A contract has been signed for the environmental remediation of the former Taboshar uranium mining and processing site near the city of Istiklol in western Tajikistan. The work - to be carried out by specialists from Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom - is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

A renewed call has been made for additional donor funding in order to tackle the most urgent problems caused by radioactive and toxic waste at legacy uranium sites in Central Asia, with the International Atomic Energy Agency estimating an additional EUR40 million (USD47 million) is required. The call came as all parties directly involved in the project signed a revised Strategic Master Plan.

A new technology using drones is set to be deployed for the remote monitoring of radiation measurements at former uranium mining and processing areas in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with gamma spectrometers have been developed by a German consortium in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Work to remediate legacy uranium mining sites can begin in Tajikistan now that the country's framework agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has entered into force. The bank has also announced the signature of a contract for remediation work at the Shekaftar site in Kyrgyzstan.

Significant progress has been made in cleaning up some of the legacy waste from historic uranium mining in Central Asia, but much remains to be done, with additional donations from the international community needed to complete this vital remediation work, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development says.

Energy ministers from across Central Asia today committed their countries to collaborating on meeting the United Nations' seventh Sustainable Development Goal, which pledges 'affordable and clean energy' by 2030. The meeting is the first time they have come together to discuss the region's common energy challenges.

The international community has raised additional funds to support efforts to overcome the legacy of uranium mining in Central Asia. Remediation work will start in 2019 at four sites in the Kyrgyz Republic and Uzbekistan.

The European Commission, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the republics of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have signed a joint commitment on coordinating efforts to remediate uranium legacy sites in Central Asia, under a newly published strategic master plan.

An International Atomic Energy Agency expert team is preparing independent cost estimates to help Tajikistan plan the remediation of uranium legacy sites in the north of the country.