned from entry - though all these decisions were later overturned. Chupik advised migrants to withdraw their money from Russian banks immediately, warning that indiscriminate entries into the registry put their finances at risk. “Since they enter the register indiscriminately, I advise you to withdraw all your funds and send them home, leaving only the necessary minimum,” she said. Baza, a Telegram channel linked to Russian law enforcement agencies, also reported the mass blocking of hundreds of foreign nationals' accounts. Additionally, human rights activist Alexander Kim stated that refusals to provide state services, including migration registration, have become increasingly common. The Register of Controlled Persons was launched in summer 2024 following the adoption of a law on the expulsion of foreign citizens. The move came amid an anti-migrant crackdown that intensified after the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack. Foreign nationals included in the register face deportation and lose the right to register businesses and property in Russia.

Switzerland to Return $182 Million in Confiscated Gulnara Karimova Assets to Uzbekistan

On February 6, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Justice, Akbar Tashkulov, and Switzerland’s Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Konstantin Obolensky, signed an agreement on the repatriation of confiscated assets, the Uzbek Ministry of Justice reported. Under the agreement, approximately $182 million will be returned to Uzbekistan. These funds were illegally obtained by certain Uzbek citizens and were fully confiscated in 2012 by the Swiss Prosecutor General’s Office as part of criminal proceedings against Gulnara Karimova, the eldest daughter of former President Islam Karimov. The money will be transferred through the United Nations Uzbekistan Vision 2030 Fund Multi-Partner Trust Fund. This is not the first such agreement. In August 2022, Uzbekistan and Switzerland signed a similar agreement in Bern, outlining principles and mechanisms for returning illegally acquired assets. That agreement confirmed that the returned funds would be used for the benefit of Uzbekistan’s population through the UN trust fund. Under the 2022 agreement, Uzbekistan was set to receive around $131 million. With this latest deal, the total amount of repatriated funds will now reach $313 million. The Uzbekistan Vision 2030 Fund will allocate these funds to socially significant projects, particularly in healthcare and education.

British Company to Produce Flexible Concrete Material in Kyrgyzstan

The government of Kyrgyzstan and British company Concrete Canvas have signed an agreement to build a plant in Kyrgyzstan that will produce flexible concrete canvas, the government’s press service announced on February 6. Concrete Canvas manufactures waterproof, flexible, concrete-filled geosynthetic composite mats, primarily used to line irrigation canals to prevent erosion and reduce seepage losses. The planned production capacity of the new plant is at least 5 million square meters of concrete canvas per year. At the signing ceremony in Bishkek, Chairman of the Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers, Adylbek Kasymaliyev, highlighted the project as an example of an effective public-private partnership. He noted that five tons of this innovative material could replace 100 tons of cement in canal lining, significantly improving installation efficiency while delivering the same expected results. The agreement follows negotiations in April 2024, when representatives of Concrete Canvas visited Kyrgyzstan to discuss the project. The talks involved Kyrgyz Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry, Bakyt Torobayev, and the then British Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, who was on an official visit. Torobayev underscored the importance of the material, stating, “Across Kyrgyzstan, the length of canals is 30,000 km, including 11,000 km of unsurfaced canals. By laying concrete material on these canals, we will avoid seepage of water and ensure its efficient use. Kyrgyzstan is an agricultural country with a lot of arable land, so we really need such materials.” He also confirmed that the British company’s plant will be built in the Osh region, in southern Kyrgyzstan.

Kyrgyzstan to Export Agricultural Products to China

On February 6, in Beijing, Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry, Bakyt Torobayev, and China’s Head of the General Administration of Customs, Sun Meijun, signed protocols allowing the export of Kyrgyz agricultural products to China. The approved goods include beans, wool, cashmere, poultry meat, and offal. Torobayev emphasized that these agreements represent an important step forward in strengthening trade and economic ties between Kyrgyzstan and China. According to the Kyrgyz Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry, trade turnover between the two countries nearly tripled from 2019 to 2023, reaching $5.433 billion - a 31.6% increase from 2022. In January-November 2024, bilateral trade continued to grow, rising by 6.9%. The Kyrgyz minister expressed optimism about the early signing of additional export protocols for dried fruits, fresh fruits, vegetables, berries, raw cattle hides, and heat-treated meat. "We are confident that these goods will be in demand in the Chinese market," he stated. To facilitate trade, Torobayev proposed establishing a Chinese certification body’s representative office in Kyrgyzstan to simplify the certification process for Kyrgyz exports to China. During his visit to Beijing, Torobayev also met with Jilin Teyan Biotechnology Co., Ltd., a Chinese manufacturer of veterinary vaccines, to discuss the supply of vaccines to Kyrgyzstan. The company expressed interest in building a vaccine production plant in Kyrgyzstan to manufacture treatments for cattle and poultry diseases. These discussions took place as part of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov’s state visit to China from February 4 to 7. During a meeting on February 5, Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed China’s commitment to expanding economic, trade, and investment cooperation with Kyrgyzstan and expressed China’s willingness to import more high-quality agricultural products from the country.

Visits of Chinese Tourists to Kazakhstan Surged in 2024

In 2024, 655,000 Chinese tourists visited Kazakhstan, representing a 78% increase compared to the previous year, Nurtas Karipbayev, chairman of the Tourism Industry Committee at the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Kazakhstan, announced at a press conference on February 6. The surge in visitors comes as Kazakhstan declared 2024 the "Year of Kazakhstan Tourism in China", an initiative aimed at strengthening cultural and economic ties between the two countries. The program promoted Kazakhstan as a travel destination and facilitated collaborations between tourism industry stakeholders from both nations. As part of the initiative, leading Chinese media and social networks - with a combined audience exceeding 1.3 billion people - broadcast and published content about Kazakhstan, significantly boosting its appeal among Chinese travelers, Karipbayev stated. He noted that Almaty was the most popular destination for Chinese tourists in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan also participated in four major tourism exhibitions in China: ITB China, ITE Hong Kong, COTTM, and the China International Medical Tourism Fair. These events helped establish new partnerships with leading Chinese tour operators. "Throughout the year, various Kazakh cities and regions hosted 10 major presentation tours. These events further heightened interest in Kazakhstan. Participation in tourism exhibitions and the organization of informational tours remain key priorities in our collaboration," Karipbayev said. The increase in tourist flow was further supported by the mutual visa-free travel regime, which took effect in November 2023. Under this arrangement, Kazakh and Chinese citizens can travel visa-free for up to 30 days per visit, with a maximum stay of 90 calendar days within a 180-day period. The agreement covers tourism, medical treatment, business trips, and transit travel. Following the success of 2024, the governments of Kazakhstan and China have designated 2025 as the "Year of China Tourism in Kazakhstan", aiming to further expand travel and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Kazakhstan Moves to Strengthen Penalties for Inciting Ethnic Hatred

The Ministry of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan has proposed tougher legislation to prevent interethnic and interreligious conflicts. Minister Aida Balayeva emphasized the need to strengthen legal responsibility for inciting discord, highlighting that approximately 4,000 religious associations representing 18 different confessions are registered in Kazakhstan. According to Balayeva, the existing legal framework should be reinforced. "It is necessary to accelerate the process of legal support for this issue," she stated. She added that the government continues to provide grant support to ethno-cultural associations as part of broader efforts to maintain interethnic harmony and unity. The ministry is also intensifying its fight against misinformation and working to enhance the security of the country’s information space. As part of these initiatives, the law "On Mass Media" was adopted. In 2023, authorities identified more than 67,000 violations of the law on online platforms, leading to the removal of over 18,000 pieces of content deemed unlawful. Additionally, efforts are underway to improve journalism standards, including specialized training programs for media professionals. Kazakhstan’s current legislation already imposes strict penalties for inciting social, national, tribal, racial, class, or religious discord. Under Article 174 of the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan, offenders can face imprisonment for up to 20 years. Several recent cases highlight the government's determination to enforce these laws. In January 2025, Kazakhstani journalist Dana Ormanbayeva was placed on an international wanted list on charges of inciting ethnic hatred. At the beginning of the year, Temirlan Ensebek, author of the satirical blog QazNews24, was arrested for two months for publishing material allegedly containing clear signs of inciting interethnic hatred by insulting representatives of an entire ethnic group.