International Affairs - The Times Of Central Asia

Viewing results 1 - 6 of 518

German Chancellor will visit Central Asia on Sept. 15-17

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will travel to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan this month on his first trip to Central Asia, the German government said on Friday. Scholz will hold bilateral and foreign policy talks with leaders there and attend a Central Asia-Germany summit in Kazakhstan on the last day of his Sept. 15-17 trip, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said. A large, high-level business delegation will accompany the chancellor, he said. The summit in Kazakhstan, dubbed Z5+1, followed a similar meeting in Berlin last year that resulted in a “strategic regional partnership,” according to Hebestreit. “The Chancellor's trip next week will therefore also serve to breathe life into this regional partnership,” the spokesman said. European countries are increasing their engagement with Central Asia as they seek to boost trade and collaborate on issues such as security and climate change in a tense geopolitical environment. In April, David Cameron, who was then Britain’s foreign secretary, traveled to Central Asia, where he talked about the importance of engaging and competing in a region adjacent to China, Russia, Afghanistan and Iran. French President Emmanuel Macron visited Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan last year, become the first leader from France to visit the Central Asian region since 1994.

Central Asia Turkmenistan Turkmenistan International Affairs International Affairs Turkmenistan Local Politics Turkmenistan Business & Economy Business & Economy

Turkish Contractors Implement New Large-Scale Projects in Turkmenistan

The Turkish Ministry of Trade has reported that construction projects valued at $53.3 billion are being implemented in Turkmenistan; signifying Turkey's significant presence in this sector of the country. By comparison, the total value of projects implemented by Turkish contractors in Russia amounted to $102.3 billion, making it the largest market for the Turkish sector, whilst in Kazakhstan, its market share is $29.5 billion. Statistics show that 13.9% of all realized foreign projects are related to the construction of highways, tunnels, and bridges, while 13.8% are for housing; 8.6% for power plants; 7.1% for shopping centers; and 6.6% for airports. In 2024, Turkish contracting companies completed 148 projects abroad worth $11.2 billion, while 433 international projects totaling $28.1 billion were completed last year. The average value of projects increased from $64.9 million in 2023 to $75.7 million in 2024. Following a meeting on September 2, between the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Chairman of the Board of Erman Ilydjak, a new shopping center will be built in Ashgabat by Turkish company Rönesans Holding.

Central Asia Tajikistan International Affairs International Affairs Tajikistan Tajikistan Business Economy Business & Economy

Tajikistan Proposes Launching Oil Refinery With Russian Tatneft

Tajikistan wants to establish cooperation with Russia's Tatneft to open an oil refinery in the Dangara free economic zone, in Tajikistan's Khatlon region. This was announced by the country’s Minister of Industry and New Technologies, Sherali Kabir, during a recent investment forum in Dushanbe between Tajik and Russian companies. “One of the most important issues that we see in the development between our countries is the improvement of our production capacities, including the production of fuel and lubricants, cooperation, and the creation of new mechanisms. If we launch this enterprise together with Tatneft, we can achieve great progress in this regard.” Kabir said. It is noted that this will help Tatneft enter the markets of Afghanistan and Pakistan. “As was said, up to 30% of Tatneft’s raw materials are exported. Bring them here (Tajikistan), process them — and imagine what a huge market the company could open up for itself. 40 million people in Afghanistan, and over 230 million in Pakistan,” Timur Yoribek, Head of the International Relations Department of the Ministry of Industry of Tajikistan, commented. According to him, Tajikistan has ideal logistics routes for this — seven bridges leading to Afghanistan, and the shortest links to the Pakistani seaports. Construction of the Dangara oil refinery began in 2014 and was completed in 2018. The plant's planned capacity is 1.2 million tons of oil per year, but the commissioning has been delayed due to a shortage of raw materials. Tajikistan produces a small amount of oil, which is not enough to supply the refineries.

Central Asia International Affairs Local Politics Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan International Affairs Business & Economy Kyrgyzstan Local Politics Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

Canadian-Manufactured Aircraft Arrives in Kyrgyzstan to Perform Domestic Flights

The first Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft, purchased by Kyrgyzstan’s Manas International Airport Open Joint Stock Company for its Asman Airlines, has arrived in Bishkek. The airplane, made by Canadian manufacturer De Havilland Aircraft, is a short-haul plane capable of carrying up to 80 passengers and transporting them over a distance of up to 2,000 kilometers. Manas International Airport, which runs all airports in the country, is purchasing two Bombardier Dash 8 Q-400 aircraft for the local Asman Airlines at its own expense. Another Q-400 aircraft will arrive later. Kyrgyzstan is experiencing growth in passenger traffic on both domestic and international flights. In 2023, the total passenger traffic amounted to 5.609 million passengers, an increase from 3.98 million, or 41%, in 2021. In addition, the regional airports in Karakol, Kazarman, Kerben, Talas, and Naryn have been reconstructed at the expense of Manas International Airport, allowing the launch of new domestic routes. A new international airport in the southern Jalal-Abad region is under consideration.

Central Asia International Affairs Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan International Affairs

Kyrgyzstan Removes Taliban From List of Terrorist Organizations

Kyrgyzstan has quietly removed the Taliban from its list of banned terrorist organizations. Kyrgyzstan's Prosecutor General's Office recently published a list of extremist terrorist organizations whose activities are banned by courts in the country. The list includes 20 organizations, but the Taliban is not among them. The State Commission on Religious Affairs could not answer precisely why the Taliban is not on the list. Azamat Yusupov, the agency's deputy head, told reporters that the commission had nothing to do with approving the list. “Given the recent changes in Afghanistan, the Taliban can be removed from the list of terrorist organizations. It is better to contact the judiciary, which can answer this question more accurately,” Yusupov stated. Afghanistan's Taliban government has already responded. The foreign ministry of the unrecognized Islamic Emirate said it “welcomes and approves of the Kyrgyz authorities' decision to remove the Taliban from the list of banned groups.” “The step taken by Kyrgyzstan signifies the growing political recognition of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan at both regional and international levels and removes an obstacle to strengthening bilateral relations between Afghanistan and other countries,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. The Taliban has been recognized as a terrorist organization in different years and by other countries and organizations. For example, in Kazakhstan, the Taliban was recognized as a terrorist organization by the Supreme Court on March 15, 2005. And in Kyrgyzstan by the decision of the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek on September 15, 2006. In Russia, the Taliban was recognized as a terrorist organization by a decision of the Supreme Court in 2003. In June this year, Kazakhstan removed the Taliban regime from the terrorist list to develop economic interaction with Afghanistan. This was announced by President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev, at a meeting of the Council of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). In May of this year, the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Justice reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin that the Taliban could be removed from the list of banned organizations; however, this issue still needs to be resolved in Russia.

Central Asia Kazakhstan Local Politics International Affairs Local Politics Business & Economy Kazakhstan Kazakhstan International Affairs Kazakhstan Business & Economy

Kashagan LPG to Fuel Kazakhstan’s Domestic Market

The Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan announced on September 4 that following the negotiations between the partners of the North Caspian Project and Kazakhstan’s national gas company QazaqGaz, with the participation of the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan, an agreement had been signed regarding the sale and purchase of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from Kazakhstan’s Kashagan oil field. The North Caspian Project was developed under the North Caspian Sea Production Sharing Agreement signed in 1997, by Kazakhstan and an international consortium including KazMunayGas (16.88%), Eni (16.81%), Shell (16.81%), ExxonMobil (16.81%), TotalEnergies (16.81%), CNPC (8.33%), and INPEX Ltd (7.56%). The move comes amid the increasingly high demand for LPG, which cheaper than gasoline, is the most popular and economical fuel amongst Kazakhstan's vehicle owners. According to the agreement, supplies of LPG from Kashagan will be released at the end of 2025 and by 2027, on completion of work on the infrastructure, reach over 700,000 tons per year. The Ministry of Energy believes that supplies from Kashagan will help reduce the chronic shortage of LPG in Kazakhstan, and positively impact the socio-economic situation in the country's regions. As recently reported by The Times of Central Asia, supplies have long failed to meet demand. In July, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Energy, Almasadam Satkaliyev, stated that in 2023, Kazakhstan had 582,000 motor vehicles running on LPG, an 18% increase compared to 2022 (491,000), resulting in a rise in consumption by 400,000 tons, or 28%. Last year, LPG consumption volumes amounted to 2.2 million tons compared to 1.8 million in 2022, and according to analysts, may increase this year by a further 200 thousand tons and reach 2.4 million annually. According to the Minister, Kazakhstan produced 1.6 million tons of LPG in 2023 and plans the same volume for 2024.