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Kazakhstan Charity Head Investigated for Embezzling Flood Relief Donations

Kazakhstan is investigating Perizat Kairat, founder of the Biz Birgemiz Qazaqstan charity fund and a prominent volunteer activist, for allegedly embezzling over 1.5 billion KZT (approximately $3.1 million) intended for victims of spring floods. According to the Financial Monitoring Agency, a significant portion of the funds raised was reportedly used to purchase luxury items and real estate. Investigators allege that Kairat acquired several high-end vehicles, including a Mercedes-Benz S450, Lexus LX-600, and Haval, as well as luxury properties in Astana’s elite residential complexes, such as “Akbulak Riviera,” “Highvill Ishim Gold,” and “Kөk Zhailau,” along with a cottage in “Vela Village.” The total value of these purchases is estimated at 600 million KZT ($1.2 million). The agency further claims that the charity’s funds financed frequent trips to Dubai, Doha, London, and Istanbul, where Kairat reportedly stayed in five-star hotels. During these trips, she is accused of purchasing expensive accessories from luxury brands, dining at elite restaurants, and organizing lavish boat trips. Relatives and associates of Kairat are also implicated, accused of cashing out the charity’s funds for a fee of 8%. These alleged actions have reportedly eroded public trust in charitable and volunteer organizations, raising concerns about their transparency and integrity. Kairat has been detained pending further investigation. The Biz Birgemiz Qazaqstan charity fund, established in 2021, began as a nationwide volunteer movement with 15,000 members. The fund organized aid collections for flood victims in the West Kazakhstan, Aktobe, Kostanay, Abay, Akmola, and Ulytau regions. Donations from individuals and major companies were channeled through banking applications to support the fund’s efforts. Kairat, who also runs a family business exporting meat to Arab countries and owns a chain of flower shops, claimed in a social media post that she headed the foundation without financial compensation. She is also a member of the Public Council of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms. Kairat’s detention comes as Kazakhstan's Ministry of Culture and Information works on proposed legislative changes to regulate charitable activities. These amendments aim to grant state bodies greater control over fundraising efforts. However, experts warn that such measures could significantly hinder charity work in the country. For example, proposed restrictions on independent fundraising have sparked concerns among activists and organizations, with critics arguing that these changes may stifle grassroots initiatives and reduce public participation in charitable causes.

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ADB Launches ‘Glaciers to Farms’ Initiative to Combat Climate Change in Central Asia

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has unveiled a new regional initiative, Glaciers to Farms, aimed at promoting sustainable water management and food security in Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Pakistan. The program addresses the severe effects of accelerated glacial melt caused by climate change. Backed by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), ADB will conduct risk assessments of glacial melt in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to establish a scientific and technical foundation for the program. Regional Cooperation for Glacier Preservation On November 14 in Baku, Azerbaijan, a declaration of support for glacier preservation was signed by several regional leaders: Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Yerlan Nyssanbayev, Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision Meder Mashiev, Tajikistan’s Committee on Environmental Protection Chairman Bahodur Sheralizoda, and Uzbekistan’s Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change Aziz Abdukhakimov. They were joined by ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa and GCF Chief Investment Officer Henry Gonzalez. “As melting glaciers change water flows, disrupt lives, and destroy ecosystems, we must act now,” said Asakawa. “As Asia and the Pacific’s climate bank, we are pleased to be joined by key partners to launch this program to drive international collaboration and deliver results where they matter most—on the ground, in communities at risk.” The Urgent Need for Action Temperatures in the region are expected to rise by up to 6 degrees Celsius by 2100. The resulting loss of glacial mass poses a dire threat to ecosystems, jeopardizing water supplies for agriculture and hydropower and endangering the livelihoods of over 380 million people. The Glaciers to Farms program aims to mobilize up to $3.5 billion in funding from ADB, GCF, governments, development partners, and the private sector. Beyond investments in water and agriculture, the program will prioritize vulnerable communities in fragile mountain regions that are most threatened by glacial melt. Global and Regional Efforts The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2025 the International Year of Glacier Preservation, with Tajikistan set to host the International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation in Dushanbe next year. At a high-level event in Baku on November 12, Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon underscored the importance of preventing further glacier melt and preserving fragile ecosystems. Rahmon highlighted the establishment of the International Trust Fund for the Preservation of Glaciers under the United Nations’ auspices and noted the UN’s recent adoption of a resolution—initiated by Tajikistan and France—declaring 2025-2034 the Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences. This resolution calls for enhanced efforts to safeguard glaciers globally. Rahmon also proposed creating a Regional Coordination Center for Glaciology in Dushanbe under the World Meteorological Organization’s guidance. The center would study the impact of climate change on glaciers in collaboration with development partners.

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Uzbekistan and Germany Partner on Green Industrialization with €3 Million Grant

On November 13, at the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Azerbaijan's capital Baku, Uzbekistan's Ministry of Economy and Finance signed a memorandum with the German International Cooperation Society (GIZ) to secure additional funding for a project aimed at supporting the private sector in green industrialization. As part of the initiative, Germany has allocated €9 million to help Uzbekistan’s private sector transition to a green economy. The project is designed to assist the Uzbek government in implementing economic reforms and fostering sustainable economic development, focusing on enhancing the capacity of both the public and private sectors to adopt green industrialization practices. The initiative will also provide technical expertise in measuring and certifying greenhouse gas emissions, supporting Uzbekistan’s participation in international carbon trading mechanisms, and aligning with the European Union’s Cross-Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Additionally, it aims to promote resource-saving and sustainable production by encouraging the private sector to adopt green technologies, including circular economy practices and green industrial park models. To further bolster the project, a €3 million grant was approved during the conference. This funding will complement the ongoing initiative, titled “Support to the Private Sector and Advice on Economic Policy in Uzbekistan.”

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Kyrgyzstan Opens New Village for People Resettled from Barak Exclave

On November 15, Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov attended the opening of a new village, Jany-Barak, in the country’s southern Osh region. The village was constructed for Kyrgyz citizens resettled from the Barak exclave, previously Kyrgyzstan’s largest exclave, located in Uzbekistan’s Andijan region. For many years, the residents of the exclave experienced severe difficulties due to their partial isolation and the difficulty of traveling between the exclave and the Kyrgyz mainland. After signing a border delimitation agreement with Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan ceded a portion of its land to Kyrgyzstan in exchange for control of the Barak exclave. Construction of Jany-Barak (New Barak) was launched in May 2024 and is now complete. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Japarov emphasized that the construction of the new village marked a significant milestone. He highlighted that residents, who had relocated from the exclave, can now live and work in Kyrgyzstan, on their native land, in new homes, with renewed confidence in their future. Japarov highlighted the extensive work completed to establish infrastructure in the new village: 101 residential houses have been built, roads have been laid, electricity has been connected, and wells for clean drinking water have been drilled. The new village will have social amenities, including a school, a kindergarten, a park, a mosque, and a football (soccer) field. Plots have been allocated to residents for agricultural use.

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Human Rights Activists Urge Belgian Authorities to Halt Deportation of Tajik Citizens with Children

The human rights organization Freedom for Eurasia has called on Belgian authorities to halt the deportation of Sitoramo Ibrohimova and her four children to Tajikistan. Human rights activists argue that the 37-year-old, currently being held in a Belgian migration detention center, risks facing persecution in Tajikistan, where she is accused of ISIS affiliation and participation in the war in Syria. Her name is reportedly included on a list of individuals linked to extremism by the National Bank of Tajikistan. Ibrohimova is married to Murodali Halimov, who was sentenced to 23 years in prison in Tajikistan on terrorism and mercenary charges. Leyla Nazgul Seyitbek, head of Freedom for Eurasia, informed Radio Ozodi that while Belgium has not agreed to extradite Ibrohimova, they have decided on deportation. “She is depressed, and her 12-year-old son has stopped speaking due to stress,” Seyitbek said. In addition to her children, Ibrohimova cares for the two daughters of her sister, Nigora Saidova, who was deported from Poland and sentenced to seven years in Tajikistan for allegedly “supporting terrorism.” According to The Insider, Tajikistan has requested Ibrohimova's extradition, though activists insist the terrorism charges are fabricated. Since 2015, when the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT) was banned, many IRPT supporters and other opposition members have fled, seeking asylum in Europe. However, reports from European media, including The Insider and Polityka, indicate that EU authorities frequently deport Tajik refugees without full consideration of their cases, despite concerns over their safety if returned to Tajikistan. The Times of Central Asia is covering the detention of Tajik opposition figure Dilmurod Ergashev, who was deported from Germany. In recent years, several political refugees have faced deportation from the EU and were subsequently sentenced to long prison terms in Tajikistan. Examples include Abdullo Shamsiddin, son of IRPT activist Shamsiddin Saidov, who received a seven-year sentence, and Bilol Kurbonaliev from Group 24, sentenced to ten years. Farrukh Ikromov, deported from Poland, received a 23-year sentence, and Hizbullo Shovalizoda, an IRPT member deported from Austria in 2020, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in Tajikistan.

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Kazakhstan Sports Anticipates Influx of Russian and Belarusian Athletes

Kazakhstan's lower house of parliament, the Mazhilis, has approved in its first reading a bill on physical culture and sports that would ban the funding of foreign athletes (legionnaires) from the state budget and national companies with government stakes. However, even if this bill is enacted, Kazakh sports teams will retain a legal avenue to invite athletes from Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries using public funds. For the first time, Kazakhstan’s national legislature is proposing a provision prohibiting the use of state funds to finance athletes who are not citizens of Kazakhstan, with the goal of prioritizing Kazakh athletes in terms of both sports representation and financial support. Minister of Tourism and Sports Yerbol Myrzabasynov has also suggested setting a cap on state funding for professional sports clubs, which would vary by sport according to national priorities. “The freed funds will be redirected towards children’s and youth sports, including boarding schools, youth sports schools, sports reserves, and facility upgrades,” Myrzabasynov explained. The bill was approved in the first reading. Currently, government funding for sports clubs in Kazakhstan comes from two main sources. Teams competing internationally, such as the Barys hockey team in the Continental Hockey League, the Astana basketball team in the VTB United League, and the Astana cycling team in the World Tour, receive support from the Samruk-Kazyna fund. Other teams in soccer, hockey, basketball, and volleyball competing in Kazakhstan’s national championships are funded by local budgets, with Astana’s soccer team - which also receives sponsorship from the Samruk-Kazyna fund - being the sole exception. Should the bill pass, these teams will need to rely on Kazakh athletes — or athletes from EAEU countries such as Russia, Belarus, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan. The Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union, enacted in January 2015, promotes the free movement of services, goods, capital, and labor across member states, ensuring equal labor rights and remuneration for citizens of EAEU countries. This treaty means that Kazakh clubs cannot restrict funding for athletes from EAEU nations without breaching international commitments. In Kazakh soccer, for instance, EAEU athletes are not counted as foreign players in the Premier League, a policy instituted after the Kazakhstan Football Federation set a limit on foreign players several years ago, capping each team’s roster at eight foreign players per season. Athletes from Russia, Belarus, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan, however, are treated as domestic players due to Kazakhstan’s international obligations. This arrangement stems from Kazakhstan’s Law on Legal Acts, which stipulates that ratified international treaties take precedence over national laws. Therefore, if the bill banning foreign athletes' funding from the state budget is fully enacted, EAEU athletes will remain exempt from this ban. The bill must still pass through a second reading in the Mazhilis, two readings in the Senate, and obtain presidential approval before it becomes law. Questions remains as to whether Kazakh sports clubs will use this provision to hire athletes from EAEU countries, given potential legal challenges. Local administrations (akimats) who would be affected by any restrictions on funding for...