Kazakhstan - The Times Of Central Asia

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History

Mukhamedzhan Tynyshpaev: Pioneer, Patriot, and Kazakh Visionary

Mukhamedzhan Tynyshpaev, a Kazakh scholar, politician, and visionary, has returned to the spotlight with the publication of his book The History of the Kazakh People in Kazakhstan. This book, originally written in Russian in 1925 under the title Materials on the History of the Kyrgyz-Kazakh People, was republished in Kazakh in 2023 by AmalBooks. The work explores the origins of the Kazakh tribes, the development of Kazakh statehood, and the nation’s rich history. Tynyshpaev was a towering figure in Kazakh history. Born on May 12, 1879, in the Lepsinsky district of Semirechyenskaya Oblast, he rose to prominence as one of the founders of the Alash movement. Beyond his roles as a historian and scholar, he was Kazakhstan’s first railway engineer, a deputy in the Second State Duma of the Russian Empire, and a leading contributor to the construction of the Turkestan-Siberian Railway. He also served briefly as deputy chairman of the Alash Autonomy government. The Central State Archive of Kazakhstan preserves three unique photographs that capture moments from Tynyshpaev’s extraordinary life. The first photograph, dated around 1900, shows a young Tynyshpaev as a student of the Imperial Institute of Railway Engineers in St. Petersburg, where he studied from 1900 to 1905. This image, taken at the Leibin and Sons photo studio in Verny (now Almaty), reflects his early academic promise. In the second photograph, Tynyshpaev is seen among representatives of the Kazakh student intelligentsia studying at universities in St. Petersburg (he is seated third from the left). The archive dates the document between 1903 and 1909 and includes the following caption: "Dosmukhamedov Kh. (third row, third from the left) - student of the Imperial Military Medical Academy of St. Petersburg; Tynyshpaev M. (second row, second from the right) - student of the Imperial Institute of Railway Engineers named after Alexander I with fellow countrymen." Upon studying this document, we identified Zhansey (Zhihansha) Alimuratovich Seydalin — a student of the Faculty of Law at St. Petersburg University (third row, second from the left). He later became a public figure, lawyer, and member of the national Alash party. Also present in the photograph is the first Kazakh woman to receive higher education at St. Petersburg universities — Gulsum Asfendiyarova (second row, left). Today, Gulsum Asfendiyarova is known as the first Kazakh female doctor with a higher education, an organizer of the healthcare system in the Turkestan region, a medical educator, and the elder sister of Sanjar Asfendiyarov — a renowned doctor, political figure, scholar, and professor, after whom the medical university in Almaty is now named. Mukhamedzhan Tynyshpaev studied at the Imperial Institute of Railway Engineers in St. Petersburg from 1900 to 1905. Kh. Dosmukhamedov studied at the Imperial Military Medical Academy in St. Petersburg from 1903 to 1909. Zh. Seydalin studied at St. Petersburg University from 1900 to 1904. Asfendiyarova studied at the Women’s Medical Institute in St. Petersburg from 1902 to 1908. Based on these facts, it can be assumed that the photograph was taken in 1903 or 1904 when all the mentioned...

Society

Central Asia Ranks Among Least Free in Freedom House’s 2025 Report

Freedom House has released its 2025 Freedom in the World report, which evaluates political rights and civil liberties in 195 countries and 13 territories worldwide. Covering events from January 1 to December 31, 2024, the report is based on the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, emphasizing that freedom is best safeguarded in democratic societies. Countries are assessed on a 100-point scale, with higher scores reflecting greater political and civil freedoms. Finland topped the ranking with 100 points, followed by New Zealand and Sweden with 99 points each. At the bottom were Tibet (0 points), Syria, and South Sudan (1 point each). Central Asia: All Countries Remain 'Not Free' Despite variations in scores, all five Central Asian states remain near the bottom of the global ranking, reflecting ongoing restrictions on political participation, press freedom, and civil liberties. All of the countries of Central Asia remain classified as “Not Free”: Kazakhstan - 23 points (5 in political rights, 18 in civil liberties) Kyrgyzstan - 26 points (4 in political rights, 22 in civil liberties) Tajikistan - 5 points (0 in political rights, 5 in civil liberties) Turkmenistan - 1 point (0 in political rights, 1 in civil liberties) Uzbekistan - 12 points (2 in political rights, 10 in civil liberties)

International Transport

Development of a Maritime Fleet in a Landlocked Country

It may come as a surprise to some, but despite being a landlocked country far from any ocean, Kazakhstan is actively developing its maritime fleet. The country recognizes that to play a significant role in maritime transport across the Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan must enhance the competitiveness of its commercial fleet, alongside improving coastal infrastructure and services. This initiative not only generates revenue for Kazakh transport companies and contributes to the national budget but also safeguards the country's foreign trade. Kazakhstan has set an ambitious goal to establish a regional transit hub based on its Caspian Sea ports, Aktau and Kuryk. It is attracting major international players to develop its logistics services and integrate Kazakhstan into the global trade and transport network. However, the development of the national commercial fleet is lagging. The shortage of a strong fleet means Kazakhstan struggles to compete with the maritime industries of other Caspian nations. It is no secret that most maritime transport between the ports of Aktau/Kuryk and Baku is currently handled by the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company, one of the largest maritime transport operators in the region. The company owns more than 50 transport vessels and over 110 specialized ships and plans to implement a large-scale investment program to modernize its fleet by 2029. Meanwhile, according to Kazakhstan’s Bureau of National Statistics, 263 maritime vessels are registered in the country. However, more than 70% of these vessels are over 25 years old. The aging fleet and weak presence in the maritime transport market prevent Kazakhstan from increasing its share in global supply chains, meaning most of the profits from freight transport go to foreign carriers. The longstanding principle discussed in Kazakhstan’s transport sector — “Our Cargo – Our Port – Our Fleet”— could enable domestic transport companies to earn up to 30% more through logistics-related revenue. According to World Bank estimates, by 2030, cargo transportation via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route is expected to reach 11 million tons. The Concept for the Development of Kazakhstan’s Transport and Logistics Potential until 2030 forecasts that the volume of containerized transit cargo along this corridor from China will grow by at least 40,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) in the next five years. Over the past decade, Kazakhstan’s domestic tanker fleet has significantly reduced its oil transport operations, as most of the country's crude oil is now transported via pipelines. However, a recent drone attack on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium's (CPC) largest oil pumping station and a subsequent statement from “Transneft” warning that this could lead to a 30% reduction in Kazakhstan’s oil exports highlight the urgent need for an alternative maritime route for oil transport. This would help maintain stable oil production in the country’s fields. Accelerating the modernization and expansion of Kazakhstan’s national fleet will integrate the country into the regional transport and logistics system, reduce dependency on foreign vessels, and protect foreign trade from volatile freight market conditions — especially given ongoing geopolitical uncertainties in the region. A key initiative expected to strengthen Kazakhstan’s...

Energy

Kazakhstan to Expand Oil, Gas, and Green Energy Production in 2025

The Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan has released its 2024 fuel and energy sector report and outlined its plans for 2025. The country aims to increase crude oil and natural gas production while expanding renewable energy capacity. Oil Production and Refining In 2024, Kazakhstan produced 87.7 million tons of crude oil. Oil refining met the target of 17.9 million tons, while the production of: Oil products reached 14.5 million tons (exceeding the plan) Liquefied gas totaled 3 million tons Petrochemical products amounted to 540,000 tons In 2025, the country aims to boost crude oil production to 96.2 million tons, driven by the expansion of production at the Tengiz field and continued development at Karachaganak, Kalamkas-Sea, and Khazar. Natural Gas Expansion and Infrastructure Kazakhstan produced 59 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas in 2024 and plans to increase output to 62.8 bcm in 2025. As of last year, 61.8% of Kazakhstan’s population had access to natural gas supplies. The government plans to expand gasification efforts in 2025 through the completion of major gas pipelines and distribution stations. Growth in Renewable Energy and Electricity Generation Kazakhstan generated 117.9 billion kWh of electricity in 2024, with 7.58 billion kWh (6.4%) coming from renewable energy sources (RES). In 2025, the country will implement nine new RES projects with a total capacity of 455.5 MW, further increasing the share of green energy and reducing the carbon footprint of Kazakhstan’s energy sector.

Tax

Kazakhstan’s PM Bektenov Gives Major Construction Firms Tax Ultimatum

Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister, Olzhas Bektenov, has accused the country’s two largest construction companies, Bazis and BI Group, of tax evasion. The State Revenue Committee later substantiated these claims, notifying the firms of additional taxes amounting to KZT 16.5 billion (over $32 million). Business Fragmentation The allegations against the developers emerged during a meeting between Bektenov, National Economy Minister Serik Zhumangarin, and Finance Minister Madi Takiyev. Takiyev explained that many Kazakhstani businesses exploit legal loopholes by dividing their operations into multiple legal entities to minimize tax obligations. He cited examples from the hospitality industry, where bars, kitchens, and karaoke sections within a single venue are registered as separate businesses, or where each floor of a hotel is owned by different individual entrepreneurs. This practice enables businesses to evade value-added tax (VAT). Once a company’s revenue reaches the KZT 78 million ($155,500) VAT registration threshold, it ceases operations and is replaced by a new legal entity. “To reduce payroll taxes, businesses remove employees from their staff, register them as individual entrepreneurs, and then contract them as external service providers. This lowers tax liabilities, shifts social responsibility from the employer to the entrepreneur, and significantly reduces payroll tax contributions,” Takiyev explained. According to his figures, Kazakhstan currently has 2.3 million registered taxpayers, but only 8% (137,000) are VAT payers due to this loophole. Additionally, 81% of all businesses operate under a simplified tax regime, with 85% of them reporting an annual income below KZT 15 million ($29,900). “An analysis has shown that transactions between these tax schemes doubled over the past year, from KZT 5 trillion to KZT 10 trillion. In other words, while generating hundreds of billions in revenue, these businesses pay negligible taxes,” Takiyev stated. He noted that such schemes are prevalent not only in the service sector but also in real estate development. Final Warning Bektenov explicitly named companies under scrutiny. “We have a complete list of major businesses employing these tactics. Among them are well known construction giants such as BI Group and Bazis, as well as popular restaurants, fitness clubs, and other companies across various industries,” he said. Bektenov issued a two-week ultimatum for these businesses to settle their tax arrears. “If they fail to act, the government will use all available fiscal and law enforcement mechanisms. The conversation will be tough, but we are open to dialogue, if businesses are prepared to act fairly toward the state,” he warned. By the end of last week, tax authorities had formally notified Bazis and BI Group of their outstanding obligations. Bazis was instructed to correct tax filings for an undeclared KZT 4.6 billion ($9.2 million), while BI Group was found to have understated its taxable base and income by KZT 11.9 billion ($23.8 million). The companies have been given an opportunity to amend their tax reports and pay the additional amounts before formal inspections begin. So far, neither developer has publicly responded to the accusations. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan is set to reform...

Middle Corridor

Opinion: Washington Needs a Stronger Policy for the Middle Corridor

The inauguration of President Donald Trump marks a new phase in U.S. foreign policy with direct implications for the Middle Corridor, a key trade route linking China to Europe via Central Asia and the South Caucasus. This corridor, also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), has been gaining increasing strategic importance as global trade patterns shift and great-power competition intensifies. During Trump’s first term, U.S. engagement in the region was sporadic and lacked a comprehensive strategy. While some policy initiatives were undertaken to counterbalance Russian and Chinese influence in Eurasia, these efforts remained piecemeal. The Biden administration attempted to address this gap by allocating limited funding for infrastructure development and engaging in regional negotiations aimed at fostering greater connectivity. However, Biden’s approach ultimately fell short of a coherent, long-term policy, allowing Moscow and Beijing to consolidate their positions in the region. The significance of the Middle Corridor has been underscored by increased international investment. Beyond economic concerns, the Middle Corridor plays a critical role in Europe’s energy security. The corridor facilitates the westward flow of Caspian resources, providing an alternative to Russian energy exports. The development of the Middle Corridor offers a strategic means of achieving this goal, reinforcing the EU’s energy independence while simultaneously strengthening economic ties with the South Caucasus and Central Asia. Azerbaijan has emerged as a central player in the development of the Middle Corridor. As a crucial transit country, Baku has actively pursued infrastructure investments to bolster the corridor’s efficiency. Azerbaijan’s role is further magnified by its growing energy exports to Europe, solidifying its position as a strategic partner in regional energy security. The Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway, a vital component of the corridor, has received continued investment, underscoring Azerbaijan’s commitment to enhancing trade and transit connectivity. However, Azerbaijan’s increasing importance also intersects with ongoing geopolitical complexities, particularly its relationship with Armenia. The absence of Armenian participation in the Middle Corridor remains a notable gap, one that is directly tied to the resolution of long-standing territorial disputes. The prospect of an Armenia–Azerbaijan peace treaty has gained traction in recent years, supported by Western diplomatic efforts. U.S. policymakers have recognized that sustainable peace between the two nations would not only stabilize the South Caucasus but also unlock Armenia’s potential role in the corridor. Armenia’s geopolitical realignment presents both opportunities and challenges. While Yerevan has signaled its interest in deepening ties with the West, it remains economically dependent on Russia, particularly in energy and financial sectors. Increased Armenian exports to Russia, some of which analysts suspect may involve re-exports of sanctioned goods, further complicate efforts to shift its economic orientation. Recent discussions within U.S. policy circles indicate a growing recognition of the Middle Corridor’s strategic importance. American policymakers have begun exploring ways to expand support for infrastructure development in the region, recognizing that a proactive approach could yield multiple geopolitical and economic benefits. By investing in the Middle Corridor, the U.S. has an opportunity to enhance regional stability, strengthen economic ties with key partners, and counterbalance Russian...