A shepherd on horseback ushers sheep from their summer pastures into a corral - Lake Son-Kul ,Kyrgyzstan. © Iva Zimova (Panos)
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are the poorest countries in Central Asia and amongst the poorest in the world. Both are heavily reliant on external aid and money sent back from family and friends who have found work abroad.
Top priorities
- Making it easier for business and innovation to prosper and help economies grow
- Improving the delivery of public services in both countries
We will spend an average of £14 million per year in Central Asia until 2015.