15 May 2024
Central Asia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan Business Economy, Tajikistan, International Affairs, Local Politics, Turkmenistan Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan, Business & Economy, Uzbekistan Business & Economy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

Tajikistan To Reconnect To Central Asia’s Unified Energy System

Tajikistan will soon connect itself to Central Asia’s unified energy system.

The unified system for energy distribution was created in 1960, when the systems of Uzbekistan, southern Kyrgyzstan, northern Tajikistan and southern Kazakhstan’s Shymkent junction were connected to work in parallel through 110- and 220-kV power lines. This system operated in isolation from the Soviet Union’s general scheme.

In 2003 Turkmenistan left the energy system, having decided that it was able to provide itself with electricity on its own. And in early November 2009, the entire southern part of the Tajik energy system was automatically de-energized due to a spontaneous shutdown of units at the Nurek HPP. Tajikistan and the south of Uzbekistan remained without electricity for a day. After that Uzbekistan announced its withdrawal from the energy “ring”.

After that Uzbekistan completely de-energized the lines connecting its energy system with the Tajik system. As a result, Tajikistan’s energy system automatically remained isolated from the rest of the region. Thus, the system ceased to exist as such in 2009, but was recreated again in 2019. Currently, it includes Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

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Times of Central Asia

15 May 2024
Central Asia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, International Affairs, Tajikistan, Tajikistan Business Economy, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan Business & Economy, Uzbekistan Business & Economy, Kazakhstan, Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

IFC to Support Central Asian Tech Startups With New Fund

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is allocating $5 million to a new fund that will be used to support technology startups in Central Asia, Gazeta.uz reports.

IFC is reportedly investing in Sturgeon Emerging Opportunities, a new venture capital fund managed by Sturgeon Capital, a major venture capital investor in emerging markets.

Sturgeon Emerging Opportunities will focus on supporting startup projects in areas such as fintech, business-to-business platforms, agri-tech, healthcare and education.

The investment in Sturgeon is part of IFC’s Startup Catalyst program, which aims to address financial challenges in undervalued venture capital ecosystems by investing in incubators, gas pedals and funds in emerging markets.

“The fund will help start-up entrepreneurs to expand their businesses, improve operational efficiency and create long-term employment opportunities,” the statement said.

Besides investing  in projects in Central Asia, the fund also intends to work in other emerging markets such as Egypt and Pakistan.

Sturgeon Capital estimates that the IT startup market in these countries could generate nearly $300 million in annual digital revenue by 2030. However, startups in these countries are currently struggling to raise capital to launch and scale their products and services.

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Times of Central Asia

15 May 2024
Central Asia, Turkmenistan International Affairs, Turkmenistan, International Affairs, Turkmenistan Business & Economy, Business & Economy

EU’s Central Asia Representative Reaffirms the Union’s Commitment to the Region

Teri Hakala, Special Representative of the European Union for Central Asia, has recently spoken about the EU’s goals for its presence in the Central Asian region, and plans for the coming years.

Speaking at the conference, “Turkmenistan and the EU: 30 years of cooperation”, Ms Hakala said: “The EU has a very strong presence in the Central Asian region. And our goal is to contribute to the development and welfare of these countries and sustainability. In the next 30 years we plan to continue our work in Turkmenistan and in other Central Asian countries, partners, for the benefit of these countries and the EU.”

She also spoke about the EU-Central Asia Transport Investment Forum, which was held in Brussels earlier this year. “In January, the EU organized an investment forum and in March too there were discussions about our commitment and obligations related to the allocation of $10 billion from the EU for the Trans-Caspian Corridor project, which will help to expand trade relations, to include more and more people in their activities. This will contribute to the expansion of not only the transport corridor, but also the energy corridor,” Ms Hakala added.

The Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor is a route connecting Europe and Central Asia. It is expected that once complete, cargo will be delivered along it in just 15 days.

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Times of Central Asia

15 May 2024
Central Asia, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan International Affairs, International Affairs, Turkmenistan Business & Economy

UNDP Launches Project in Turkmenistan to Help Women and Young People Find Jobs

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Turkmenistan, in partnership with the UNDP Knowledge Project, is joining the global FutureSkills4All initiative to increase employment opportunities for women and young people in the country.

According to Turkmenportal, this initiative will involve at least 660 people from Turkmenistan. They will have access to the cutting-edge online learning platform Coursera, where they will be able to complete various training programs to acquire in-demand professional skills.

In addition to accessing online courses, learners will also receive guidance and mentoring from local experts, to help them acquire interpersonal skills, such as resilience.

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Times of Central Asia

15 May 2024
Central Asia, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan Local Politics, Turkmenistan Business & Economy, Business & Economy

Turkmenistan Plans to Create Powerful Bio-industry Sector

Turkmenistan intends to create a powerful bio-industry sector in all areas of biotechnology, Turkmenportal reports. President Serdar Berdimuhamedov signed a decree approving the State Program for comprehensive development of biotechnology in Turkmenistan for 2024-2028. Under the program, it is planned to implement priority innovation and investment projects, and widely deploy production in all sectors of bio-industry – from bio-pharmaceuticals to bio-chips.

“The country’s Academy of Sciences is already conducting topical developments in dozens of areas. In bio-pharmaceuticals, the medicinal properties of local plants are being studied. In food biotechnology, the production of fortified foods and drinks is underway. Agricultural biotechnology is being developed to increase crop yields. Scientists are working on biosensors and bio-chips for personalized medicine, bio-fuels and biodegradable materials. Microorganisms for soil bio-remediation are being studied. Turkmen know-how in the field of biotechnology is already attracting scientific interest in the world,” the outlet said.

The Presidential Decree also provides for a plan of measures to implement the State Program, which will be implemented by the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan, relevant ministries and departments. The main purpose of the new document is to integrate science into the development of different sectors of the economy, stimulate the production of environmentally-friendly, energy-saving, import-substituting and export-oriented goods, and the formation of a competitive national bio-industry in the future.

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Times of Central Asia

15 May 2024
Central Asia, Home, Kyrgyzstan Justice, Justice, Life & Culture, Kyrgyzstan Life & Culture, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan Features

Kyrgyz Writer Oljobai Shakir Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

On 14 May, the Alameda District Court of the Chui Oblast in Kyrgyzstan sentenced 52-year-old activist and writer Oljobai Shakir to five years imprisonment for inciting mass riots on social media against the government.

At the previous hearing, Shakir a frequent and popular blogger, pleaded not guilty to the charges of slander and argued that the aim of his posts was to encourage open dialogue  between the country’s leadership and its people on how the government is run.

During the trial, the writer’s lawyer, Akmat Alagushev, demanded the acquittal of his client and announced his intention to appeal.

Olzhobai Shakir has been held in the pre-trial detention center of the SCNS since August 2023 on account of the “provocative nature” of material he posted on Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. Throughout his incarceration, the writer has denied the validity of the criminal charges against him.

Renowned for his critical statements against the authorities, Shakir was arrested shortly after he had publicly scrutinized the government’s controversial transfer of four hotels on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul to Uzbekistan. In a period when the government is increasingly clamping down on political opposition through social media, neither President Sadyr Japarov nor GKNB head Kamchybek Tashiev accepted Shakir’s invitation to be interviewed on the issue.

Shakir is a well-established author and supporter of contemporary Kyrgyz literature, but like his activities on social media, his own work at times has proved highly controversial. Published in 2021 in a country where open discussion of LGBT+ rights is still taboo, his novel “Adam+” caused public outcry by relating the emotional challenges he faced during his daughter’s transgender transition.

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