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Energy Drinks

Japarov Orders Cabinet to Consider Kyrgyzstan Energy Drink Ban

Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov gave the Cabinet of Ministers one month to consider a ban on the production and import of energy drinks and six months to take regulatory action. He announced the directive on Facebook on November 5, 2026. Japarov cited doctors’ warnings about excessive consumption and pointed to the cost to the state of treating illnesses he attributed to the drinks. Figures in his announcement put consumption at about 36 million liters in the first half of 2026, roughly two-thirds of the 54 million liters consumed in all of 2025. Kyrgyzstan produced about 25 million liters in 2025 and imported more than 29 million liters. Tax and customs revenue from the industry totaled 1.104 billion soms ($12.6 million) in 2025 and 996.7 million soms ($11.4 million) in the first half of 2026. Japarov said preliminary estimates suggest a ban on production and imports could reduce tax revenue by about 1.5 billion soms ($17.2 million). A separate bill drafted by lawmaker Erulan Kokulov was put out for public comment on November 5. It would ban sales of nonalcoholic energy drinks to anyone under 18, covering stores and food outlets as well as online sales and deliveries. Sellers would have to request identification if they were unsure of a customer’s age and refuse the sale without proof that the buyer was at least 18. Couriers would have to verify recipients’ ages on delivery and could not leave energy drinks at the door. Sellers would remain responsible for compliance even when using a third-party delivery service. The bill would also ban sales through vending machines. Selling energy drinks to a minor would carry fines of 10,000 soms ($114) for individuals and 35,000 soms ($400) for companies and other legal entities. For a repeat violation within a year of the first penalty, the fines would rise to 20,000 soms ($229) and 55,000 soms ($629), respectively. In March 2026, Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Health proposed raising the excise tax on energy drinks from 6 soms (0.07)to20soms(0.23) per liter. The ministry cited the drinks’ high sugar and caffeine content and the health risks for teenagers.

Public Transport

Opinion: Overcrowding on Almaty Buses – A Man-Made Transit Crisis

The Kazakh authorities' grand plans to turn Almaty and its picturesque surroundings into Central Asia's next tourist mecca have run headlong into a public transportation crisis this fall. Almaty residents have been flooding social media with photos and videos of overcrowded buses and trolleybuses, saying they have not seen anything like this since the 1990s. But a closer look at the problem suggests that the current chaos is largely man-made. Almaty is a university city, so residents have long been accustomed to several months of crowded conditions each year. Public spaces, inexpensive cafés, and public transportation all become noticeably busier. For years, however, people in Almaty have generally avoided blaming newcomers for the city's infrastructure problems, preferring to put up with the inconvenience. This year, though, that tolerance has been put to a serious test. By October, residents had realized that ignoring the elephant in the room was becoming increasingly absurd. Journalists began picking up complaints from social media and amplifying residents' grievances. One of the most widely circulated images in mid-October showed a young woman's leg trapped in a bus door as she tried to squeeze aboard. City officials responded like firefighters trying to contain a blaze of public outrage. They blamed traffic congestion for throwing buses off schedule and acted as though the problem was limited to just one or two routes. Roadwork commissioned by the Almaty authorities themselves has added to the disruption. Officials have also pointed to fare evasion, claiming that more than 30% of passengers during rush hour were not paying their fares. [caption id="attachment_60039" align="aligncenter" width="1816"] Buses are often full to capacity.[/caption] "Fare payments are also used to calculate how many buses are needed on a route. Currently, 3,238 public transportation vehicles operate in Almaty every day," Almaty's Department of Road Traffic and Public Transport Management explained. On November 5, officials insisted that the number of buses in service had not fallen, although they acknowledged cutting the number of journeys by 20–30% during off-peak hours. They again blamed traffic congestion and claimed that more than 40% of passengers were not paying their fares. These explanations failed to satisfy Almaty residents who regularly pay their fares. They had already uncovered a document that had previously escaped public attention. It turned out to be the city's public transportation tariff commission minutes, published on the department's website. They record meetings through August 7, 2026, and the commission's approval of reductions in planned bus deployments and journeys across city routes "in accordance with consultants' recommendations." "The reductions were made in accordance with international practices. The number of vehicles deployed on city routes was reduced by up to 20% on weekdays, 10% on Saturdays, 25% on Sundays, and 35% on public holidays. The number of round trips on city routes was reduced by 10–20% on weekdays, 5–10% on Saturdays, 12.5–25% on Sundays, and 17.5–35% on public holidays," the document states. As if that were not enough, another revealing document surfaced: an October 22, 2026, publication by the Committee of...

Reshuffle

Tokayev Names Zhanassova Deputy Prime Minister in Transport Shake-Up

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has replaced his transport minister and given the incoming officeholder the rank of deputy prime minister. The November 3 appointment puts Asel Zhanassova in charge of the ministry as Kazakhstan prepares a major infrastructure expansion. Zhanassova, previously deputy head of the Presidential Administration, succeeds Nurlan Sauranbayev. Her appointment decree formally combines the positions of deputy prime minister and transport minister, raising the portfolio’s standing within the government. Zhanassova becomes one of six deputy prime ministers, including First Deputy Prime Minister Nurlybek Nalibayev. The change comes less than a week after Tokayev announced plans to accelerate construction and expand freight routes linking China and Europe. Several major transport projects face deadlines in 2027, giving the new minister an immediate delivery agenda. Akorda gave no reason for Sauranbayev’s dismissal and announced no new appointment for him. His departure came six days after Tokayev criticized road quality and officials passing responsibility between central and local government. A New Minister with a Digital Background Zhanassova brings experience in digital technology and the management of Kazakhstan’s national postal operator. Born in Almaty in 1987, she graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2010 with a computer science degree. She studied under Kazakhstan’s Bolashak scholarship program. According to her published biography, her early career included technology and cybersecurity positions at an international company in London. She subsequently worked at Kazakhstan’s central bank and headed the state technology holding Zerde. She later held senior digital roles at the Astana International Financial Centre before becoming vice minister of trade and integration. From 2022 to 2025, she chaired Kazpost, a position that gave her experience managing a nationwide delivery network. Zhanassova became an adviser to Tokayev in June 2025 and deputy head of the Presidential Administration in December of that year. Her latest promotion moves her into a cabinet role combining transport management with deputy prime minister responsibilities. Sauranbayev had been appointed transport minister on June 30, 2025. His departure marks another leadership change in a ministry already subject to presidential scrutiny. His predecessor, Marat Karabayev, was dismissed in June 2025, following criticism of transport infrastructure and delays affecting transit development. An Extensive Construction Agenda In his October 28 State of the Nation Address, Tokayev outlined plans to allocate 6.5 trillion tenge, approximately $14.3 billion, from the National Fund to infrastructure by 2029. He also proposed designating 2027 as a year of large-scale construction. Transport forms a substantial part of that agenda. The 272-kilometer Bakhty–Ayagoz railway is scheduled to open in 2027, adding a border crossing with China. The project is expected to increase annual rail freight capacity between the two countries by 20 million metric tons. The Aral–Caspian Highway is another major undertaking. The approximately 800-kilometer route will connect Beineu in western Kazakhstan with Saksaulsk, near the Aral Sea. Construction began in August, with Tokayev saying the highway would shorten the freight route between China and Europe by approximately 1,000 kilometers and cut delivery times by three days. The government’s summary of the address...

Rogun Hydropower Plant

Rogun Hydropower Plant Accident Sparks Conflicting Injury Reports

A water tank ruptured in a construction tunnel at Tajikistan’s Rogun Hydropower Plant on October 21, sending water rushing toward workers below. While the authorities maintain no one was injured, witnesses have reported that more than five workers were hurt. The accident occurred inside the plant’s tunnel system, Asia-Plus reported, citing Tajikistan’s industrial safety regulator. An upper tank used to collect water ruptured, damaging a second drainage tank below it. Water from both tanks then flowed into the lower section of the tunnel, where workers from the Chinese subcontracting company Sinohydro were carrying out construction work. The regulator said none of the workers suffered physical injuries. They received first aid and subsequently returned to work. A Dangerous Workplace However, Radio Ozodi, citing witnesses, reported that more than five workers were injured. The broadcaster obtained footage showing water and debris falling from the tunnel onto several people. Witnesses also said the incident occurred on October 22, a day later than the date given by authorities. During the first six months of 2026, 32 workplace accidents were recorded at industrial and mining enterprises across Tajikistan, leaving 23 people dead and 19 injured. Among those killed were two Chinese nationals and one Iranian working on the Rogun hydropower project. Eight workplace accidents were also recorded at Rogun in 2025, although officials have not disclosed the number of casualties. In November 2024, three workers were killed and another was injured when a lifting platform fell onto them. Rogun’s Role in Tajikistan’s Power Supply Located on the Vakhsh River, approximately 110 kilometers from Dushanbe, the Rogun Hydropower Plant is Tajikistan’s largest energy project. Construction began in 2017, although the original plans date back to the Soviet period. Once completed, the plant is expected to have a capacity of 3,780 megawatts, with six turbines generating 630 MW each. Its projected annual electricity output is 14.4 billion kilowatt-hours. Completion is currently scheduled for 2033. According to the World Bank, the plant's projected annual output would be equivalent to about 60% of Tajikistan's current electricity generation. It is expected to help address chronic winter electricity shortages, improve power supplies for approximately 10 million people, create more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs, and support electricity exports to neighboring Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The project has also faced criticism over its potential impact on water supplies downstream. The environmental coalition Rivers Without Boundaries has argued that the project's environmental assessments are outdated and warned that filling the reservoir could harm communities that depend on the Amu Darya River. The World Bank's Inspection Panel recommended an investigation into the project in 2025, but the bank's board declined to approve it in November that year.

State of the Nation

Tokayev Unveils $14 Billion Construction Plan in Kazakhstan State of the Nation Address

Kazakhstan plans to spend 6.5 trillion tenge (about $14.3 billion) from its National Fund on infrastructure projects by 2029 and eliminate its electricity shortage in the same period, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced in his annual State of the Nation Address on October 28. The president also outlined plans to accelerate nuclear power plant construction, expand transport routes between China and Europe, and establish a separate court for investors in the new city of Alatau. $14 Billion for Infrastructure Tokayev proposed declaring 2027 a year of large-scale construction and launching a nationwide program covering roads, airports, railway stations, and public facilities. The government is expected to allocate approximately 6.5 trillion tenge from the National Fund by the end of 2029, including 1.5 trillion tenge ($3.3 billion) for social projects in the remaining months of 2026 and the first two months of 2027. The program envisages building around 70 healthcare facilities and approximately 50 education, sports, and cultural facilities. Plans also include extending gas supplies and clean drinking water to underserved communities. Tokayev said public funding should help attract private investment rather than finance the entire program. The spending plans raise questions about the use of Kazakhstan's accumulated oil revenues. The National Fund was established in part to protect the economy from fluctuations in commodity prices, but its resources are regularly used to meet budgetary needs. Tokayev said Kazakhstan must balance preserving financial reserves for future generations with investing in modern infrastructure. He argued that public spending should deliver economic and social returns. Kazakhstan Aims to Eliminate Electricity Deficit Tokayev acknowledged that Kazakhstan's electricity production is insufficient to meet the needs of its growing economy, particularly as the country seeks to expand industry and build data centers. According to the national grid operator KEGOC, Kazakhstan generated 123.1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2025, while consuming 124.6 billion. The shortfall of approximately 1.5 billion kilowatt-hours was covered by net imports. The president set a target of achieving a sustained surplus of electricity production over domestic consumption by 2029. Tokayev criticized the longstanding practice of purchasing expensive electricity from neighboring countries during winter peaks in demand and subsequently returning electricity in summer at substantially lower prices. "That's quite a simple little 'business,' and it's been going on for decades," Tokayev remarked. He also pointed to delays in bringing new generating capacity online in Turkestan, Kyzylorda, Almaty, and Ekibastuz, as well as a shortage of qualified energy specialists. To meet the 2029 target, Kazakhstan will need to build new power stations and modernize existing facilities. Tokayev called for further development of coal-fired generation alongside renewable energy, particularly solar power. Nuclear Power Plans Tokayev said construction of the Balkhash nuclear power plant could begin in 2027. He also proposed accelerating preparations for an agreement on the Moyynkum nuclear power plant. Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom is leading the Balkhash project, while China National Nuclear Corporation has been selected as the main contractor for the second plant. However, the first reactor at Balkhash is not expected to...

Republic Day

Kazakhstan Marks Republic Day as World Leaders Send Congratulations

Kazakhstan marked Republic Day on October 25 with a flag-raising ceremony in Astana and congratulations from its international partners. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio used the occasion to describe bilateral relations as the “strongest” in their history. “Our countries are working together to strengthen regional security, expand economic cooperation, and create new commercial opportunities which will pair Kazakh ambition with American innovation to benefit both of our nations,” Rubio said in his October 24 statement. He praised Kazakhstan’s diplomatic role and support for President Donald Trump’s “peace initiatives,” and said the U.S. looks forward to further cooperation in the year ahead, both bilaterally and through the C5+1 framework, which brings together the United States and the five Central Asian countries. Trump sent a separate message to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. According to Akorda’s account, he welcomed the enhanced strategic partnership and said he wanted to continue developing his relationship with the Kazakh leader. Russian President Vladimir Putin also congratulated Tokayev, describing bilateral relations as developing “in the spirit of strategic partnership and alliance.” He pledged to strengthen cooperation and linked closer ties to security and stability across Eurasia. Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed his readiness to deepen cooperation, while praising Kazakhstan’s development. The presidents of the other four Central Asian countries also sent congratulations. King Charles III of Great Britain conveyed his wishes to Tokayev and the Kazakh people, highlighting the friendship between the two countries. French President Emmanuel Macron pointed to growing cooperation ahead of the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations. UN Secretary-General António Guterres was also among those who sent messages. [caption id="attachment_59283" align="aligncenter" width="1774"] Image: Akorda.kz[/caption] In Kazakhstan, Tokayev attended the national flag-raising ceremony outside the Akorda presidential residence. The honor guard commander reported to the president before the flag was raised and the national anthem played. The presidency announced similar ceremonies across the country’s regions. In his Republic Day message, Tokayev described Kazakhstan as a respected and influential middle power. He emphasized continued political and economic reforms, technological modernization, and the expanding use of artificial intelligence, while calling for national unity. In Almaty, more than 1,500 people gathered near the Medeu mountain skating rink for a flag-raising ceremony. A military brass band played the national anthem as the flag rose on a 40-meter pole. The city also marked Republic Day with a festive concert at the Republic Palace. [caption id="attachment_59286" align="aligncenter" width="1774"] Image: Almaty Akimat[/caption] Republic Day commemorates the Declaration of State Sovereignty, adopted by the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR on October 25, 1990. The declaration affirmed territorial integrity and established the political and legal foundations for the country’s future independence. Kazakhstan remained within the Soviet Union at that point. It formally declared independence on December 16, 1991, becoming the last Soviet republic to do so. This year’s Republic Day therefore marks 36 years since the sovereignty declaration, ahead of the 35th anniversary of independence in December. The holiday itself has undergone several changes. Republic Day was removed from the public holiday calendar in...