THE JOB

Based in Almaty, the correspondent is responsible for coverage of the five countries of ex-Soviet Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Working under the authority of the Moscow bureau and the news editor for the former Soviet Union, the correspondent will cover news throughout the region, coordinating text, photo and video freelancers.

A vast, complex and fascinating region, ex-Soviet Central Asia is a rich source of news and feature stories, and can occasionally top the global news agenda, as with the unprecedented unrest in Kazakhstan in early 2022.

Working with a network of Russian-speaking stringers, the correspondent will ensure that AFP stays on top of the news in the region while producing lively, image-rich feature and focus stories. The correspondent is expected to work with a significant amount of independence, while developing a broad range of sources and travelling frequently throughout the region.

Working with an office administrator in Almaty, the correspondent will oversee regional operations, ensuring stringer payments and acting as AFP’s legal representative in Kazakhstan.

You must ensure the reliability of our news coverage and respect for the agency's editorial policy. You should have a keen eye for the visual and multimedia aspect of coverage and closely coordinate with the photo, video and graphics departments.

All AFP journalists contribute to the newsgathering process in all formats, working for the common goal of producing high quality multimedia journalism. We do not work by silo or by product. Text journalists may write for the wire, but their journalism is vital for video dopesheets, picture captions and graphics. Our visual journalists also play a significant role in the gathering of information for the text wires.

Use of social media (Twitter, Facebook, Telegram, Instagram) and networking apps is essential, in accordance with the guidelines for using social networks as an AFP journalist.

You will contribute to the fight against misinformation by helping factcheckers in the network and ensure you are trained in the various methods of online verification, now indispensable for all journalism. Online training is available here.

You commit to respecting AFP's ethics charter as well as all the editorial guidelines in force and in the Agency's style guide.

In an ever-changing media environment, the nature of the job could evolve in line with coverage demands and the requirements of an increasingly diverse client base.

SKILLS REQUIRED

✓ Strong reporting and writing skills are essential and fluent Russian is required. Knowledge of a Central Asian language or of French would be major advantages, as would experience managing other journalists.

✓ Experience covering situations such as conflicts, riots and crowd disturbances would be a plus, as would prior participation in an approved hostile environment training course.

✓ Solid news judgement is crucial, as is the ability to work calmly and with professionalism under pressure.

✓ Experience covering the former Soviet Union would be an advantage, as would knowledge of AFP's internal workings.

THE BUREAU

The correspondent is the only permanent full-time journalist in Central Asia and works with an office administrator in Almaty. The bureau is one of three sub-offices of the Moscow bureau, along with Kyiv for Ukraine and Tbilisi for the Caucasus.

Almaty, the largest city and economic capital of Kazakhstan, is home to 1.7 million people and has a range of entertainment options: theaters, opera, restaurants, bars, waterparks etc. But the main attraction is that it’s sitting on the Tian Shan mountain range. The huge Medeu ice-ring is just a few kilometers away, as are the Chymbulak skiing slopes. In the spring and summer, hiking is a great way to discover stunning and otherwise elusive peaks, the Kolsay mountain lakes, the Sharyn Canyon and a multitude of waterfalls.

The city has several good private clinics and a handful of private international schools. The biggest issue is air quality. In recent years, people moving to Almaty have chosen to live outside the center, higher on the mountain slope to enjoy better air.

Almaty and Nursultan have flights to the Netherlands, Germany, Turkey, India, Thailand, UAE, among other routes. Uzbekistan and its architectural landmarks (Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva) are great vacation spots, as are neighboring Kyrgyzstan’s mountains.

THE COMPANY

AFP is a leading global news agency providing fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the events shaping our world and of the issues affecting our daily lives. Drawing from an unparalleled news gathering network across 151 countries, AFP is also a world leader in digital verification. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world in six languages, with a unique quality of multimedia storytelling spanning video, text, photos and graphics.

AFP TV is its fast-growing international television service, delivering a broad range of videos including major breaking news, investigative reports and features.

APPLICATIONS

Please send a resume and cover letter to:

Moscow Bureau Chief: [email protected]

Moscow news Editor: [email protected]

Europe Region director: [email protected]

Europe Editor-in-Chief: [email protected]

Deputy Editor-in-Chief: [email protected]