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ADB to Help Kazakhstan Move Away from Coal Power Generation

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a memorandum of understanding, moving closer to the possible early retirement of a coal plant in Kazakhstan under the bank’s Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM) program. Under the memorandum, the ministry and ADB will work toward a pilot transaction that will demonstrate a pathway to significantly reduce Kazakhstan’s greenhouse gas emissions by decommissioning pilot coal plants for renewables or other low-c or repurposing carbon energy technologies. A feasibility study will determine which of the country’s coal-fired power generation, combined heat and power plants and heat-only boilers could be the most viable for early retirement. ADB and Kazakhstan have also agreed to analyze the potential impact of early decommissioning or repurposing of a plant on the country’s power and heat supply, develop the country’s renewable energy generation capacity, and promote regional energy trade. ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov commented: “Keeping 1.5 degrees alive means moving away from fossil fuels and toward clean energy as quickly as possible—and ADB’s ETM program aims to do that in a way that considers each country’s energy and socioeconomic development needs. As Asia and the Pacific’s climate bank, we are committed to helping Kazakhstan inclusively decarbonize its economy, and we aim to demonstrate how the clean energy transition can be accelerated in Central Asia.” Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan Almassadam Satkaliyev added, “Kazakhstan will need to develop a new approach in the power, heating, and water sectors as a single technological system, and we rely on ADB’s support and experience. I hope this program will demonstrate new systems' technological shift and reliability through ETM, which can then be replicated in other plants and regions.” Kazakhstan is a major consumer of coal, with 25 billion tons of coal reserves estimated to be the eighth largest worldwide. About 70% of the country’s electricity is produced from coal, while energy-related activity, including heat and electricity production, accounts for more than 80% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Kazakhstan’s long-term strategy for achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 involves reducing its use of fossil fuels and increasing its renewable power generation capacity.

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Kazakhstan Secures Agreement for 11 Billion Cubic Meters of Water from Neighboring Countries by April 2025

Kazakhstan will receive approximately 11 billion cubic meters of irrigation water from the Syr Darya River by April 2025, following an agreement made by Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, with representatives from neighboring Central Asian countries. The accord was reached at the 87th meeting of the Interstate Coordination Water Management Commission held last week in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, and attended by water ministry leaders from Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, with Kyrgyzstan as an observer. This substantial water supply is expected to fill the Shardara reservoir in southern Kazakhstan by April 1, 2025, providing enough water for the region's 2025 irrigation season. Given Kazakhstan’s reliance on irrigation for agriculture, particularly in the arid south, the flow from upstream countries like Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan is vital. Nurzhigitov noted, "This year, thanks to negotiations and joint actions, we ensured the effective water distribution in the Syrdarya River basin. Agreements on water and energy cooperation with Kyrgyzstan were implemented, and measures were taken to coordinate the operating mode of the Bakhri-Tojik reservoir [in Tajikistan] during this year’s irrigation season.”

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Solidarity Center: Central Asian Migrant Workers Face Low Pay and Unsafe Workplaces

Central Asian migrant workers face new challenges as they look for well-paying jobs, with economic shifts and political instability adding to the uncertainty. More women and young people also choose to migrate, often facing unique risks. Panelists at a recent Solidarity Center webinar highlighted that protecting these workers’ rights is more effective when countries in the region work together on safe migration plans. A Solidarity Center study involving over 1,000 migrant workers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan found that Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are the primary countries of origin, while Kazakhstan is becoming a growing destination. Most participants (58%) left due to low wages in their home countries, and 31% cited a lack of jobs as their main reason for migrating. Russia, once a top destination for Central Asian workers, has seen a drop in migrant numbers since its economy took a hit following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. A migrant worker from Uzbekistan shared that overtime hours weren’t paid, and medical expenses had to come out of his pocket if he got sick. According to Lola Abdukadyrova, Solidarity Center's regional director in Kyrgyzstan, this story reflects the harsh conditions many migrant workers face—no overtime pay, no sick leave, and frequent discrimination or harassment. Abdukadyrova noted that for nearly 30% of Kyrgyz migrant households, money for food is often a struggle. In Uzbekistan, this rate rises to 45%, as shared by Nodira Karimova, director of the Republican Social Information Center Istiqbolli Avlod. Abdukadyrova added that many migrants earn only enough for basic food, and they face delayed payments, heavier workloads without extra pay, and unsafe working conditions. “Kazakhstan has endorsed the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) and participates in various regional migration dialogues,” said Aleksandr Mukha, director of the Mangistau Regional Branch of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law. In another significant win for migrant worker rights organizations, Kyrgyzstan issued the GCM in August to improve conditions for Kyrgyz citizens who travel abroad to earn their livelihoods. The Times of Central Asia has previously written about how that Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine has increased pressure on Central Asian migrants.

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Turkey Ready to Buy Kazakh Meat at Twice the Price Offered by China

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Agriculture is actively working to open the Turkish market to Kazakh meat exports. Deputy Minister Amangaly Berdalin reported that Turkish partners are willing to pay twice as much for Kazakh beef as China. The Ministry of Agriculture has previously pursued access to the Chinese market for Kazakh livestock products. In February, Beijing lifted restrictions on Kazakh livestock imports, potentially enabling Kazakhstan’s southeastern regions to resume exports of frozen beef and pork to China. However, significant export volumes to China have yet to materialize. Maksut Baktibayev, head of the Meat Union of Kazakhstan, explained that the agreement between the countries only allows exports from four meat processing plants in Kazakhstan, with a combined capacity of 8,000 tons of frozen beef. According to Berdalin, Kazakh producers are not utilizing even this limited capacity due to uncompetitive pricing. Chinese buyers offer $5.5 per kilogram of Kazakh beef, which is comparable to prices in Kazakhstan’s domestic market, ranging from 2,700 to 3,000 tenge ($5.4 to $6.1) per kilogram. Given these figures, transporting Kazakh meat to China is economically unviable for producers. In contrast, Turkey is prepared to pay nearly double, or $11 per kilogram, for Kazakh beef. "Our ministry’s objective is to open as many markets as possible for our producers, particularly those offering attractive prices,” Berdalin stated at the Vet Astana 2024 International Exhibition on Feed and Veterinary in Astana. “That is why our inspectors are actively collaborating with Turkish officials to understand their export requirements.” Berdalin noted that while specific export volumes of Kazakh beef to Turkey are not yet determined, there is optimism following a recent diplomatic visit. In August, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov visited Ankara, where business representatives from both countries signed contracts to supply Kazakh meat to Turkey, valued at $80 million over the coming years, contingent on Kazakhstan’s successful completion of required veterinary and epidemiological procedures. The Turkish market has historically been closed to most Kazakh livestock products due to restrictions related to animal diseases, with some bans in place for approximately 20 years. Turkish authorities lifted these restrictions in June 2024. Kazakh producers are now navigating an extensive certification process to gain market access. Some required tests must be conducted in third countries, prompting Kazakhstan to rebuild its own laboratory capabilities. Berdalin shared that the Kazakh government has allocated 3.8 billion tenge ($7.7 million) this year to support veterinary laboratories. "To export to a country, we must meet all its import requirements. For instance, to export our honey, we need to conduct 43 specific tests. Currently, we handle 20 in-house, but the remaining 23 are outsourced to laboratories in Latvia and Georgia,” Berdalin explained. In addition to Turkey, the Ministry of Agriculture is working to open European markets for Kazakh meat. Last year, Kazakhstan exported over 53,000 tons of meat and meat products valued at $153 million. Poultry was the largest export category, at nearly 32,000 tons, followed by beef at 15,800 tons. Primary export destinations included Uzbekistan, the UAE, Kyrgyzstan, Iran,...

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Military Pilot Killed, Two Injured in Chopper Crash in Kazakhstan

A military helicopter crashed in western Kazakhstan during a training flight on Saturday, killing a veteran pilot who was involved in flood control efforts earlier this year and injuring the other two servicemen who were on board. The crash happened near the village of Saryzhar in the Aktobe Region, according to authorities. Kazakh media reports said a fire broke out on impact. “The preliminary cause of the incident is considered to be a technical malfunction, and the details are under investigation,” Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Defense said on Telegram. “An interdepartmental emergency response team is working at the scene.” The ministry identified the serviceman who died in what it called a “hard landing” as Maj. Batyr Kairatovich Urazymbetov, an air squadron instructor from the Military Institute of Air Defense Forces. It said Urazymbetov was born in 1988 and was an experienced airman, accumulating more than 500 flight hours on the Mi-8 helicopter. “Throughout his service, he demonstrated high professionalism and dedication to duty, including participation in flood control efforts this spring. He was awarded anniversary medals and long service awards. He was married and had two children,” the ministry said. Urazymbetov’s family will receive financial aid and other support, it said. Kazakhstan’s military assisted with evacuations, building barriers to prevent water flows and other measures during devastating floods this year that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev described as Kazakhstan’s worst natural disaster in 80 years. Air Squadron Commander Major Bibarys Ibraev and senior Lt. Rustem Nigmetov, a flight instructor at the military institute’s training aviation center, were injured in the crash on Saturday. They were transported to the regional hospital in Aktobe city and were in stable but serious condition. Azerbaijan’s defense minister, Col. Gen. Zakir Hasanov, said on Telegram that he was “deeply saddened” to hear about the crash and expressed condolences to the families of the dead serviceman and his injured colleagues. Azerbaijan and Central Asian countries participated in joint military exercises in Kazakhstan in July. Kazakhstan’ military has operated Soviet-designed Mi-8 helicopters since declaring independence from the Soviet Union in late 1991. Dozens of countries use the aircraft. The helicopter that crashed received its “last major overhaul” at a military facility in Almaty last year, and maintenance requirements and pre-flight preparations were in order, according to defense officials. The crew had experience dealing with bad weather, night flying and other challenging conditions.

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Kazakhstan Working On a Bill to Ban Quadrobers

Mazhilis deputy Daulet Mukayev has said Kazakhstan is working on a bill to ban quadrobers. The spread of this hobby, where young people imitate animals, could have a detrimental effect on the younger generation, he stated. “In 2024, quadrobics has undergone a major change. While it used to be more like a sporting challenge, now quadrobers wear animal masks, tails, and paws. If we don't take action, we risk losing a whole generation,” Mukayev said in response to journalists' inquiries to the Telegram channel, Buzyq. Mukayev emphasized that the problem is also a concern in other countries, and parents, society, and the state should work together to solve it. The deputy added that the development of legislative measures and strengthening control over social networks has already begun. However, the deputy did not give precise information about the agencies that initiated this bill. A request for a comment was sent to the Mazhilis press service, which replied that they had not yet received such a piece of legislation. Earlier, Mukayev had characterized quadrobers as a potentially dangerous social phenomenon and called for a study into the phenomenon, stating that the Mazhilis would develop laws against quadrobing if necessary. However, Kazakhstan's Ministry of Culture considers quadrobics a temporary fad and stated that its main task remains to ensure the safety of teenagers who participate in this trend. Quadrobics is an unofficial sport in which participants move on all fours and imitate the habits of animals in costumes. The movement has already been seen in Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine. Recent cases of this behavior have also been reported in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where a teenager wearing an animal mask scared passersby on October 10. The next day, another quadrober imitating a dog attacked passengers on public transport, scaring children. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that the Kyrgyz authorities are trying to curb the growing interest of teenagers in quadrobics. Uzbekistan is also taking steps to control the issue, where parents are being warned of fines for inappropriate behavior by teenagers. In Russia, the issue of administrative responsibility for parents who do not take responsibility for the upbringing of their children who become overtly interested in quadrobics has also been raised. The problem has not yet been resolved, but a request to the State Duma has requested fines and criminal liability for such actions. In addition, Gennady Shkil, a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church, suggested in a sermon that fathers and mothers of quadrobers should be deprived of parental rights. Shkil stated that “tough measures” are needed “for the salvation of mankind.”