IDB to Fund $156.3 Million for Cancer Hospitals in Turkmenistan

Turkmenportal reported that a Turkmenistan delegation visited Washington DC from October 22 to 26 to participate in the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, along with related events. During the visit, representatives of Turkmenistan's financial and banking sector engaged in bilateral discussions with foreign partners. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has approved $156.3 million in funding to build three specialized cancer treatment hospitals in Turkmenistan. These modern facilities will be located in Balkanabad, Turkmenabad, and Mari, with a combined capacity to serve over 11,750 patients. The agreement was signed in a meeting between IDB President Muhammad Al Jasser and Rahimberdi Jepbarov, Chairman of the State Bank for Foreign Economic Affairs of Turkmenistan. Meanwhile, on October 24, Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche, in partnership with Nobel Almaty Pharmaceutical Factory, launched the production of innovative drugs in Almaty, Kazakhstan. This initiative is part of an agreement between Roche, Kazakhstan’s SK-Pharmacy, Nobel, and the Kazakh Research Institute of Oncology and Radiology, supported by Kazakh Invest. Under this collaboration, Roche will locally produce three biotechnological drugs to treat HER2-positive breast cancer, a highly aggressive form affecting up to 20% of breast cancer patients in Kazakhstan.

Islamic Development Bank Supports Rogun HPP Project in Tajikistan

News agency Khovar has reported on the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) support in the construction of the Rogun Hydropower Plant (HPP) in Tajikistan. Dr. Muhammad Suleiman Al-Jasser, President of the IDB Group, announced this after a meeting with Tajik President, Emomali Rahmon. The meeting detailed Tajikistan's history towards economic development and outlined the country's priorities for the future. "The Islamic Development Bank has cooperated closely and successfully with Tajikistan for many years. Financing under this agreement has amounted to more than $900 million. We are satisfied with the current level of cooperation. One of the projects under consideration today is support for the Rogun Hydroelectric Power Plant project. The Islamic Development Bank has decided to sign an agreement with the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan,” Muhammad Suleiman Al-Jasser stated. Al-Jasser noted that IDB funds allocated to Tajikistan are directed to energy, education, industry, agriculture, transportation, and other key economic sectors. “We are confident that the current cooperation will be expanded and will serve as an invitation to other participants and investors,” Al-Jasser concluded.