24 Jun 2024

@Gazeta.uz

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

Tajikistan to Export 70% of Rogun Electricity to Central Asia

About 70% of the electricity generated after the Rogun hydroelectric power plant (HPP) in Tajikistan reaches full capacity will be exported to other Central Asian countries. This is according to agreements signed with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, which Tajikistan’s minister for energy and water resources, Daler Juma, announced at a recent meeting of the energy ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states in Astana.

“The Republic of Tajikistan, which has a huge hydropower potential, continues the construction of the Rogun HPP with a capacity of 3,780 MW. The Rogun HPP ensures the energy security of the Republic of Tajikistan and contributes to increasing the volume of exports to neighboring countries. It should be noted that 70 percent of the produced products are exported to cover the growing demand in the region’s countries,” said Juma.

Construction of Rogun the HPP began in 1976, but it was suspended in 1991 after the collapse of the USSR.

Subsequently, Tajikistan continued constructing 600 MW hydroelectric power stations, as outlined in the project, using its resources and support from international funds and organizations. Two of the six aggregates have already been operational, and the third is planned to be operational in 2025. Juma reported that the two hydraulic units produced more than 7 billion kWh of electricity.

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Times of Central Asia

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24 Jun 2024

@RB ASIA

Home, Uzbekistan, Business & Economy, Uzbekistan Business & Economy

U.S. Ranks Among Top Ten in Uzbekistan’s Foreign Trade Turnover

The Statistics Agency of Uzbekistan has presented information on the country’s foreign trade turnover for January – May 2024. The republic’s foreign trade turnover (FTT) reached $26.7 billion during the reporting period. The volume of exports was $10.8 billion, and the volume of imports was $15.8 billion. Compared to the same period last year, the volume of exports increased by 1.9%, and the volume of imports increased by 3.7%. Uzbekistan’s negative foreign trade balance has reached $5 billion.

China has retained its position as Uzbekistan’s largest trading partner. During the reporting period, the volume of mutual trade reached $5 billion, which is 18.9 % of the republic’s total foreign trade turnover. A significant segment of foreign trade turnover was also registered with Russia (17.9%), Kazakhstan (5.9%), Turkey (4.5%), and South Korea (3.4%).

Top 10 countries with the highest share in foreign trade turnover of Uzbekistan in January-May 2024 were: China – $5.05 billion; Russia – $4.78 billion; Kazakhstan – $1.58 billion; Turkey – $1.19 billion; Korea – $920 million; France – $471 million; Turkmenistan – $455 million; Germany – $426 million; the USA – $386 million; and Afghanistan – $382 million.

For the five months in question, exports without gold increased by 5.9%, almost $6.58 billion. During this period, the share of gold exports decreased from 40.3% to 38.6 %, or $4.2 billion. Furthermore, the share of industrial products in total exports rose from 15.8% to 15.9%, chemicals from 4.3% to 5.6%, mineral fuels from 3% to 3.2%, and machinery and transport equipment from 4.5% to 4.6%, whilst the share of food products and live animals decreased from 6.3% to 5.8%.

Machinery and transport equipment (37.3 %), industrial goods (15.2 %), and chemicals and similar products (12.3 %) accounted for the largest share of imports.

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Times of Central Asia

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24 Jun 2024

@primeminister.kz

Central Asia, Environment, Kazakhstan Local Politics, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

Kazakhstan to Invest $1 Billion in Repairing Water Management Infrastructure

Kazakhstan’s minister of national economy, Nurlan Baibazarov, has announced that the country is to repair its water management system following recent severe floods.

“The floods that took place in the spring showed the underdeveloped infrastructure of the country’s water management system. We have identified 16 projects that require investments of more than 500 billion tenge [over $1 billion],” Baibazarov said.

According to the minister, preferential financing will come from from the Saudi Islamic Development Bank. Funds are provided for an extended period at a very low rate, enabling the resolution of long-standing issues in this sector.

The renovation of the water management system will include the construction of reservoirs and irrigation canals and the fortification of the technical infrastructure for all services.

“First of all, according to the instructions of the head of state, we will carry out a complete renewal of equipment and facilities in the Ministry of Emergency Situations system. In the water sector, we will also equip the Kazvodkhoz system with the necessary equipment,” Baibazarov added.

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Times of Central Asia

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24 Jun 2024

@kgrk.info

Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan, Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Local Politics, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

Uranium Purification Plant to be Rebuilt in Kyrgyzstan

The authorities in Kyrgyzstan will spend 1.6 billion som ($18m) to pay the Kara-Balta Mining Combine’s tax debts. In addition, the enterprise’s specialists will be paid wages they have yet to received in years.

Earlier, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov instructed the government to take measures to preserve jobs and assets. He also demanded that all the plant’s facilities be restored for fully-fledged work with uranium.

“Thus, the enterprise has created favorable conditions for sustainable work, and most importantly all unique specialists have been preserved,” the General Director of the Karabalta Mining Company LLC, Kubanychbek Risbaev stated.

The Kara-Balta Mining Combine was built in 1955 and was one of the largest uranium processors for the nuclear industry of the USSR. In the 1990s, the plant was privatized and sold to a foreign company. Unsuccessful management by the new investors led to a sharp decline in production, and in 2016, the mill suspended its uranium operations and was declared bankrupt in 2022.

In 1998, Combine’s laboratory was accredited by the UKAS service and was tested by the London Precious Metals Association a year later. Since then, Kyrgyzstan has officially become a trading participant at the London Metal Exchange. The ongoing modernization work includes the launching of additional facilities, and the introduction of new technologies and modern equipment.

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Times of Central Asia

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24 Jun 2024
Central Asia, Education, Home, Justice, Uzbekistan, Local Politics, Uzbekistan Local Politics

Virtual Academy on Countering Corruption to Start Work in Uzbekistan

On January 1, 2025, Uzbekistan will launch the Virtual Academy on Combating Corruption. This electronic platform aims to continuously improve the knowledge of both civil servants and the public about fighting corruption. According to the press service of the Anti-Corruption Agency, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a decree to this effect.

The decree outlines priority areas for continuously enhancing knowledge about combating corruption. These priorities include raising legal awareness and culture, fostering societal resistance to corruption, and instilling values of integrity in the younger generation. In addition, it aims to improve the knowledge, skills, and qualifications of employees responsible for combating corruption, and those in civil service positions that are most exposed to risks associated with corruption.

The system also includes assessing and certifying civil servants’ anti-corruption knowledge and maintaining a register of those who have received certification. The Anti-Corruption Agency and the Law Enforcement Academy will organize and conduct training activities in the virtual academy.

In addition to civil servants, the virtual academy is open to business entities, representatives of non-governmental, non-profit organizations, and other civil society institutions, students of educational organizations, and employees of enterprises with state participation. Training is organized into introductory and special courses. Basic courses will be free for all users, and advanced training in special classes will be on a paid contract basis.

Training will be mandatory for civil servants, who will have to take the course within three months of being hired. The periodicity of civil servants’ professional development will be at least once every three years. For other categories, training will be voluntary.

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Times of Central Asia

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24 Jun 2024

@ozodlik.org

Central Asia, Turkmenistan Justice, Justice, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan Local Politics, Local Politics, Turkmenistan Business & Economy, Business & Economy

Turkmenistan Province Bans Child Labor in Cotton Harvesting

The Chronicle of Turkmenistan reported that on 3 June, the governor of Lebap Province called a meeting with heads of agricultural associations of etraps – administrative-territorial units – to discuss issues regarding the production of cotton and in particular, the growing employment of children in harvesting.

In order to halt this worrying trend, he warned, “If children are seen in the fields, the heads of the agricultural associations will be held responsible and as such, should advise parents of the inadmissibility of child labor.”

He also recommended that families of tenants on neighboring plots form brigades and cooperate in agro-technical activities on each other’s plots.

In addition, heads of the associations were promised that if their tenants bought fertilizers at their own expense and provided receipts, the agricultural enterprise would provide compensation when paying for the harvest.

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Times of Central Asia

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