Our People > Sergey Kwan

Sergey Kwan

Journalist

Sergey Kwan has worked for The Times of Central Asia as a journalist, translator and editor since its foundation in March 1999. Prior to this, from 1996-1997, he worked as a translator at The Kyrgyzstan Chronicle, and from 1997-1999, as a translator at The Central Asian Post.
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Kwan studied at the Bishkek Polytechnic Institute from 1990-1994, before completing his training in print journalism in Denmark.

Articles

Water-Saving Technologies

Kyrgyz Farmers Encouraged to Adopt Water-Saving Irrigation Methods

Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry, Bakyt Torobaev, has urged the country’s farmers to adopt modern, water-efficient irrigation technologies, specifically drip and sprinkler systems. Citing the growing impact of climate change, glacial melt, and declining river and precipitation levels, Torobaev warned of ongoing irrigation water shortages and stressed the need for more efficient use of existing water resources. The government is undertaking large-scale water conservation efforts, including the construction of new reservoirs, the reconstruction and cleaning of irrigation canals, and the development of a new facility to produce innovative canal-lining material. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan and UK-based Concrete Canvas Ltd. are jointly implementing a €20 million project to build a local plant for manufacturing concrete canvas, a flexible, cement-based material designed to line canals and reduce water loss. Torobaev noted that modern irrigation systems currently cover only 16,000 hectares of Kyrgyzstan’s agricultural land. The government aims to expand this by 30,000-40,000 hectares annually, reaching a total of 200,000 hectares under water-saving irrigation by 2030. To support the transition, various financing options are available, including state-backed programs, bank lending instruments, World Bank project funding, and a concessional loan initiative expected to launch in 2026. According to the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry, drip and sprinkler systems will be installed on 5,270 hectares of land in 2026, funded by the state budget. In 2024-2025, systems were installed on 2,369 hectares, 641 hectares with drip irrigation and 1,728 hectares with sprinklers. Kyrgyzstan currently has approximately 1 million hectares of irrigated agricultural land.

8 hours ago

Afghanistan

Kyrgyzstan Expands Trade Access to Afghan Market

Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan have taken a significant step toward deepening economic ties with the opening of the Trade House of the Kyrgyz Republic in Kabul on December 16. The launch ceremony was attended by Kyrgyz Minister of Economy and Commerce Bakyt Sydykov and Afghan Minister of Industry and Commerce Nooruddin Azizi. According to the Kyrgyz Ministry of Economy and Commerce, the new Trade House is intended to serve as a platform for promoting Kyrgyz exports, facilitating direct business connections between entrepreneurs from both countries, and expanding bilateral trade. The Kyrgyz delegation also participated in a Kyrgyz-Afghan business conference on December 17 in Kabul, organized by the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment. Speaking at the event, Azizi announced Afghanistan’s intention to open its own Trade House in Bishkek, describing Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan as “interconnected countries” with complementary positions in regional trade. He characterized Kyrgyzstan as a gateway to Central Asia and the Eurasian Economic Union, and Afghanistan as a strategic hub linking South and West Asia. The conference concluded with the signing of commercial contracts worth $157 million between Kyrgyz and Afghan companies. Bilateral trade has gained momentum since Kyrgyzstan removed the Taliban from its list of prohibited organizations in September 2024. At the time, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the decision was intended to support regional stability and constructive dialogue. According to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce, bilateral trade reached $66 million in the most recent solar year (March 2024-March 2025), with Afghan exports totaling $7 million. Key Afghan exports to Kyrgyzstan include aluminum and copper utensils, pressure cookers, carpets, fruits, and vegetables. Kyrgyzstan is a significant supplier of petroleum products to the Afghan market. In a further move to strengthen its regional trade presence, Kyrgyzstan secured a pavilion at the Termez International Trade Center in November 2024. Located in Termez, Uzbekistan, near the Afghan border, the Center serves as a key node in regional trade routes, particularly between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. The Kyrgyz pavilion offers a strategic foothold to further expand access to the Afghan market.

8 hours ago

China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway

Financing Agreement for China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Project Signed in Bishkek

On December 16, a loan agreement was signed in Bishkek to finance the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) railway, an ambitious regional transport project intended to bolster connectivity across Central and South Asia. According to the Kyrgyz government, the agreement was concluded between China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Company LLC, a joint venture formed by the three participating countries and a syndicate of Chinese banks, including the China Development Bank and Eximbank. The CKU railway has been discussed for more than two decades, but repeatedly stalled over financing, route selection, and technical concerns. Momentum increased after 2022 as China sought alternative westbound transport corridors and Central Asian states looked to diversify trade routes and reduce reliance on existing transit pathways. The total cost of the railway project is estimated at $4.7 billion. Half of that amount, approximately $2.3 billion, will be provided as a 35-year loan from China to the joint project company, which will be responsible for repayment. The remaining $2.3 billion will be contributed to the company’s authorized capital: China will cover 51%, while Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan will each provide 24.5%. The CKU railway is a strategically significant infrastructure initiative spanning 523 kilometers. Construction officially began on December 27, 2024, in Kyrgyzstan’s Jalal-Abad region. Once completed, the railway will link Kashgar in China with Torugart, Makmal, and Jalal-Abad in Kyrgyzstan, and continue on to Andijan in Uzbekistan. A cargo transshipment station and logistics hub are planned in Makmal. The railway is expected to handle up to 15 million tons of cargo annually. Despite its strategic appeal, the project has raised concerns about debt exposure, particularly for Kyrgyzstan, which already relies heavily on Chinese financing. Officials say the joint-venture structure and long loan maturity will limit fiscal risks, though critics argue projected cargo volumes will need to be met for the railway to be financially sustainable. Currently, neither Kyrgyzstan nor Uzbekistan has a direct rail link with China; the only such connection in Central Asia runs through Kazakhstan. For Uzbekistan, the railway is expected to shorten transit times to Chinese markets and expand export capacity for industrial and agricultural goods. Officials in Tashkent have argued that the CKU route could reduce delivery times by several days compared with existing rail corridors. The CKU railway is among the most technically complex projects in the region. It includes the construction of 50 bridges and 29 tunnels, totaling 120 kilometers in length, meaning roughly 40% of the route will consist of bridges and tunnels. The Kyrgyz section alone will cover 304 kilometers. On December 5, Chairman of the Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliev visited the construction site of one of the tunnels in the Jalal-Abad region to inspect progress. According to government sources, work has begun on 18 of the 29 planned tunnels and 17 of the 50 bridges. The project currently involves 5,695 pieces of machinery and over 5,000 workers. For Kyrgyzstan, the CKU railway represents the largest infrastructure project in the country’s history. Authorities view the project as a chance to transform...

1 day ago

Electricity supply

Rahmon Outlines Measures to Address Tajikistan’s Winter Power Shortages

President Emomali Rahmon has acknowledged that Tajikistan’s population continues to endure severe electricity rationing during the winter months, and has outlined steps the government is taking to alleviate the crisis. “We are fully aware of the challenges faced by the people of Tajikistan during the period of temporary restrictions on electricity supply,” Rahmon said in his annual address to parliament on December 16, adding that authorities are implementing all necessary measures to address the issue. Rahmon attributed the shortages primarily to rapid population growth and the expansion of industrial production, both of which have significantly increased domestic electricity consumption. He also cited unfavorable weather conditions, including below-average rainfall last autumn, which reduced water inflows into reservoirs that supply the country’s hydropower plants. He noted that since independence, 1.3 million new homes have been built to accommodate over 8.4 million people. In the past seven years alone, 2,600 new industrial enterprises have begun operations, further raising electricity demand. Despite these pressures, Tajikistan has steadily increased electricity production. Over the past decade, annual generation has risen by 7 billion kilowatt-hours, from 17.2 billion in 2015 to 24.2 billion in 2025, an increase of approximately 40%. However, domestic demand is projected to grow by an additional 31% by 2030 compared to 2025 levels. Over the past ten years, investments in the energy sector have added 1,017 megawatts to the country’s installed capacity. A further 200 megawatts were gained through the rehabilitation and modernization of existing plants. One of the most recent projects was the modernization of the Kairakkum Hydroelectric Power Plant, completed in November 2025, which increased its capacity from 114 megawatts to 174 megawatts. While Tajikistan possesses vast hydropower potential, it has long struggled with chronic energy shortages. In response, the government has prioritized large-scale hydropower projects, particularly the Rogun Dam and Hydropower Plant, which is expected to be central to achieving domestic energy security and establishing Tajikistan as a regional electricity exporter. Rahmon announced that the third generating unit of the Rogun plant is scheduled for commissioning in September 2027, marking a key milestone on the path to full energy independence. In parallel, construction has begun on two large solar power plants, each with a capacity of 250 megawatts, in the Sughd and Khatlon regions. Both facilities are expected to be operational by August 2026. He also emphasized the importance of improving energy efficiency alongside expanding generation capacity. Electricity losses remain high, exceeding 3 billion kilowatt-hours annually. Rahmon called for accelerating the rollout of a nationwide digital billing system, which he said has already reduced losses. The introduction of modern digital billing and payment technologies revealed that 30% to 40% of households were previously not paying for electricity. Since the system’s implementation, losses have declined. In the first 11 months of 2025, total electricity losses stood at approximately 3 billion kilowatt-hours, 500 million kilowatt-hours less than during the same period the previous year.

1 day ago

B5+1

Bishkek to Host Second B5+1 Forum of Central Asia and the U.S.

Kyrgyzstan is preparing to host the second B5+1 Forum of Central Asia and the United States, scheduled for February 4-5, 2026, in Bishkek. On December 12, Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Economy and Commerce held a joint briefing for ambassadors from Central Asian countries and the United States to outline preparations for the event. The B5+1 platform serves as the business counterpart to the C5+1 diplomatic initiative, which unites the five countries of Central Asia – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – with the United States. Launched by the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) under its Improving the Business Environment in Central Asia (IBECA) program, B5+1 is supported by the U.S. Department of State and aims to foster high-level engagement between business leaders and policymakers. The upcoming forum in Bishkek builds on the outcomes of the C5+1 Summit held in Washington on November 6 this year. Its objective is to deepen U.S.-Central Asia economic cooperation and highlight the private sector’s pivotal role in advancing economic reform across the region. The event is co-hosted by CIPE and the Kyrgyz government. According to organizers, the forum’s agenda will focus on key sectors including agriculture, e-commerce, information technology, transport and logistics, tourism, banking, and critical minerals. These thematic areas reflect emerging regional priorities and shared interests in enhancing sustainable growth and economic resilience. The B5+1 Forum aims to create a platform for sustained dialogue between governments and private sector actors, encouraging the development of long-term partnerships and policy coordination. The inaugural B5+1 Forum was held in Almaty in March 2024, and brought together over 250 stakeholders from all five Central Asian countries and the United States. The first event centered on regional cooperation and connectivity, with a strong emphasis on empowering the private sector to support the objectives of the C5+1 Economic and Energy Corridors.

2 days ago