Kazakhstan - The Times Of Central Asia

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U.S. and Central Asian Countries Focus on Protecting Rights of People with Disabilities

On December 11th, the U.S. Department of State hosted a meeting of representatives of C5+1 countries dedicated to protecting the rights of people with disabilities and finding practical solutions to their problems. The C5+1 diplomatic platform represents the U.S. Government’s holisitc approach to Central Asia, jointly engaging all five Central Asian nations. The meeting was attended by Sara Minkara, Special Adviser to the President of the United States on the International Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Donald Lu, Assistant Secretary of State, Deputy Assistant Secretary John Mark Pommersheim, and representatives of government agencies of the USA. The Ambassadors of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to the United States also spoke during the meeting, which was moderated by Minkara, who shared her experience and recommendations on ensuring protection of the rights of persons with disabilities. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, Donald Lu stressed the importance of increasing cooperation within the C5+1 format on the rights of persons with disabilities in a multilateral format. Following the meeting, the participants agreed on joint actions in this direction.

Kazakhstan and Belgium’s Province of Walloon Brabant to Expand Cooperation

Kazakhstan and Belgium’s Province of Walloon Brabant to Expand Cooperation On December 11th, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Belgium, Margulan Baimukhan made a working visit to the province of Walloon Brabant, where he met with the Governor of the region, Gilles Mahieu, Administrator of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Walloon Brabant, Christophe Lebrun, and District Commissioner of the region, Christophe Baes. During the meeting there was a presentation about the economic and scientific-educational potential of the region. The Kazakh diplomat spoke about the current state of Kazakhstan-Belgium, Kazakhstan-European and CA-EU relations. The main emphasis was placed on projects in the field of transportation, green economy, and rare earth metals. Ambassador Baimukhan also informed those gathered about the activities of the Kazakh-Belgian Business Council, and the upcoming business missions of Belgian companies and European agro-industrial firms to Kazakhstan in 2024. Following the meeting, it was agreed that a detailed presentation on economic and investment opportunities in Kazakhstan for business circles in Walloon Brabant would be prepared. Trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Belgium amounted to $514.5 million in 2022. Indicators for the period January-August 2023 amounted to $375.3 million, which is 6.7% higher than for the same period in the previous year. Gross direct investment from Belgium to Kazakhstan in 2022 amounted to $1.5 billion.

Kazakhstan and Slovakia Discuss Strengthening Cooperation

Kazakhstan and Slovakia Discuss Strengthening Cooperation The possibility of strengthening cooperation between Kazakhstan and Slovakia was discussed during a working visit to Bratislava of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Roman Vassilenko on December 11th. Vassilenko held meetings with colleagues in Slovak ministries, parliament, and representatives of business circles. During political and economic consultations with the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Rastislav Chovanec, the parties discussed bilateral relations and the interaction of the two countries in international platforms. Vassilenko and Chovanec emphasised the dynamic, progressive development of Kazakh-Slovak cooperation. The State Secretary said that Kazakhstan is among the top five countries which Slovak business is interested in cooperation with. Particular attention was paid to the preparations for the tenth meeting of the Kazakh-Slovak Intergovernmental Commission on economic and scientific-technical cooperation and a business forum, which are scheduled for the first half of 2024 in Astana. During talks with the State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy of Slovakia, Vladimir Šimoňák, a positive trend of growth in mutual trade between the two countries was noted, the volume of which increased by 68.5% the first ten months of 2023. Issues of cooperation in energy, transport, machine-building, defense, IT, agriculture and tourism were discussed. Vassilenko proposed expanding the agenda of the upcoming commission in the areas of energy, transcontinental transport and the establishment of new freight routes between Europe and Asia, including the development of the Middle Corridor. In this context, it was proposed that the volume of freight traffic between Kazakhstan and Slovakia be increased. Particular attention was also paid to cooperation in the field of training engineering and technical professions. Currently, over 500 students from Kazakhstan are undergoing technical training and internships at enterprises of the Slovak automotive industry, and the number of students from Kazakhstan studying in Slovak universities continues to grow annually.

Kazakhstan Increases Oil Exports Along Trans-Caspian Route

Kazakhstan Increases Oil Exports Along Trans-Caspian Route KazTransOil JSC (a subsidiary of Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company, KazMunayGas JSC), exported 3,620,000 tons of oil from the Caspian port of Aktau in the eleven months of 2023 so far, which is 1,014,000 tons, or 50% more compared to the same period last year, the company said on December 11th. The increase in the volume of transportation of Kazakh oil for export from the port of Aktau is due to an increase in the volume of raw materials shipped towards the port of Baku, from 205,000 tons to 1,238,000 tons, a sixfold increase on the same period in 2022. In addition, in the reporting period, 1,824,000 tons of oil were shipped from Aktau towards the port of Makhachkala (Russia). In 2022, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ordered an increase in the volume of oil transportation along the Trans-Caspian corridor. In accordance with this instruction, JSC NC KazMunayGas and the state oil company of Azerbaijan, SOCAR, entered into an agreement providing for the transportation of 1,500,000 tons of oil per year from the Tengiz field in the direction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline.

Kazakhstan to Reduce Dependence on Water from Neighboring Countries

Issues of modernizing water infrastructure and improving the water resources management system were discussed at a meeting of the Water Council of Kazakhstan chaired by Prime Minister, Alikhan Smailov, A post on the PM’s official website states. Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Nurzhan Nurzhigitov reported that Kazakhstan has 102.3 km3 of water, 54% of which is formed within the country, and the remaining 46% coming from neighboring countries. The annual consumption by economic sectors is about 25 km3 of water, of which 65% is used for agriculture, and 25% for industrial needs. To ensure the country's water security and solve the problem of shortages, a draft Comprehensive Plan for the Development of Water Resources for 2024-2030 has been developed. It provides for a number of urgent measures for the construction and reconstruction of reservoirs, and the reconstruction of hydraulic structures and irrigation systems. Implementation of the plan will increase available water resources by 3.7 cubic kilometers, and the area of irrigated land to 2.2 million hectares, as well as reduce annual losses of irrigation water by 3 cubic kilometers. In 2024-2026, it is planned to begin construction of 20 new reservoirs with a volume of 2.4 cubic kilometers in nine regions. This will increase the area of irrigated land by 250,000 hectares and reduce Kazakhstan’s dependence on neighboring countries for its water supply by an average of 25%. “We must annually introduce water-saving technologies on 150,000 hectares of irrigated lands. Now, implementation is carried out on 40-50,000 hectares per year. At the same time, in the southern regions where there is the greatest water shortage, the volume of implementation is the smallest,” said Smailov.

28 Citizens of Kazakhstan Evacuated from Gaza Strip

According to the representative of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Egypt, 28 citizens of Kazakhstan have been evacuated from the Gaza Strip to Egypt. According to preliminary data, there are still estimated to be ten Kazakhstan nationals trapped there. “Regarding their evacuation, everything depends on the current military situation, and on whether they will be able to reach Egypt," said Sanjar Ualikhanov, Adviser to the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Egypt. Oksana Helles, a citizen of Kazakhstan who had been living in Palestine addressed the situation: “Recently, we had been living in the Gaza Strip. My husband is still there, and I take this opportunity to ask for help so that he can also come to me and reunite our family. He works as a doctor, and I also worked as a nurse. We had five children, and about two weeks ago my daughter was killed; she was 19-years-old and six months pregnant. She died along with her husband, his nephews and parents.” “I am a Palestinian, but I studied in Kazakhstan, graduated from a medical university there, and married a Kazakh, so I’m also a citizen of Kazakhstan,” said another evacuee, Elyanakh Akhmet. “Since the war began, it’s been a frightening ordeal for us. We had been building our lives for so many years, and everything was destroyed in an instant.” All the evacuees expressed their great gratitude to the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Egypt, and asked for further help.