Page 143 – The Times Of Central Asia

27 Aug 2025

Central Asia, Environment, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan Environment

Turkmenistan to Designate Bolshoy and Maly Balkhan Mountains as Protected Areas

August 27, 2025
By Vagit Ismailov

The government of Turkmenistan has announced plans to designate the Bolshoy and Maly Balkhan mountain ranges as protected areas. A new nature reserve is currently being established, with its core zone centered on Bolshoy Balkhan and additional wildlife sanctuaries to be located on Maly Balkhan and the Yuzhny Ustyurt plateau.

Ecosystem Under Pressure

Concerns about preserving the unique Balkhan ecosystem date back to the 19th century. The first official discussions arose in 1832 following Grigory Karelin’s expedition to the Caspian Sea. By 1836, cartographers had documented the eastern Caspian coastline, the ancient Amu Darya riverbed, and the Bolshoy Balkhan ridge.

Zoologists such as Mikhail Laptev (1920s-1930s) and Gheldy Shukurov (1940s) later highlighted the ecological value of this “mountain island in the desert,” a view supported by contemporary scientists who continue to stress its conservation importance.

For decades, the slopes of the Balkhans have served as seasonal pastures for small livestock from May to October. This overgrazing has degraded natural ecosystems and reduced biodiversity. The new reserve aims to reverse this trend by limiting cattle grazing to foothills and surrounding pastures.

The Natural Wealth of the Balkhans

The Balkhan region features a striking mix of desert plains and mountain-steppe terrain. Its highest peak is Mount Arlan, which rises to 1,880 meters. The area is home to two species of amphibians, 28 species of reptiles, 174 species of birds, and 45 species of mammals.

Among the most distinctive species is the gray monitor lizard, the region’s largest lizard, growing up to 1.5 meters in length. The Central Asian leopard once roamed these mountains but has since migrated to the Ustyurt Plateau. In its absence, populations of wolves and jackals have increased.

Other rare animals found in the area include the Turkmen corsac fox, manul (Pallas’s cat), banded gerbil, rock marten, and Severtsov’s jerboa.

Maly Balkhan, with its unique topography and the renowned Chalsuv spring, famous for its distinctive taste, reaches a height of 780 meters. In earlier decades, saigas would migrate here from Kazakhstan during winter, though such migrations have not occurred in recent years.

Part of a Broader Conservation Push

The creation of the Balkhan Reserve is part of Turkmenistan’s National Forest Program (2021-2025). The initiative also includes preparations for establishing the Zengibaba Reserve in Dashoguz velayat and expanding the Amudarya State Reserve. Additional protected areas are planned for Lebap velayat, particularly on the Tallymerdzhen Plain, which is home to the rare sandpiper.

27 Aug 2025

Central Asia, Home, Life & Culture, Kazakhstan Life & Culture, Kazakhstan, Features, Kazakhstan Featurees, Kazakhstan Home

Backup Goalkeeper Anarbekov Secures Champions League Berth for Kairat Almaty

August 27, 2025
By Dmitry Pokidaev

Temirlan Anarbekov, the reserve goalkeeper for Kazakhstani football club Kairat Almaty, played a starring role as his team reached the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time. On August 26 Kairat secured its place in Europe’s premier club competition this season by beating Scottish champions Celtic in the final qualifying round.

Kairat entered the Champions League qualifiers after claiming their fourth domestic title last year. This summer, the Kazakh champions successfully navigated three qualifying rounds, defeating Slovenia’s Olimpija, Finland’s KuPS, and Slovakia’s Slovan Bratislava, to reach a decisive playoff against Celtic.

The Scottish club, a regular participant in recent Champions League group stages, posed a formidable challenge. Kairat, by contrast, had previously reached the autumn phase of European competition just once, in the lesser UEFA Conference League three years ago.

In the first leg in Glasgow last week, Kairat held Celtic to a 0-0 draw. However, the result came at a cost: first-choice goalkeeper and national team regular Alexander Zarutsky sustained a leg muscle injury and had to be substituted. Temirlan Anarbekov, the team’s backup, stepped in.

With Zarutsky still sidelined, Anarbekov started the return leg in Almaty. He delivered a flawless performance, keeping a clean sheet through regular time and two 15-minute periods of extra time.

The match was ultimately decided by a penalty shootout. Anarbekov stole the spotlight by saving three out of five attempts. Kairat won the shootout 3-2. The team became only the second from Kazakhstan to reach the Champions League group stage, following Astana’s breakthrough in 2015.

Kairat will discover its group-stage opponents during the Champions League draw on August 28. They are Kazakhstan’s sole representative in European competition this season, after Aktobe failed to qualify for both the Europa League and Conference League, and Shymkent’s Ordabasy and Astana exited in earlier rounds.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Uzbekistan, the national football federation continues its search for a new head coach. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, former South Korea and Portugal manager Paulo Bento is the frontrunner for the role.

26 Aug 2025

Home, Life & Culture, Kazakhstan Life & Culture, Kazakhstan, Features, Kazakhstan Featurees

Almaty to Open Central Asia’s First Private Museum of Contemporary Art

August 26, 2025
By Tamila Olzhbaekova

Almaty is preparing for a cultural milestone of international significance. In September 2025, the Almaty Museum of Arts will open its doors as the first private museum of contemporary art in Central Asia. The project is poised to reshape Kazakhstan’s cultural landscape and position Almaty as a new regional hub for artists, curators, and global audiences.

Architecture and Concept

The 10,000-square-meter building was designed by British firm Chapman Taylor, in collaboration with Buro Happold and Lord Cultural Resources. The architectural concept draws on Almaty’s unique identity: stone elements evoke the surrounding mountains, while metal structures reflect the city’s dynamism. Together, they create a space where art exists in a dialogue with both nature and urban life.

The museum will include permanent and temporary exhibition halls, artist studios, educational auditoriums, a performance venue, a restoration laboratory, a café, and a museum shop.

Image: Almaty Museum of Arts

Investment and Collection

The project is valued at approximately $100 million, with $30 million allocated for construction and $70 million for building the collection and outfitting the museum. The collection already comprises more than 700 works, spanning Kazakh and Central Asian artists as well as internationally renowned figures such as Yayoi Kusama, Alicja Kwade, Richard Serra, Yinka Shonibare, and Bill Viola.

One permanent installation has already captured the public’s attention: Nades, a 12-meter sculpture by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, stands at the museum’s main entrance. Depicting a young girl with her eyes closed, the artwork has sparked mixed reactions. Museum founder Nurlan Smagulov described it as a symbol of the “strength, dignity, and beauty of women.” While some praised its serenity and conceptual elegance, others questioned its cost and originality. Regardless, Nades has succeeded in igniting a public discourse, something all meaningful art aspires to, making the museum a topic of national conversation before its official opening.

Image: Almaty Museum of Arts

Curators and Opening Program

Meruert Kalieva, founder of Almaty’s Aspan Gallery, has been appointed artistic director. The museum’s chief curator will be Inga Lāce, formerly of the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art and a contributor to the Venice Biennale.

The inaugural program includes: “I Understand Everything” – a solo exhibition by Kazakh artist Almagul Menlibayeva, tracing her work since the 1980s, and “Qonaqtar” – a group exhibition exploring themes of hospitality and migration, curated from the museum’s growing collection.

Aisha Galimbaeva, “Shepherd’s Wedding”, 1965; image: Almaty Museum of Arts

Role for the City and the Region

The Almaty Museum of Arts aims to serve as a bridge between Central Asia and the global contemporary art world. Beyond exhibitions, it will function as an educational platform, hosting lectures, masterclasses, and programming for children and students.

The institution is expected to boost the local art scene while drawing international visitors, contributing to the creation of a new cultural district in Almaty. More broadly, it signals Central Asia’s readiness to participate fully in global artistic discourse. Almaty stands to emerge as the cultural capital of the region, with the museum itself symbolizing Kazakhstan’s modernity, hospitality, and creative vitality.

As one installation has already demonstrated, if a single artwork can inspire debate and reflection, the full unveiling of the museum is likely to resonate far beyond Kazakhstan’s borders.

26 Aug 2025

International Affairs, Kyrgyzstan International Affairs

Kyrgyzstan and China to Expand Healthcare Cooperation

August 26, 2025
By Sergey Kwan

China is exploring investment opportunities in Kyrgyzstan’s healthcare sector, including the construction of a pharmaceutical plant using locally grown medicinal herbs and the establishment of a medical equipment assembly facility, according to Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Health.

These prospects were discussed during a meeting in Bishkek between Kyrgyz Health Minister Erkin Checheybaev and a Belt and Road healthcare investment coordinator from Xinjiang Medical University in Urumqi.

The talks focused on deepening healthcare cooperation within the framework of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Key proposals included:

Supplying high-tech medical equipment to Kyrgyz hospitals and clinics
Establishing medical simulation centers and equipping Kyrgyz medical universities through grant support
Offering fully funded bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in China for Kyrgyz students
Creating a Kyrgyz-Chinese Center for Traditional Medicine

Similar centers currently operate in Pakistan and Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan may soon join this regional network under the “Silk Road for Traditional Medicine” initiative.

China also signaled its willingness to provide educational materials and dispatch specialists to train Kyrgyz medical professionals in traditional Chinese medicine practices.

26 Aug 2025

Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan Life & Culture, Life & Culture, Kyrgyzstan

South Korea to Support Health and Nutrition in Kyrgyz Schools

August 26, 2025
By Sergey Kwan

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), in partnership with Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Education, has launched a new initiative aimed at improving health and nutrition in schools by incorporating locally produced agricultural products into school meals.

According to KOICA’s Kyrgyzstan office, the project will directly benefit approximately 16,000 students and local farmers across the regions of Osh, Jalal-Abad, Chui, Naryn, and Batken.

The project aims to enhance children’s health through fortified school meals, upgraded school infrastructure, and capacity-building programs for school personnel.

With a total budget of $10 million, the program will run until 2028. It will support the renovation of kitchens and dining areas, the construction of toilets, the installation of handwashing stations, and the delivery of educational programs on healthy eating, meal procurement, health, and hygiene in approximately 40 schools.

In addition, the project includes training for local agricultural cooperatives on crop cultivation, post-harvest handling, and operational management, alongside the development of model farms.

A key component of the initiative is expanding access to clean water and ensuring that hygiene and sanitation services are adequate, inclusive, and gender-sensitive.

This is not KOICA’s first investment in Kyrgyzstan’s development. Earlier, The Times of Central Asia reported on a separate $10 million project launched by KOICA to improve air quality in the country, with a particular focus on Bishkek.

26 Aug 2025

Business & Economy, Home

Rising Cost of Private Education in Central Asia Widens Wealth Gap

August 26, 2025
By Sadokat Jalolova

The cost of private education in Central Asia continues to rise sharply, increasingly making it an option reserved for the region’s wealthiest families, according to a report by Akchabar.

Once a rarity, private schools have proliferated across the region over the past decade, driven by parental demand for smaller class sizes, enhanced discipline, improved safety, and individualized learning. Many institutions now offer full-day programs that include lessons, supervised homework, and extracurricular activities ranging from robotics and IT to sports and languages. In cases of academic decline, private tutors are assigned to help students catch up, services rarely available in the public sector.

Kyrgyzstan

The number of private schools in Kyrgyzstan has risen from 152 in 2020 to 224 in 2024. Annual fees vary widely: Smart School charges approximately $2,861 per year, while Indigo Sapat starts at $4,500. Tensai International School costs up to $9,600 annually, and BIS ranks among the most expensive at $15,000. More affordable options include Avenir International, with monthly fees between $423 and $480.

To address overcrowding in public schools, particularly in Bishkek and Osh, the government has begun easing licensing procedures for private institutions.

Kazakhstan

In Almaty, tuition rates also span a wide range. Baiterek School charges $274 per month, while Koula.kz costs $443. Tamos Space School offers an annual program for nearly $4,900. Premium institutions such as Miras International School Almaty charge between $9,600 and $12,927 per year, while Galaxy International starts at $8,319.

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan’s private education market is expanding rapidly. Artel TS charges $358 per month, while Diplomat International reaches up to $628. Wise School costs $437 per month, and Oxbridge International remains among the most affordable at $752 per year for primary classes. At the top end, CIS Tashkent stands as the region’s most expensive school, with tuition ranging from $19,000 to over $24,000 annually.

Tajikistan

Private school fees are particularly high relative to average incomes. At Empire of Knowledge, annual tuition starts at $2,362 for lower grades and rises to $2,545 for upper grades. Ruyo School offers separate programs: English-language instruction costs $2,899 per year, while the Russian-language track is around $2,577. Meanwhile, Shakhsiyat School charges approximately $1,610 annually for Tajik- or Russian-language instruction, and nearly $1,933 for the English-language track.

A Growing Divide

Despite the range of offerings, private school costs remain out of reach for most families. In Uzbekistan, where the average monthly wage is about $476, even mid-tier private schools amount to several months of income, while top schools charge more than $20,000 per year. In Tajikistan, where average monthly wages stand at around $279, tuition starting at $1,600 is unaffordable for the vast majority of households.

For wealthier families, however, private education has become both an investment and a marker of social status, with the choice of school often carrying as much weight as profession or income.