Over 200 submissions and 7 winners: EDB announces the results of the EDB Media Awards
Almaty, 26 June 2026. - The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has announced the results of the 11th annual EDB Media Awards competition. Journalists from six countries were awarded across three main and three special categories. The awards ceremony took place on June 26 in Almaty at the EDB's Annual Meeting and Business Forum.
In 2026, the competition received over 200 entries submitted by journalists and bloggers from EDB member countries and Central Asian states. This is a record number in the history of the competition that has been held since 2015. The entries were evaluated in three main and three special categories. The jury included representatives of the national Unions of Journalists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Armenia.
The winners in the main categories were:
· Best Text: Kirill Stepanyuk, Kabar State News Agency (Kyrgyzstan), "China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway: A Project Changing the Continent's Logistics and Development Paradigm"
· Best Video Material: Gulnara Tursunova, Khabar Agency, 24kz TV Channel (Kazakhstan), "How Kazakhstan Can Avoid a Water Crisis"
· Best Visual Content: Vadim Pavlov and Viktoriia Onofriychuk, Sputnik (Russia), "How the Irtysh Provides Water to Kazakhstan and What Does the Future Hold for the River"
· Special nomination "Central Asia in Focus": Zlata Teter, Akchabar (Kyrgyzstan), "How to Treat the Energy Crisis: Hydropower Alone Is No Longer Enough for Kyrgyzstan"
· Special nomination "Analytics in Action": Vladislav Sychevich, Belarus Segodnya Publishing House (Belarus), "Increasing Agro-Industrial Trade Turnover by 30 Percent: The Benefits the Creation of the Eurasian Commodity Distribution Network Will Bring"
· Special nomination "EDB's Choice": Aida Khaidarova, The Astana Times (Kazakhstan), interview "EDB's Evgeny Vinokurov: Central Asia's future is industry, not just transit." The winner in this nomination, established for the media materials that most accurately reflect the Bank's activities, was determined by EDB employees.
The winners were presented with awards by Evgeny Vinokurov, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Economist at the EDB; Berik Mukhambetzhanov, Deputy Chairman of the EDB Management Board; Zinatullo Ismoilzoda, Chairman of the Union of Journalists of Tajikistan; Vardan Aloyan, Deputy Chairman of the Union of Journalists of Armenia; Bayan Ramazanova and Kurmanbek Ramatov, representatives of the Unions of Journalists of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan; and Artur Bortsov, Managing Director and Head of Marketing and Communications at the EDB.
“For us, economists and analysts, quality journalism is more than just interesting reading. It is a source of information and verified facts presented with a deep understanding of the processes; making the right decisions without them is impossible,” Evgeny Vinokurov noted at the awards ceremony.
“Video is the most relevant type of content right now. It is especially important for us when journalists use high-quality video to draw attention to pressing issues such as water resources, energy, and logistics. It is through such work that we see the real challenges faced by the region and understand where we should focus our efforts,” Berik Mukhambetzhanov emphasized.
“For us, as a team that works every day to ensure that the EDB’s messages and values are heard, it is especially important when a journalist does not just write a text, but truly immerses themselves in the topic. When they see strategy behind the numbers and real changes behind the words. "This means we share the same values, and this is the best result of our joint work,” Artur Bortsov noted.
Additional Information:
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is a multilateral development bank investing in Eurasia. For more than 20 years, the Bank has worked to strengthen and expand economic ties and foster comprehensive development in its member countries. By the end of December 2025, the EDB’s cumulative portfolio comprised 326 projects with a total investment of US $19.6 billion. The Bank's portfolio consists principally of projects with an integration effect in transport infrastructure, digital systems, green energy, agriculture, manufacturing, and mechanical engineering. The Bank’s operations are guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals and ESG principles.
As part of its 2022–2026 Strategy, the EDB is implementing 3 mega-projects: The Water and Energy Complex of Central Asia, The Eurasian Transport Network, and The Eurasian Commodity Distribution Network.
The EDB Media Centre:
+7 (727) 244 40 44, ext. 4774 and 2160
