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Uzbekistan Targets Further Reduction in Poverty Rate

Uzbekistan has set itself the ambitious goal of reducing the rate of poverty in the country from 11% to 7% in the next three years. To achieve this, the government plans to introduce a series of systematic measures to improve the economic situation of low-income segments of the population. The main emphasis will be placed on the development of the private sector and entrepreneurship, which should lead to the creation of new jobs. In addition to economic measures, attention will be paid to improving the social protection system, improving the quality and accessibility of education, and expanding access to healthcare. Since 2020, Uzbekistan has made significant progress in fighting poverty: the poverty rate has fallen in this time from 17% to 11%. This has been achieved through a comprehensive approach that includes economic and social reforms. In the Syrdarya region, for example, the poverty rate has fallen by 6 percentage points, and in the Andijan region by 5.5 percentage points. The authorities plan to allocate significant funds annually to fight poverty. This money will be distributed to regions and mahallas (local communities) with high levels of poverty, where individual support programs for each family will be introduced. Public control over the implementation of these programs will also be strengthened.

Sports olimpic games Finance Social

Central Asia’s Olympic Performance: A Regional Overview

On their return home from the Olympic Games in Paris, the Times of Central Asia reported a sense of regional unity as athletes from Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan celebrated each other's victories. Uzbekistan won 13 medals, including eight golds, two silvers, and three bronzes, placing it top amongst Central Asian countries, and in 13th place of the 206 countries on the medals table . The National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan announced that the equivalent of $5,804,108 had been allocated in the first three months of this year to prepare for the Paris-2024 Olympic Games. Rewards for its medalists were also generous. Gold medalists were awarded $200,000, Chevrolet Tahoes, and two-story cottages, while their coaches received $50,000 each. The silver and bronze medalists received cash prizes of $100,000 and $50,000, respectively, along with BYD Song Plus cars and apartments as a “President’s Gift", whilst their coaches received $25,000 for silver, and $12,500, for bronze. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the equivalent of $13,551,603 was invested in preparing the national team for the Olympics. Kazakh Olympic champions received $250,000 for gold, $150,000 for silver, and $75,000 for bronze, and with one gold, three silver, and three bronze, Kazakhstan finished 43rd overall. Kyrgyzstan allocated $3,220,140 for training its athletes and awarded silver medal winners with $83,000, and bronze medal winners with $60,000. Bringing home two silver and four bronze medals, the Kyrgyz national team was placed 68th overall. With three bronze medals, for which each athlete received $4,500, Tajikistan took 79th place. Unfortunately, despite the participation of six athletes, Turkmenistan failed to win any medals. Details concerning funding for the Tajikistan and Turkmenistan’s teams have not been disclosed.

Agriculture UNDP Irrigation Social Economy Education

Solar-Powered Irrigation System Launched Outside Tashkent

A new drip irrigation system that runs on solar power has been introduced in the Akkurgan district outside Uzbekistan's capital Tashkent. The irrigation system is being funded by the European Union, and is part of a project between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Uzbek Ministry of Agriculture. Increasing water scarcity is a serious challenge in rural Uzbekistan. Many families rely on their backyard gardens to grow vegetables, and better irrigation will help rural communities to become more economically sustainable. The system includes a water pump that extracts water from a vertical well at a depth of 180 meters, supported by solar panels. The system irrigates 0.8 hectares of land, benefiting 10 households and saving nearly 60% of water compared to traditional irrigation methods. The excess electricity generated by the solar panels is sold to the State Electricity System, and the revenue is used to manage and operate the irrigation well and the drip irrigation network. Mr. Wim Riepma, Head of Cooperation of the European Union's Delegation to Uzbekistan, commented: "This solar-powered drip irrigation system not only addresses water scarcity but also paves the way for more sustainable agriculture in Uzbekistan. Most importantly, it directly benefits local families by increasing their access to electricity and water for irrigation, thus enhancing food security and incomes."

Women's rights Security Kyrgyzstan Rule of law Legislation Social gender violence

Kyrgyzstan Strengthens Protection From Family, Sexual, and Gender Violence

The President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sadyr Japarov has signed a law aimed at strengthening the protection of its citizens from family, sexual, and gender violence. The law provides for amendments to several legislative acts and aims to provide comprehensive assistance to victims of various forms of violence. A key objective is to ensure victims' access to justice and protect their rights and interests. The law is being adopted due to the alarming situation with the level of family and gender violence in Kyrgyzstan. In 2021, more than 10,000 cases were registered, but only 2.5% of them proceeded to court. In 2023, the number of cases increased to 11,000, and 95% of the victims were women. The increasing number of such incidents and the lack of protection for victims necessitated a review of the relevant legislation. The new law is designed to address gaps in legal protection for victims and create stricter measures to punish perpetrators.

Education Turkmenistan Strategy Social UK

Turkmen Students To Be Able to Apply for British Scholarships

The British Embassy in Turkmenistan has announced the opening of applications for the Chevening Scholarship program for the 2025-2026 academic year. The scholarship, funded by the UK government, gives Turkmen students a unique opportunity to earn a Master's degree at leading British universities within one year. The Chevening program covers many specialties, and the scholarship covers all tuition, accommodation, and transportation costs, allowing students to focus fully on their studies. Candidates wishing to participate in the program must be at the beginning or middle stage of their professional career, and have an excellent command of English. Chevening provides young professionals in Turkmenistan with an opportunity to enhance their qualifications, gain invaluable learning experience at one of the world's leading universities, and broaden their professional horizons.

Quality of Life Social Healthcare

Live Long and Prosper: Kazakhstan’s Population Ageing

In 2023, life expectancy in Kazakhstan reached a record high of 75.09 years. As stated in a study from Ranking.kz, at the beginning of 2024, the number of adults over the age of 60 in the country exceeded 2.7 million, an increase of 4.2% year-on-year. Life expectancy in Kazakhstan has steadily increased for many years, except in 2020 and 2021, when it declined due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From 2022, this indicator began to rise again. The highest life expectancy was recorded in Almaty (78.28 years), Astana (78.09 years), Shymkent (76.32 years), and the Mangistau (75.84 years) and Atyrau (75.29 years) regions. By the beginning of 2024, the number of older people in the total population had reached 13.6%, up from 12% in 2020, and 9.8% in 2010. International and Kazakhstani experts predict that the population's demographic aging will intensify by 2050; the share of people over 60 will reach 16.7%, which means that every sixth resident of the country will be over 60 years old. Population aging has led to a decrease in the potential support ratio of the working-age population (25 to 64 years old) to the number of people over 65 years old. This ratio fell from 7.7 in 2012 to 5.49 in 2023. The ratio will drop to 4 by 2050, significantly increasing the working-age population's burden.