Our People > Times of Central Asia

Articles

New Trade and Logistics Center Opened on Kazakhstan-China Border

On January 19th, a new international trade and logistics center began operations on the Kazakh-Chinese border near the village of Dostyk, with the aim of improving cross-border logistics infrastructure and increase the capacity of the Alakol customs post, the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan reported. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has repeatedly spoken about speeding up the passage of freight trucks across the Kazakh-Chinese border. “To fulfil the instructions given by the head of state, we are planning to open more such hubs for the processing and storage of cargo. The new transport and logistics center is the first hub on [Kazakhstan’s] eastern borders,” Vice Minister of Transport, Maksat Kaliakparov said at the opening ceremony of the new logistics center. The new logistics center will increase the capacity of the Alakol customs post from 200 to 600 trucks per day, thereby increasing the daily cargo turnover from 4,000 to 12,000 tons. In annual terms, cargo turnover will increase from one million to three million tons. “Currently, 180 vehicles pass through the Alakol customs post in one direction. This year we plan to complete the modernization of this post and increase the cargo flow to 500 vehicles,” said Zhandos Duysembiev, Chairman of the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance of Kazakhstan. The new logistics center is located on an area of 13.5 hectares, 3.5 of which are occupied by warehouse premises and infrastructure, whilst 10 hectares are allocated for the parking of freight vehicles. For the next three years, the logistics center has been transferred to the management of the state company, Nur Zholy customs services, which is wholly-owned by the State Revenue Committee.

10 months ago

Agriculture

Kazakhstan Invites German Businesses to Invest in Its Agriculture Sector

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan, Erbol Taszhurekov spoke about the prospects for expanding cooperation between agricultural producers in Kazakhstan and Germany during the round table event, Development of the agricultural sector of Kazakhstan: opportunities for investors, on January 19th. The meeting of representatives of agribusinesses from the two countries took place within the framework of the World Forum on Food and Agriculture and the Green Week exhibition, which is currently taking place in Berlin, the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan reported. In his remarks, Taszhurekov pointed out that there is significant unrealized potential for the building of bilateral partnerships in the agricultural sector, and proposed intensifying contacts between ministries, industry associations, and agricultural producers of Kazakhstan and Germany. Taszhurekov named land resources and human capital among the key factors in the investment attractiveness of Kazakhstan’s agro-industrial sector. The Kazakh side also indicated their interest in developing joint projects in the deep processing of grain, processing of oilseeds, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits and vegetables, meat and milk, as well as in fish farming and baby food production. According to the National Bank of Kazakhstan, as of the end of 2023 the gross inflow of foreign direct investment in Kazakhstan’s agriculture amounted to $39.9 million.

10 months ago

History

From Steppe to Subcontinent: The Indianisation of the Huns and Śakas from Kazakhstan

The historical connections between Kazakhstan and India span thousands of years, with the migration of Huns and Śakas from Central Asia to India playing a significant role in shaping the history of these two nations. The Huns, first mentioned by Roman historian Tacitus in the late first century A.D., originated near the Caspian Sea, in present-day Kazakhstan. They migrated to India, where they had a profound influence on the local population. Notable among the Huns was Toramana, who, around 500 A.D., launched attacks on India, eventually settling in Malwa in Central India and establishing himself as a powerful ruler. These historical ties are evident in archaeological finds in Kazakhstan, such as the 45 Hun burial mounds discovered near Almaty in the valley of the River Kegen in 2015. Similarly, the Saka people, another group of nomadic Eastern Iranian peoples, left their mark in the region with several burial mounds located near Almaty. The most notable among these was found in 1969, when the Kazakh archaeologist, Kemal Akishev, discovered a teenage Saka prince adorned with almost 4,800 gold items in an Issyk kurgan. Known as the “Golden Man,” the figure was adopted as one of the symbols of modern Kazakhstan, with a likeness standing atop the Independence Monument on the central square of Almaty.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image="13850" img_size="full" el_class="scond-image" parallax_scroll="no" woodmart_inline="no"][vc_column_text woodmart_inline="no" text_larger="no"]In India, the influence of the Huns is palpable in places like Gwalior, a metropolis recently designated as a Creative City of Music by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. The earliest historical record of Gwalior is an inscription by the Hun ruler Mihirakula, the second and last Alchon Hun king of the north-western region of the Indian subcontinent between 502 and 530 CE, referencing his father, Toramana, as a "a ruler of the earth.” Mihirakula was a patron of Shaivism, and his reign left a lasting impact on the Indian landscape. The historical connections between Kazakhstan and India continue to be celebrated today, with India being one of the first countries to recognize Kazakhstan's independence. The two countries actively cooperate under various multilateral fora, including the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and United Nations organizations.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image="13849" img_size="full" el_class="scond-image" parallax_scroll="no" woodmart_inline="no"][vc_column_text woodmart_inline="no" text_larger="no"]This historical connectivity is deeply rooted in the migration of two nomadic groups, the Huns and Śakas, from what is now known as Kazakhstan to India. Both these communities, though distinct in their origins - with the Huns being Turanic and the Śakas of Iranian descent - migrated to India, embraced the local culture, and significantly influenced the country's history and development. The first Saka king in India was Maues, also known as Moga, who established Saka dominion in areas covering Gandhara, the Indus Valley, and regions that are part of present-day Afghanistan. The Śakas ruled over vast territories, including the north-west frontier, Punjab, Sindh, Kashmir, western Uttar Pradesh, Saurashtra, Kathiawar, Rajputana, Malwa, and the north Konkan belt of Maharashtra. Saka ruler Nahapana held sway over Kathiawar and neighboring territories,...

10 months ago

World Nomad Games Cultural Heritage

Kazakhstan Announces Date of 5th World Nomad Games

The 5th World Nomad Games will be held in Astana from September 8th to 14th, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Kazakhstan has said. It is expected that close to 4,000 athletes from more than a hundred countries will compete in the games, which will include twenty competitive and ten demonstration events, with 110 sets of medals being competed for. Equestrian sports, traditional wrestling, archery, bird hunting, and traditional intellectual games will all be included. It is also expected that more than 100,000 tourists will attend sporting and cultural events during the games. An ethno-village, “Universe of Nomads,” will be opened in Astana, where every visitor will be able to get acquainted with the culture and traditions of the Kazakh people, as well as the cultures of participating countries. Up to 30,000 residents and guests in Astana will be able to visit the ethno-village daily, the ministry stated. The games will be held under the motto, “Meeting in the Great Steppe.” The World Nomad Games were initiated by the government of Kyrgyzstan in 2012 for the revival and preservation of the culture of nomadic civilizations. The First World Nomad Games were held in September 2014 in the resort city of Cholpon Ata on Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan.

10 months ago

Foreign Investment

Chinese Agricultural Drones May Be Manufactured in Kazakhstan

On January 17th, a delegation from Kazakhstan led by Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Abulkhair Tamabek visited the assembly site of the company, Eavision Robotic Technologies in the city of Suzhou in China’s Jiangsu Province. The company specializes in the production of unmanned aerial vehicles for monitoring and protection from pests, plant diseases and weeds, using artificial intelligence technology. During the meeting with Xinyu Wang, General Director of Eavision Robotic Technologies, the delegation discussed a project for localizing the production of agricultural drones in Kazakhstan. Emphasizing the uniqueness of such a project, the Ministry of Agriculture stated that there are no such similar production facilities in Russia or any other Central Asian countries. As a result of the negotiations, a Memorandum of Technical Cooperation was signed for the manufacture of agricultural drones in Kazakhstan. The two sides agreed to develop a roadmap for the implementation of the project, and determine the location of production facilities in Kazakhstan and potential sales markets, including in neighboring countries.

10 months ago