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A number of UN Special Rapporteurs have denounced the repression of independent media in Kyrgyzstan and sent a letter to the authorities of the country. In the letter, they mentioned recent events related to the publications Kloop, 24.kg and Temirov Live, Vesti.kg reports. The UN Special Rapporteurs called on the Kyrgyz authorities to fully respect international norms and standards regarding freedom of expression. "We are concerned that attacks on independent journalists and news outlets appear to be a direct result of their independent journalistic investigations. We are concerned that independent media and human rights defenders are worried that they will not be able to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and associations to do their legitimate work without intimidation or reprisal," the letter states. The authors of the letter also ask the Kyrgyz authorities to provide detailed information on the charges against Kloop, 24.kg and Temirov Live. Earlier TCA reported that evidence regarding the case of 11 current and former journalists of Temirov Live, arrested on charges of calling for mass riots, were transferred to the court and will soon be handed over to the judge.
On May 3, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan hosted the first meeting of the Turkmenistan-UN Strategic Advisory Council. In addition to its approval of a Roadmap for the development of a new Framework Program for Cooperation in the Field of Sustainable Development between Turkmenistan and the UN for 2026-2030, the council discussed projects concerning youth policy, digitalization, demography, green energy, and climate change. Following the meeting, delegates signed official agreements on several projects. The Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN FAO) pledged their commitment to ‘Enhancing capacities for climate-resilient water management’; the Ministry of Agriculture of Turkmenistan and UN FAO, on ‘Developing digital solutions for sustainable pasture management’; and the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan and UN FAO, on ‘Development of the aquafeed value chain and aquatic animal health management capacity’. The Government of Turkmenistan and the UN Development Program also signed an agreement on the procurement of products for the control of infectious diseases in 2024-2025 for the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan.
The Asian Women's Forum will be held in Samarkand this May, where participants will discuss the situation surrounding women's rights in the countries of Central and Southeast Asia. The forum will discuss issues related to expanding women's rights, and reducing poverty in the region by involving women in entrepreneurship. Sessions will pay special attention to the role of parliaments in stimulating women's participation in business, gender-oriented budgeting, elimination of gender disparity, and eradication of all forms of violence against women and children. The participants will also focus on modern approaches and best practices in promoting the green economy, the impact of climate change on gender issues in the region -- as well as protection of women's rights and interests. Women are now a driving force in all aspects of life in Central Asia. Addressing the 78th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York, Chairwoman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis (bicameral parliament) of Uzbekistan Tanzila Narbayeva said that "the attitude towards women has fundamentally changed in the country. Much attention is [being] paid to their education, mastering professions and foreign languages -- as well as to the development of women's entrepreneurship." To date, Uzbekistan has adopted more than 40 legal and regulatory acts to improve the status of women in society, established the National Agency for Social Protection, which, among other things, provides targeted assistance to women and works specifically on the social adaptation of women returned from conflict zones in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Kazakh Defense Ministry has issued a report on the handing over of the United Nations’ flag to the peacekeeping contingent of Kazakhstan. The solemn ceremony took place on March 22nd at the Fawhar peacekeeping base, located in the area of responsibility of the UN mission on the Golan Heights between Israel and Syria. After the head of the Irish contingent, Lieutenant Colonel Oliver Clear, had handed over the UN flag to the commander of the Kazakh contingent, Lieutenant Colonel Zhiger Aipov, the latter commented: “Since the transfer of the UN flag, our unit has become a full participant in the mission in the Golan Heights and we have now begun to carry out the assigned tasks.” This is the first time in Kazakhstan’s history that the UN has given the country a mandate to carry out an independent peacekeeping mission. During the year, the Kazakh peacekeeping contingent will patrol the area, strengthen checkpoints, maintain ceasefire between warring parties, and perform other tasks in accordance with the mandate of the UN mission. Peacekeepers from Kazakhstan have undergone thorough selection and training in accordance with the UN’s requirements and standards and according to Kazakh Defense Minister Ruslan Zhaksylykov, 139 servicemen are ready to be to be sent to the Golan Heights.
An agreement has been signed by Gulnara Baatyrova, Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Labour, Social Security and Migration, Hideki Goda, Ambassador of Japan to Kyrgyzstan, and Kojiro Nakai, Country Director of the UN World Food Program (WFP) in the Kyrgyz Republic, to enhance self-sufficiency amongst Kyrgyzstan’s most vulnerable citizens. An allocation of $3.5 million will be invested in a basic infrastructure to provide import-dependent food products such as flour and vegetable oil, and improve skills in entrepreneurship and agriculture amongst low-income residents of Batken, Issyk-Kul, Jalal-Abad, Naryn, and Osh. Expressing her gratitude for aid pledged by the Government of Japan and the UN, Minister Baatyrova said: “This program is aimed at strengthening the food security of vulnerable groups and will boost the development of sustainable economic independence, thereby contributing to economic and social stability in the country. Supported by the Japanese government, existing enterprises for the production of apricot oil in the Batken region, and the processing of medicinal herbs in the Naryn region, have already created additional jobs.”
ALMATY, Kazakhstan (TCA) — On November 15-16, the First Regional Summit on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on the theme “Mobilization of financial resources for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals” was held in Almaty, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan reported. Continue reading
