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Armenia counts 45,098 new citizens among the people displaced from Karabakh in 2023
Deputy interior minister Armen Ghazaryan told a working discussion in the National Assembly on 13 October that 53,099 applications for Armenian citizenship have come from people forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh, adults and minors, and that 45,098 have received it. Uptake rose, he said, once citizenship became a condition of the state housing assistance programme.
ADB lends Baku $302 million for metro signalling inside a $2.6 billion expansion
The Asian Development Bank approved a $302.38 million loan on 13 October to replace Baku Metro’s signalling with communications-based train control and to digitalise its operations. The project costs $515.07 million, with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank adding $79.98 million and the government $132.71 million, and sits inside a state programme the bank puts at $2.6 billion.
Venice Commission finds Georgia’s grants and party laws block an opposition from surviving
Europe’s constitutional-law body, the Venice Commission, has published its opinion on the amendments Georgia’s parliament adopted in March to the Law on Grants, the organic law on political associations and the criminal code, Interpressnews reported on 13 October. The legislation imposes disproportionate and unnecessary restrictions on freedom of association and expression, the commission found, “preventing the formation and survival of a political opposition”.
Japarov promises Kadamjai an end to electricity imports within two and a half years
Kyrgyzstan imports about 4 billion kWh of electricity in 2026 to cover demand, and when consumption peaks in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Russia the extra supply dries up, President Sadyr Japarov told residents of Kadamjai district and Kyzyl-Kiya on 13 October, explaining the one- to two-hour cuts in some districts. He gave two to two and a half years to end the imports.
Bishkek court remands Kenzhebaev, who accused Japarov’s circle in August, to 13 November
Bishkek’s Pervomaisky district court on 13 October granted an investigator’s motion and placed Syrgak Kenzhebaev, a businessman and former deputy head of the Agency for Investment Attraction and Protection, in remand prison SIZO-1 until 13 November. The court’s press service names two suspicions: fraud in an especially large amount under article 209 part 4 of the criminal code, and organising preparations for mass riots under article 278 part 1.
Astana says Russian gas keeps flowing after a pipeline blast and fire in Penza region
A section of the Central Asia-Centre trunk line ruptured and caught fire near the village of Volchkovo in Russia’s Penza region on 13 October, with a flame of about 70 metres, Gazprom Transgaz Saratov confirmed to Kursiv. Kazakhstan’s energy ministry said that evening that Russian gas deliveries to Kazakhstan and transit to Uzbekistan were running to plan.
Kazakhstan’s election commission sets 29 November for the maslikhats as Amanat withdraws
The Central Election Commission called extraordinary elections to maslikhats of all levels for Sunday 29 November at a sitting on 13 October, the day after Tokayev’s decree dissolved every council. Seven of the eight registered parties are admitted: Amanat, whose deputies held most of the seats, wrote to the commission that it will not take part.
Tokayev puts Belgian investment since 2005 at $15 billion as King Philippe arrives
Belgian investment in Kazakhstan has exceeded $15 billion since 2005, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at a joint briefing with King Philippe on Monday, the first day of a state visit by the king and Queen Mathilde. A business forum, a rectors’ forum and a round table on critical minerals follow on Tuesday, with dozens of agreements expected, by Tengrinews’s account of the president’s remarks.
The World Bank adds more than $40 million for Tajik agro-logistics and preschool classes
Finance minister Faiziddin Qahhorzoda and the World Bank’s resident representative signed two additional financing agreements on 11 October: $7.5 million to finish an agro-logistics centre in Dangara district and equip one in Dushanbe, and €30 million, $33.6 million, to extend the early childhood development programme to four more districts with 300 preschool classes, Asia-Plus reported on Tuesday. A further $4.5 million comes from the Global Financing Facility.
Kyrgyzstan detains Syrgak Kenzhebaev abroad as a suspect in preparing mass disorder
The interior ministry said on Tuesday that Syrgak Kenzhebaev, the businessman who accused president Sadyr Japarov’s circle in August, was detained in a foreign state and brought to Bishkek. He is suspected of taking $150,000 from a woman under the pretext of a joint business, and the ministry opened a case under article 36 and part 1 of article 278 of the Criminal Code, preparation to organise mass disorder.
Mongolia’s AI-92 rises 500 to 550 tugrik a litre on dearer Russian supply, with 14 days of stock
Filling stations in Mongolia raised AI-92 petrol by 500 to 550 tugrik a litre on Monday, the government’s fuel task force said, because the price of supplies from Russia rose by $190 this month against last. Deputy industry minister B. Munkhtamir put the country’s stocks at 14 days of AI-92 and 31 days of diesel, with 78,000 tonnes of petrol contracted for October.
Tashkent puts a former prosecutor in charge of defence and fills the Syrdarya seat
Shavkat Mirziyoyev appointed major general Botir Kudratkhodjaev defence minister on Monday, after the Legislative Chamber approved him the same day, replacing lieutenant general Shukhrat Khalmukhamedov, who had held the post since November 2024. A second decree made Doniyor Kadirov acting governor of Syrdarya region, the seat Erkinjon Turdimov left last week for the education and science ministry.
The IMF slows seven of nine regional economies in 2026 and lifts Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan
The IMF’s October World Economic Outlook, published on Tuesday, has growth slowing this year in seven of the nine economies CAW covers, with Kyrgyzstan still the fastest at 9% and Azerbaijan the slowest at 1.7%. Uzbekistan edges up to 7.8% and Azerbaijan gains too, from 1.4%. World growth slows to 3.1% in 2026 and recovers to 3.4% in 2027, the Fund says.
Uzbekistan’s reserves fall $5.5 billion in September as its gold is marked down
The Central Bank of Uzbekistan held $66.58 billion in reserves on 1 October, $5.54 billion or 7.7% less than a month earlier, Spot reported on Friday from the bank’s data. Gold in the vaults was valued at $60.08 billion, down $4.83 billion, while the physical stock rose to 14.34 million ounces from 14.11 million. The fall is a revaluation.
Dushanbe lays the stone of an 8.5 million-passenger terminal with no price and no builder
Emomali Rahmon laid the foundation stone of a new international terminal at Dushanbe airport on Friday, with the chairman of the Majlisi Milli and the city’s mayor, Rustami Emomali, beside him, Khovar reported at 17:59. Capacity is put at 8.5 million passengers a year and the build at 18 months. Khovar names no cost, no contractor and no source of money.
Amulsar opens with the state at 12.5% and three towns promised $7 to 9 million a year
Nikol Pashinyan launched operations at the Amulsar gold mine on Saturday, saying the minerals “that turned into gold before our eyes today belong to the Republic of Armenia”, Armenpress reported. Lydian Armenia operates it with the state at 12.5%. Gnel Sanosyan, the government’s representative on the operator’s board, said Jermuk, Vayk and Sisian would receive $7 to 9 million a year and Jermuk National Park $5 million.
Mongolia’s exports rise 51% in nine months to $16.2 billion on copper and coal
Mongolia sold $16.2 billion of goods abroad in January to September, 51.2% or $5.5 billion more than a year earlier, the National Statistics Committee reported through Montsame on Monday. Imports rose 13.8% to $9.7 billion and the trade surplus tripled to $6.5 billion. Copper ore and concentrate supplied $3.1 billion of the increase and coal $2 billion.
The tenge’s official rate steps to 453.93 for the weekend and holds there for Monday
The National Bank set the official dollar rate at 453.93 tenge for Saturday 10 October and kept it for Monday, by its daily series. That is 4.99 above Friday’s 448.94. Last week ran from 447.73 to 454.98 and back to 447.14, and the bank’s next rate decision is on 23 October.
Tashkent names a first deputy prime minister to run the new education and science ministry
Erkinjon Turdimov, governor of Syrdarya region since January 2025, was appointed by presidential decree on Friday as first deputy prime minister and minister of education and science, Gazeta.uz reported at 19:16. The post is new in the cabinet’s structure, created alongside the ministry that merged school and higher education this month. A secretariat for education, science and health answers to Saida Mirziyoyeva.
Russia’s watchdog halts wine, cognac, beer and Nabeglavi water from six Georgian producers
Russia’s consumer watchdog ordered a halt to the import and sale of drinks from six Georgian producers, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported on Saturday, citing an order obtained by RBC. On the list are wines from Tbilvino, Teliani Valley, Wineman and Askaneli Brothers, whose cognac is also named, beer from the Georgian Beer Company, Nabeglavi mineral water and one Coca-Cola soft drink. The order calls itself a temporary sanitary measure.