ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest covers the country’s role in addressing Central Asia’s water crisis, financial cooperation with Uzbekistan and its growing cooperation with neighboring countries in defense and trade.
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Kazakhstan’s role in tackling the Central Asia water crisis
Kazakhstan is making significant investments to address water shortages that have plagued the Central Asian region, according to an article published on July 14 by Euractiv. Additionally, the country is undertaking sweeping reforms, including the development of a new digital water platform and a revised Water Code.
The article underscores the importance of regional cooperation and support from international partners, stressing that “whether it is building dams, rewriting laws or digitising river management, the success of one country is inseparable from the fate of its neighbours.”
Halyk and Click create an integrated financial ecosystem for the Uzbek market
Click, Uzbekistan’s leading payment services provider, and Kazakhstan’s Halyk Bank, Central Asia’s largest financial group, have announced a strategic partnership, representing the largest private sector transaction in Uzbekistan’s history, Trend reported on July 23.
The article explains that this partnership will open new opportunities for delivering innovative financial services across Uzbekistan. The size of the investment reflects confidence in Uzbekistan’s financial infrastructure and its potential for digital transformation.
Kazakhstan Bans Veils to Heighten Security
As The Diplomat reported on July 15, the Kazakh government has adopted new legislation prohibiting clothing that covers the face in public places, citing national security.
The article notes that the new law follows a 2023 ban on the hijab in schools. The ban does not extend to the hijab, which leaves the face visible. More than 70% of Kazakhs identify as Muslim, but for many, Islam is practiced in a cultural sense rather than as a devout religious form.
“While Kazakhstan has deep Islamic roots, face veils have not traditionally been part of Kazakh women’s dress. Instead, scarves and hats were used to cover the head or hair, but not the face. Many of these garments fell out of use during the Soviet era and have not regained widespread popularity, even as classic Islamic veils have gradually become more common since the early 2000s,” the article states.
Kazakh military briefed about Azerbaijani drone capabilities
Azerbaijani officials shared their expertise with Kazakh military personnel on modern drone technologies, Baku.ws reported on July 17. The meeting in Azerbaijan included demonstrations of units, combat applications, and operational procedures.
Discussions covered armament, equipment, unit organization, and operational tactics against hypothetical enemies. The Kazakh side was also briefed on Azerbaijani-manufactured strike drones.
