DUSHANBE , May 5, Asia-Plus - Electronic directory presenting information on think tanks in Kazakhstan , Kyrgyz Republic , Tajikistan and Uzbekistan , working on the issues of socio-economic and political development in the Central Asian countries was launched at the Central Asian Gateway www.cagateway.org portal today.

Ms. Sayora Arifjanova, the project coordinator, has told Asia-Plus that the main aim of this web-resource is to support interaction between researchers, governments and international organizations through increasing access to existing research capacities in the region and involving them into conducting research studies and developing policy advice.

“The think tanks database will be constantly updated through adding information on various analytical and research institutions working in the Central Asian countries,” said Ms. Arifjanova, “Users get access to information on the main directions of activity, partners, publications, and contact information of the institutions presented in the e-directory.”

For more information please write to one of the following addresses: [email protected] , [email protected] , or [email protected] .

The Central Asian Gateway project aims at facilitating regional development and integration in Central Asia and is being jointly implemented by the Center for Economic Research ( Uzbekistan ), AKIpress Information Agency ( Kyrgyz Republic ) and Asia Plus Agency ( Tajikistan ) with support from the UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and CIS ( Bratislava , Slovakia ).