The World Bank has approved the Regional Electricity Market Interconnectivity and Trade (REMIT) Program for Central Asia. The program aims to establish the region's first regional electricity market, enhancing energy security and affordability, expanding transmission capacity, and laying the foundation for large-scale integration of renewable energy sources into the power … [Read more...]
Global Economy Shows Resilience Amid Historic Trade, Policy Uncertainty – Yet one in four developing economies remains poorer than it was in 2019
The global economy is proving more resilient than anticipated despite persistent trade tensions and policy uncertainty, according to the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects report. Global growth is projected to remain broadly steady over the next two years, easing to 2.6% in 2026 before rising to 2.7% in 2027, an upward revision from the June forecast. The … [Read more...]
Central Asia Economic Outlook 2025: A Comprehensive Survey of Macroeconomic Indicators and Projections
Editor’s Note: This report is experimental in nature. We have taken the data from IMF, World Bank, ADB, EBRD, and EDB and attempted to arrive at mean economic indicators. All of these financial institutions have their own methodologies because of the differences in their particular focus. This leads to the economic indicators being assessed differently by the different … [Read more...]
World Bank: Europe and Central Asia Must Invest in Jobs to Drive Growth
Economic growth in Europe and Central Asia has slowed but the region remains resilient despite ongoing global and regional challenges, according to a World Bank press release issued on October 7, 2025. Regional GDP is expected to grow by 2.4 percent in real terms this year, down from 3.7 percent in 2024. The slowdown is primarily driven by a weaker pace of expansion in … [Read more...]
Najy Benhassine, World Bank’s New Division Director for Central Asia, Starts His Assignment in the Region
Najy Benhassine has started his assignment as the new World Bank Division Director for Central Asia, based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. In this capacity, Mr. Benhassine will oversee the World Bank’s operations across Central Asia, including Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Ms. Tatiana Proskuryakova, who served as the World Bank’s … [Read more...]
Central Asia to Strengthen Pandemic Preparedness with World Bank Support
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved $60 million in financing to support the first phase of the One Health Program in Central Asia. The financing package includes a $30 million concessional credit for the Kyrgyz Republic and a $30 million grant for Tajikistan to help strengthen their capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to priority health risks … [Read more...]
Average crude oil price in 2025 would be USD 64 per barrel, predicts World Bank
The price of crude oil is expected to average $64 per barrel in 2025, the World Bank has revealed in its April 2025 Commodity Markets Outlook. This is compared with $80.7 per barrel in 2024, notes JoyBusiness. World Bank Commodity Markets Outlook April … [Read more...]
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan announced its position on water issues at a meeting with the World Bank
On 28 February 2025, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov met with the Vice President of the World Bank for Europe and Central Asia Antonella Bassani, as well as with the regional directors of the World Bank and representatives of the International Finance Corporation. During the negotiations, the parties highlighted priority areas of partnership … [Read more...]
Meeting of National Leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with representatives of the World Bank – the development of Turkmenistan’s transport sector under the spotlight
On Friday, 28 February, the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, Hero-Arkadag, held a meeting with high-ranking representatives of the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation. The delegation included the World Bank's Vice President for the Europe and Central Asia, Ms. Antonella Bassani, the World Bank's Regional … [Read more...]
The President of Turkmenistan received the Vice President of the World Bank for Europe and Central Asia
On Friday, February 28, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov held a meeting with the Vice President of the World Bank for the Europe and Central Asia, Ms. Antonella Bassani. During the meeting, Ms. Bassani stressed the interest of the World Bank in expanding cooperation with Turkmenistan. She noted that the large-scale measures implemented in the country to … [Read more...]
Caspian Littoral Countries Unite to Address Sea Level Decline
At the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), officials of the Caspian littoral countries met at the national pavilion of Azerbaijan to discuss the problem of Caspian Sea's declining water level in the context of climate change. The meeting, organized by Azerbaijan's Ministry of Ecology and Natural … [Read more...]
Financial fortification: Central Asia’s approach to natural disaster readiness
Astana hosts the Central Asian forum on disaster financing and insurance, bringing together key stakeholders from across the region to address the urgent need for financial preparedness in battling natural disasters. Government leaders, insurance regulators, private sector representatives, and international experts looked into both the financial and logistical demands of … [Read more...]
CAREC Ministers launched the Regional Climate Fund and endorsed Climate Change Action Plan
Member countries of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program have endorsed a new Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) and launched the CAREC Climate and Sustainability Project Preparatory Fund (CSPPF) to strengthen regional collaboration on climate resilience, low-carbon growth, and sustainable development. This endorsement took place at the 23rd CAREC … [Read more...]
Uzbekistan is moving toward inclusive economic growth, creating space in E-commerce sector for persons with disabilities
Uzbekistan is enhancing its digital economy by integrating persons with disabilities through significant investments in digital skills training, supportive policies, and inclusive workplace initiatives. This effort, supported by international organizations, aims to bridge the digital divide and promote economic growth and social inclusion. Uzbekistan is intensifying its … [Read more...]
Central Asian countries join forces to combat air pollution: The first high-level political dialogue has started
On 19 June 2024, Tashkent hosted the first high-level political regional dialogue under the slogan "Building a clean air future in Central Asia", organized by the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change of Uzbekistan jointly with the World Bank and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The regional dialogue brought together … [Read more...]
CASA-1000 Back on Track in Afghanistan: Avoiding $1 Billion in Stranded Assets Risk for other project nations
The Central Asia-South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA-1000), a $1.2 billion regional initiative, will resume in Afghanistan following requests from three neighboring countries, World Bank says. The project aims to bring clean energy from Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic to Pakistan through Afghanistan. As construction nears completion in the other … [Read more...]
One Health Framework for Action Set to Enhance the Quality of Health Care Services Across Central Asia
Government officials of Central Asia gathered today at World Bank hosted regional conference to endorse the Central Asia One Health Framework for Action- a regional cooperation program designed to enhance the quality and productivity of health, agriculture, and environment sectors across the region. The framework serves as a strategic plan and investment structure, requiring … [Read more...]
Amidst the global slowdown, China and India would be the exceptions – World Bank
World Bank Group President David Malpass said on 10 April 2023 that China and India are "two exceptions to the slowdown" that the global economy is expected to experience this year. He made the remarks in his opening address at the ongoing Spring Meetings 2023 Media Call, ahead of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Spring Meetings … [Read more...]
International institutions upgrade growth outlook of Chinese economy in 2023 – China sees it as opportunity to provide better partnership experience to the world
The international institutions including the World Bank have recently upgraded the growth prospects of the Chinese economy for 2023. The Chinese authorities see it as an opportunity to provide mutually beneficial partnership to the world. This was evident during the daily press briefing of the foreign office of China on 11 April 2023. The foreign ministry spokesperson … [Read more...]
In Central Asia, female leadership is key to climate and drought resilience
From potatoes grown in recycled sacks to “more crop per drop” fruit tree varieties, climate-smart and women-led agriculture initiatives became the center of discussions at a recent interregional conference convened by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Fertile land is a precious commodity in Tajikistan, where 90% of the … [Read more...]
World Bank: A High-level Workshop Convenes Experts to Discuss Early Assessment Findings on One Health Approach for Central Asia Program
Government officials representing health, environment, agriculture and finance sectors from countries across Central Asia participated in the One Health Regional Technical Workshop, entitled Developing the Central Asia One Health Framework for Action that took place in Samarkand today. The discussion focused on the early assessment findings of the Central Asia One Health … [Read more...]
Sharp, Long-lasting Slowdown to Hit Developing Countries Hard
2023 global growth to slow to 1.7% from 3% expected six months ago WASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 2023 — Global growth is slowing sharply in the face of elevated inflation, higher interest rates, reduced investment, and disruptions caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects report. Given fragile economic conditions, any new … [Read more...]
В Центральной Азии женщины-руководители играют ключевую роль в обеспечении устойчивости к изменению климата и засухе
От картофеля, выращенного в переработанных мешках, до сортов фруктовых деревьев, дающих «больше урожая на каплю», климатически оптимизированные и возглавляемые женщинами сельскохозяйственные инициативы стали центром дискуссий на недавней межрегиональной конференции, созванной Конвенцией Организации Объединенных Наций по борьбе с опустыниванием (КБОООН) в Душанбе. , Таджикистан. … [Read more...]
Disaster Risks in Central Asia assessed by EU-Funded Program
New Earthquake and Flood Risk Assessment for Central Asia was commissioned as part of the EU-funded Strengthening Financial Resilience and Accelerating Risk Reduction in Central Asia (SFRARR) Program’s support to build disaster and climate resilience in the region. Results of the assessment were presented to a group of technical experts and government officials. The report … [Read more...]
Eurasian Congress: Energy and water integration in Central Asia under the spotlight
Elvira Kadyrova How to create a unified management system for the water and energy complex of Central Asia and how to maximize the opportunities for joint operation of the energy systems of the countries of the region – these and other issues were discussed during the panel session "Efficient water and energy complex - the basis for the prosperity of Central Asia" at the site … [Read more...]