Our People > Sergey Kwan

Sergey Kwan

Journalist

Sergey Kwan has worked for The Times of Central Asia as a journalist, translator and editor since its foundation in March 1999. Prior to this, from 1996-1997, he worked as a translator at The Kyrgyzstan Chronicle, and from 1997-1999, as a translator at The Central Asian Post.
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Kwan studied at the Bishkek Polytechnic Institute from 1990-1994, before completing his training in print journalism in Denmark.

Articles

Civil Aviation

Kyrgyzstan Signs Deal to Acquire Two Airbus A321 Aircraft

Kyrgyzstan has signed an agreement to acquire two Airbus A321ceo aircraft as part of efforts to expand the country’s civil aviation sector and launch new international routes. The signing ceremony took place on March 5 in Bishkek, where the agreement was signed by Manasbek Samidinov, chairman of the board of Airports of Kyrgyzstan OJSC, and Maurice Prendergast, senior vice president of BBAM Aircraft Leasing & Management. The event was attended by Johan Pelissier, president of Airbus Europe, and Kyrgyz Prime Minister Adylbek Kasymaliev. According to the agreement, the aircraft will be delivered to Kyrgyzstan by the end of 2026. They are intended for the state-owned carrier Asman Airlines, a subsidiary of Airports of Kyrgyzstan. The new aircraft are expected to support the launch of international flights and improve operational capacity. Asman Airlines currently operates three Dash 8 Q400 aircraft, Canadian-made short-haul turboprop planes capable of carrying up to 80 passengers over distances of up to 2,000 kilometers. These aircraft serve domestic routes across Kyrgyzstan after the airline recently restored air connections between Bishkek and several remote regional centers. Speaking at the ceremony, Kasymaliev said that the acquisition of modern and efficient aircraft would help raise Kyrgyzstan’s civil aviation sector to a new level of development. He added that between 2021 and 2025 the number of passengers served at Kyrgyzstan’s airports on domestic and international routes increased by 52%, while the number of flights rose by 53%. Kasymaliev also noted that audits conducted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 2023-2024 confirmed that Kyrgyzstan’s aviation system complies with international standards. According to the latest audit, the aviation security compliance rate reached 85.76%, a significant improvement compared with previous results. “These achievements create the necessary conditions for Kyrgyzstan to be removed from the European Union’s aviation safety blacklist,” the prime minister said, adding that the final audit by the European Commission is expected in the coming days. Later the same day, President Sadyr Japarov met with Johan Pelissier and Maurice Prendergast to discuss the development of Kyrgyzstan’s aviation sector. During the meeting, Japarov highlighted the rapid modernization of airport infrastructure and the expansion of domestic air routes. While previously only four airports in the country were fully operational, all 11 airports in Kyrgyzstan are now functioning. Construction of a new international airport in Jalal-Abad is also underway. The president also confirmed that Kyrgyzstan is in the final stage of the process to be removed from the European Union’s aviation safety blacklist, with the final inspection expected later this month.

3 weeks ago

Natural gas

Turkmen Natural Gas Could Supplement Azeri Supplies to Europe via the Southern Gas Corridor

Turkmenistan views the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline project as one of the most important directions for diversifying its energy exports and strengthening energy security on the European continent, Turkmenistan’s former president Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov said in an interview with the Al Arabiya television channel during his visit to the United States in February, according to official Turkmen media. The Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline is a proposed infrastructure project designed to transport natural gas from Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan across the Caspian Sea, where it could connect to the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC). The SGC is intended to reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian gas and diversify the continent’s energy supplies by bringing natural gas from the Caspian region to European markets. Its primary supply source is Azerbaijan’s Shah Deniz gas field in the Caspian Sea. The corridor stretches from Azerbaijan through Georgia and Türkiye to Greece, Albania, and Italy. Turkmenistan is widely viewed as a potential additional supplier for the SGC, which could become increasingly important if Azerbaijani gas alone proves insufficient to meet rising European demand. Berdymuhamedov said that progress on the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline requires resolving international legal issues, particularly those related to the delimitation of the Caspian seabed. A Turkmen-Azerbaijani working commission has been established for this purpose. “We hope that its work will yield significant practical results,” he said. Berdymuhamedov also emphasized Turkmenistan’s large hydrocarbon resources, noting that the country ranks fourth globally in proven natural gas reserves. “For some time in the past, the bulk of Turkmen natural gas exports went to Russia, which received up to 40 billion cubic meters per year. Currently, China is our main gas buyer, with supply volumes at roughly the same level,” Berdymuhamedov said. He added that Turkmenistan’s policy of diversification allows the country to supply gas within the region through swap arrangements involving Iran and Azerbaijan, as well as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and other neighboring states. Turkey is also considered a key link for potential Turkmen gas exports to Europe. Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay previously said that, in cooperation with Azerbaijan, Turkmen natural gas could be transported through the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP), which runs across Türkiye and forms the central segment of the Southern Gas Corridor. Oktay expressed confidence that negotiations between Turkey's Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, the Turkish state energy company BOTAŞ, and Turkmenistan’s state-owned gas producer, Türkmengaz, could soon produce positive results. He also stated that Turkish state companies are ready to participate in the development of hydrocarbon resources at the jointly developed Turkmen-Azerbaijani Dostluk field in the Caspian Sea. Speaking at the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council in Baku on March 3, Zafer Demircan, Turkey's Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, highlighted the corridor’s strategic importance. “There is a strong common understanding of the crucial role of the Southern Gas Corridor in achieving long-term energy supply security,” Demircan said. “This valuable concept is evolving toward a Green Energy Corridor linking states in the Caucasus and Central Asia with Europe. Türkiye...

3 weeks ago

Transport

South Korea Supports Kyrgyzstan’s Transition to Electric Transport

South Korea is expanding support for Kyrgyzstan’s transition to electric mobility through new investments in charging infrastructure and the electrification of government vehicles. Blue Networks Co., Ltd., a South Korean company specializing in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure that has installed more than 3,500 charging stations in South Korea, plans to install 300 EV charging stations across Kyrgyzstan by July 2026. The initiative was discussed during a March 3 meeting between Kyrgyz Energy Minister Taalaibek Ibraev and representatives of Blue Networks. Cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Blue Networks began in 2024, when the state-owned energy company Chakan HPP and the South Korean firm signed a memorandum on the joint development and operation of EV charging stations. In 2025, the partners signed a framework agreement to establish a manufacturing facility in Kyrgyzstan to assemble EV charging stations. As part of the agreement, a joint venture has already been established, and the launch of the assembly plant is scheduled for April 2026. Digitalization was also a key topic during the meeting. Blue Networks said it is developing software to manage EV charging infrastructure and agreed to provide Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Energy with access to the system to ensure transparency, monitoring, and efficient management of the future charging network. The initiative forms part of broader support from South Korea for Kyrgyzstan’s transition to electric mobility. On March 3, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) handed over electric vehicles under the project “Electric Vehicle Transition Project for Public Service Fleet to Realize Green Mobility in the Kyrgyz Republic.” The ceremony was attended by Kyrgyz Deputy Minister of Economy and Commerce Mederbek Tumanov, South Korean Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Kim Kwangjae, KOICA Country Director Lim Soyeon, and representatives of participating government institutions. According to the KOICA Kyrgyzstan office, ten electric SUVs will be distributed among key government institutions during the first phase of the project. The initiative, which runs from 2024 to 2027 with a budget of about $11 million, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the adoption of electric vehicles in the public sector through the provision of vehicles, charging infrastructure, and training programs. These initiatives align with the Kyrgyz government’s strategy to promote environmentally friendly transport and reduce air pollution in Bishkek and other major cities. The number of electric vehicles in Kyrgyzstan has been steadily increasing. According to First Deputy Prime Minister Daniyar Amangeldiev, more than 200 electric vehicles are imported into the country daily under a VAT exemption scheme. As a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Kyrgyzstan also benefits from an annual quota allowing the duty-free import of up to 15,000 electric vehicles. Despite this rapid growth, electric vehicles still represent a small share of the national vehicle fleet. According to the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision, Kyrgyzstan had more than 1.9 million registered vehicles as of early 2026, a 13% increase compared with 2024. Of these vehicles, 972,000 run on gasoline, 339,000 on diesel, 56,900 on gas, and 37,000 are hybrids. Electric vehicles account for...

3 weeks ago

Investment

Public-Private Partnership Makes Strides in Kazakhstan

In Kazakhstan, public-private partnerships (PPPs) have become a mechanism for implementing infrastructure projects using limited government financial resources. At a briefing on February 25, Aslan Kaligazin, Chairman of the Management Board of the Kazakhstan Public-Private Partnership Center, spoke about public-private partnership development in 2025 and outlined priorities for the future. According to Kaligazin, Kazakhstan has so far concluded 1,257 PPPs and concession agreements totaling KZT 3.6 trillion (€7.19bn). Of these, 697 projects are currently being implemented. Only 17 these projects are implemented at the national level, while accounting for more than half (KZT 1.8 trillion, $3.6bn) of the total projects’ value. The absolute majority of the PPPs – 1,240 projects – are being implemented at the local level. The projects mainly concentrate in the social sector, healthcare, education, energy, and housing and utilities, together accounting for over 88% of all contracts. Transport and infrastructure represent a significant share in value terms: around 27% of the total portfolio. Kaligazin noted that PPP in Kazakhstan has been undergoing a transformation in recent years: while the number of contracts is declining, the average project size is increasing. Prior to 2022, the average project cost stood at approximately KZT 6 billion ($11.99 million, but increased to KZT 18 billion ($25.97 million) in 2022–2025. The portfolio is increasingly shaped not by small social facilities, but by large-scale and technologically sophisticated infrastructure projects. Among the most capital-intensive projects of 2025 were the construction of Industrial Park No. 2 in the Astana Technopolis Special Economic Zone, and a project to introduce AI-based solutions into Astana’s security and urban infrastructure management system. The Kazakhstan Public-Private Partnership Center’s future plans include identifying priority infrastructure and sectoral segments where PPPs should become the primary project delivery mechanism. A list of areas will be formed in which PPP projects will gradually replace projects financed exclusively from the state budget. “Our task is not to formally expand the PPP portfolio, but to develop sustainable, well-structured projects that deliver long-term economic impact and tangible benefits for citizens,” Kaligazin concluded. In recent years, Kazakhstan has adopted legislative amendments increasing the efficiency and transparency of PPP project planning. PPP contracts are now concluded solely on a competitive basis, and the planning and competitive selection procedures have been digitalized, according to the Ministry of National Economy. To engage private business in the creation of social infrastructure, a Comprehensive PPP Development Plan for 2024–2028 was adopted, providing for the implementation of 43 projects in the areas of education, healthcare, sports, and social protection.

3 weeks ago

Oil Industry

Junda Oil Refinery Modernization in Kyrgyzstan Set for Completion by August 2026

Kyrgyzstan’s largest oil refining facility, the Junda (Zhongda) refinery in the town of Kara-Balta, approximately 60 kilometers west of Bishkek, is undergoing a major modernization project scheduled for completion by July 31, 2026. The $193.75 million upgrade is expected to increase domestic fuel production and strengthen the country’s energy security. On March 2, a delegation from the National Investment Agency of Kyrgyzstan, the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, and the Kara-Balta municipality visited the refinery to monitor implementation of the investment agreement signed in July 2024 with China Petrol Company Zhongda LLC. Owned by a Chinese investor, the refinery has an annual crude processing capacity of 800,000 tons, producing gasoline, diesel fuel, and liquefied petroleum gas. The modernization is intended to upgrade technical infrastructure and improve operational efficiency. Government representatives have emphasized the project’s importance for industrial development, job creation, and reducing Kyrgyzstan’s reliance on imported fuel. If completed on schedule, the refinery could potentially cover between 50% and 70% of Kyrgyzstan’s domestic demand for motor fuel. This would represent a significant shift for a country that currently depends heavily on imports. At present, local refining capacity reportedly meets only about 5% of domestic fuel demand. Kyrgyzstan consumes approximately 1.6 million tons of motor fuel annually, more than 90% of which is imported from Russia. A key constraint remains the refinery’s dependence on imported crude oil. Authorities are seeking to diversify supply routes, including potential deliveries from Azerbaijan and other oil-producing countries. Originally commissioned in 2014, the refinery was shut down in February 2020 for extensive repairs and modernization that lasted four years. Operations resumed in August 2024. The facility has faced public scrutiny over environmental concerns. Residents of Kara-Balta have complained about air pollution, resulting in fines for emissions violations. The refinery has also been accused of damaging ancient burial mounds, prompting criticism from cultural heritage advocates. The modernization positions the Kara-Balta refinery as a strategic industrial asset in Kyrgyzstan’s efforts to enhance energy security. However, its long-term viability will depend on securing stable crude oil supplies and addressing environmental risks. If successful, the project could reduce Kyrgyzstan’s fuel import bill and mark a significant step toward greater energy independence.

3 weeks ago