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Armenia has effectively already withdrawn from the CSTO, Masadykov says
Taalatbek Masadykov, secretary general of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, said Armenia no longer takes part in the bloc’s decisions, exercises or core activities and has in effect left, Armenpress reported on Friday, citing TASS. He did not rule out Armenia’s membership coming up at the Collective Security Council in Moscow on 11 November. Armenia’s parliament debates ratification of the TRIPP agreement on Tuesday.
Central Asia’s five foreign ministers meet Georgia’s in Batumi for the first time
The foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan met Maka Botchorishvili in Batumi on Friday in the first meeting of this format, and visited the port with the head of Georgia’s Maritime Transport Agency. The Middle Corridor, digital freight documents and port and rail capacity filled the agenda. Botchorishvili called closer ties with Central Asia a key foreign policy priority for Georgia.
Japarov says Kambar-Ata-1 may start in 2027 or 2028 and take five to six years to build
Preparatory work on the Kambar-Ata-1 hydropower plant is complete and construction could begin in 2027 or 2028 and take five to six years, President Sadyr Japarov told residents of Tash-Kumyr and Kara-Kul in Jalal-Abad region, 24.kg reported on Saturday. The plant on the Naryn is a project of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, with three units totalling 1,860 megawatts and an estimated cost of $4.2 billion.
Oyu Tolgoi’s ₮3 trillion stays in Mongolia’s 2027 draft after the spending bill is dropped
Prime Minister N. Uchral told residents of Sukhbaatar district in Ulaanbaatar on Saturday, a day after his cabinet withdrew a bill to spend ₮2 trillion of the Oyu Tolgoi dividend, that the 2027 budget draft still counts on the ₮3 trillion and will pay it into the Savings Fund. He listed stockpiles of 20,000 tonnes of meat, 100,000 tonnes of wheat and 12,000 tonnes of vegetables.
Novak counts three diesel tankers at sea and a 500,000 tonne October export allowance
Three tankers of Russian diesel are at sea toward what Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak called the eastern coast of the Atlantic, with Rosneft supplying most of the fuel, he said on Friday, adding that companies may export 500,000 tonnes in October under an eased ban. A Republican congressman has filed a bill to revoke the US licence that admits the cargoes.
Uzbekistan summons Iran’s ambassador over posts calling the Registan Persian heritage
Uzbekistan’s foreign ministry summoned Iran’s ambassador Mohammad Ali Eskandari on Friday and handed him a note of protest over posts by Iranian missions that described Samarkand’s monuments as part of Persian civilisation, Gazeta.uz reported on Saturday. The posts answered a video that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recorded at the Registan on 19 October. Tashkent demanded their deletion.
Four governments approve the Black Sea cable study and GECO puts the cost at €22.1 billion
The feasibility study for the Caspian to Black Sea to Europe green energy corridor is complete and approved by the governments of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary, the project company GECO said in an investment presentation reported by APA on Saturday. The company puts total investment at about €22.1 billion and plans three high-voltage direct current lines of 1.3 gigawatts each, the first in 2032.
Azeri Light ends the week at $126.59 after a 3.8 percent jump on Saturday
Report.az’s Saturday print put Azeri Light at $126.59 a barrel, up $4.64 on Friday’s print and the largest single step of the week. Over the four prints since Monday’s $118.53 the grade has gained 6.8 percent by CAW’s arithmetic. Azerbaijan’s budget for this year assumes $65.
Kazatomprom calls a second shareholder vote on supplying uranium to Rosatom’s Uranium One
Kazatomprom’s board will put the natural uranium supply contract with Uranium One, a Rosatom subsidiary, to shareholders again after a first vote went against it, with absentee voting from 25 November to 9 December. In Tashkent, Rosatom’s director general Alexei Likhachev said the company fears no competition for Uzbekistan’s next reactors and will offer its services.
Jensen Huang proposes Kazakhstan as a hub of physical AI and receives the Order of Dostyk
Nvidia’s co-founder and president told President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana on Friday that Kazakhstan has the energy and the people to become a hub of what he called physical AI. He named Firebird AI, Kazakhtelecom and Higgsfield as the company’s partners in the country. Tokayev awarded him the Order of Dostyk, first class, for his contribution to artificial intelligence in Kazakhstan.
Georgia’s Constitutional Court rules today on summoning Ivanishvili in the party-ban case
Georgia’s Constitutional Court resumes its hearing on the banning of five opposition parties at 14:00 today, 26 October, after three days of sittings in Batumi. The plenum will first rule on a motion by Gakharia’s party to question Bidzina Ivanishvili and other Georgian Dream leaders as witnesses, then turn to the merits. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze says the five are in reality one party.
Bektenov lists 22 documents for $4.8 billion at KGIR, two memoranda at $1 billion each
Twenty-two documents worth $4.8 billion were signed on the sidelines of the ninth Kazakhstan Global Investment Roundtable in Shymkent on 22 October, the prime minister’s office said: three investment agreements led by a $730 million wind farm in Kostanay region, and memoranda including $1 billion for a Kuryk port terminal with China’s Guoyou Materials Group and $1 billion for 20 inclusive schools.
SOCAR Turkiye refinances $1.6 billion with 22 banks at SOFR plus 230 basis points
SOCAR Turkiye raised $1.6 billion of five-year financing from 22 banks of Europe, the Far East and the Middle East to refinance existing obligations, Report wrote on 21 October citing the company. First Abu Dhabi Bank and Mizuho led the deal, demand was 1.8 times the target, the margin is SOFR plus 230 basis points and SOCAR guarantees the loan. The refinanced loans are not named.
Lelo’s motions fall on day two in Batumi as Japaridze asks what the party is accused of
The Constitutional Court rejected every motion by Lelo Strong Georgia on the second day of hearing Georgian Dream’s suit to ban five opposition parties, including referral to the European Court of Human Rights and an invitation to Venice Commission experts, Badri Japaridze told reporters on 22 October. The hearing resumes on 23 October. A Georgian Dream committee chairman defended the new channel to Moscow.
Turkmennebit and CNOOC sign on Caspian blocks among five OGT documents with no sums
After the second day of Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan 2026 on 22 October the state concerns signed five documents: a Turkmennebit memorandum with CNOOC on blocks in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian, a services memorandum with Malaysia’s MPRC and three pipe-supply contracts with plants in Tashkent, Tianjin and Kazakhstan, News Central Asia reported. No values were published.
ADB grants Tajikistan $63.77 million for health and the pension system’s digital overhaul
Finance Minister Faiziddin Kahhorzoda and ADB country director Ko Sakamoto signed two grant agreements in Dushanbe on 21 October: $43.7 million for health security and primary care and $20.5 million to digitise social insurance and widen pension coverage, Avesta reported on 22 October citing the bank. The components add up to $64.2 million against the stated total of $63.77 million.
Tajikistan and Tibet-Everest sign for a non-ferrous metals park in Sughd without a sum
The industry ministry, the China Non-ferrous Metals Industry Association and the company Tibet-Everest signed a memorandum on an industrial park for non-ferrous metallurgy in Sughd region during Li Qiang’s visit of 18 to 20 October, Asia-Plus reported on 22 October citing the ministry. Cost, investment and timetable are not named, and the company’s Istiklol plant opened a second stage on 21 September.
Kyrgyzstan shuts 52 firms and 240 accounts over sanctions risk, envoy tells diplomats
Bakyt Sydykov, the president’s special representative on sanctions policy, briefed foreign heads of mission on 21 October: 52 legal entities have ceased activity, forced liquidation has begun against 57, 25 companies are under inspection and state banks have closed more than 240 accounts, the economy ministry said in a 24.kg report at 16:32 Bishkek. Kroll is being hired to assess sanctions compliance.
Kyrgyz ministry puts smart meters at 5 kilowatts after complaints of a 3 kilowatt cap
Inspections of addresses after complaints about a 3 kilowatt ceiling found smart meters set at 5 kilowatts, Energy Minister Altynbek Rysbekov told a plenary session of the Jogorku Kenesh, AKIpress reported at 08:44 Bishkek on 23 October. On 21 October the same minister had described a temporary peak-hour cut from 5 to 3 kilowatts, which CAW reported on 22 October.
Tashkent signs a cooperation agreement with Oppenheimer on possible municipal bonds
The Tashkent city administration signed a cooperation agreement with Oppenheimer & Co.’s investment banking arm on 22 October after discussing access to international capital markets, including a possible municipal bond, the hokimiyat’s press service said. No amount, tenor or timing was named. A day earlier Andijan region had discussed a $300 million eurobond with the same bank.