Page 1041 – The Times Of Central Asia

18 Jan 2024

European Commission Vice-President’s Visit a “New Impetus” to EU-Turkmenistan Relations

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

On January 17^th, a delegation from the EU led by the Vice-President of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas visited Turkmenistan as part of its wider tour of Central Asia, with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan being their previous stops. The visit comes ahead of the Europe-Central Asia Investors Forum, which aims at strengthening connectivity by developing transport routes within and between Central Asia and the European Union. It is also a testament to the growing partnership between the EU and the region, said the Delegation of the EU to Turkmenistan.

In Ashgabat, Schinas met with the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rashid Meredov. At the meeting, key issues such as cooperation in the EU-Central Asia format, the engagement of Central Asian countries in the EU Global Gateway initiative, and the participation of Turkmenistan in the upcoming Investors Forum were discussed.

Schinas welcomed Turkmenistan’s efforts in the process of its accession to the World Trade Organization and its commitment to becoming a member of a multilateral trading system, and congratulated Turkmenistan for joining the Global Methane Pledge at COP28 in Dubai. He also underscored the EU’s commitment to human rights as a fundamental principle and commended Turkmenistan’s engagement in the Annual Human Rights Dialogue.

At a press briefing following the visit, Schinas said “I am proud to be the first Commissioner to visit Turkmenistan since the beginning of this European Commission five years ago. Turkmenistan is an important partner of the EU in Central Asia. My visit was an opportunity to discuss Global Gateway, the EU’s main investment strategy with partners worldwide. The Global Gateway is about investing in our mutual interests, and is ideally suited to Central Asia given that it is already the world’s gateway between East and West. It was also an occasion to give new impetus to EU-Turkmenistan relations across the board.”

17 Jan 2024

Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan Life & Culture

UAE Opens Borders to Tourists from Uzbekistan, Abolishes Visa-Regime

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

Uzbekistan’s ambassador to the Emirates, Abdulaziz Akkulov, and the UAE Deputy Foreign Minister, Khalid Abdullah Belhoul have signed a protocol exempting citizens of both countries from visas requirements. As of February 16th, citizens from Uzbekistan will be able to enter the United Arab Emirates without the need to obtain a visa for up to 30 days, according to information reported on Podrobno.uz.

The agreement follows an increase in the number of tourists from Uzbekistan visiting the UAE -119,500 in 2023. A considerable amount of money – $9.2 million was spent obtaining visas to the emirate. In this context, the agreement on increasing visa-free travel can be seen as an impetus for further development of tourism potential between the two countries.

Citizens from Uzbekistan can now visit 29 countries without the need of a visa – significant progress for the power of the Uzbek passport. Thanks to this latest addition, Uzbekistan now holds 71^st position in the Global Passport Power rankings.

17 Jan 2024

Kyrgyzstan, Local Politics, Kyrgyzstan Local Politics

International Organizations Call on Kyrgyzstan to Stop Crackdown on Independent Press

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

International organizations and media watchdogs have expressed concern about the arrests of independent journalists in Kyrgyzstan and called on the authorities to immediately release them and end pressure on the independent press. On January 15^th, officers from the State Committee for National Security arrived at the offices of news agency 24.kg in Bishkek, seizing equipment and detaining three journalists, including its editor-in-chief, in a case involving “propagating war” related to an unspecified report about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The three were later released, but ordered not to reveal details of the case.

On January 16^th, the Interior Ministry detained eleven journalists and media workers from the Temirov Live investigative group and the Ait Ait Dese project. Temirov Live’s founder, prominent investigative journalist Bolot Temirov said the journalists who were detained after their homes and offices were searched included his wife and the director of the Temirov Live group, Makhabat Tajybek-kyzy. Police later placed all elevn under arrest for 48 hours, pending a court ruling on further custody measures. The Interior Ministry said in a statement that the searches and detentions were linked to a probe launched into unspecified Temirov Live publications that “carried elements of calls for mass unrest.”

“The search and sealing off of the premises of the 24.kg news outlet in Kyrgyzstan is deeply concerning,” OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro posted on Twitter. “Such criminal investigations may have a chilling effect on media freedom and reporting on important issues of public interest in the country.”

UN Human Rights Office spokesperson, Liz Throssell also expressed concern. “These latest actions by the authorities appear to be part of a larger pattern of pressure against civil society activists, journalists and other critics of the authorities… We call on the authorities to protect freedom of expression and ensure that media legislation in the country is in line with international human rights standards,” she said in a statement.

17 Jan 2024

Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

Preliminary Agreement for LPG Supplies from Kashagan to Domestic Market Reached

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

The Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan says it has reached a preliminary agreement on the supply of liquefied petroleum gas produced at the Kashagan field to the domestic market of Kazakhstan. The agreement was reached with the shareholders of the Kashagan field, the ministry said on January 16^th.

Kashagan is a giant offshore oil and natural gas field in the north Caspian Sea, discovered in 2000, near the city of Atyrau. The field is run by the North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC) which includes Eni (16.81% stake), Shell (16.81%), TotalEnergies (16.81%), ExxonMobil (16.81%), KazMunayGas (16.88%), Inpex (7.56%), and the China National Petroleum Corporation (8.33%).

According to the preliminary agreement, the national company, QazaqGaz will negotiate with the shareholders of the Kashagan field on future potential supplies of liquefied petroleum gas produced at the Bolashak integrated oil and gas processing plant. To date, the parties are collaborating towards making a Final Investment Decision on an infrastructure project in the field of liquefied petroleum gas in 2024.

It is planned that supplies of liquefied petroleum gas to the domestic market will begin by the end of 2025. By 2027, after the completion of infrastructure work at the Kashagan field, LPG production volumes will reach 700,000 tons per year.

Liquefied petroleum gas is a very popular motor fuel in Kazakhstan, which is relatively cheap compared to gasoline and diesel. A dramatic price hike for LPG was the initial stimulus for mass protests in the city of Zhanaozen in January 2022, which then spread across the country.

17 Jan 2024

Kyrgyzstan, Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

Kyrgyzstan Gives “National Significance” Status to Strategic Energy Projects

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

The Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture and the Processing Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic, Bakyt Torobaev on January 16^th held a meeting of the governmental commission for the selection of national investment projects.

The meeting considered giving certain undertakings the status of “projects of national significance,” which, according to Torobaev, will help increase their attractiveness to investors. This will contribute to socioeconomic development, job creation, the development of industry and agriculture in regions where such projects are implemented, Torobaev stated.

The commission granted the status of “projects of national significance” to the construction of the Kambarata hydroelectric power plant-1, the Kazarman hydroelectric power plants cascade, and the Kemin-Torugart 500 kV power transmission line. With this status, companies interested in investing in these will be exempt from value added tax, sales tax, and income tax for a certain period. The Cabinet of Ministers expects that this step will help speed up the implementation of these strategic projects.

Construction of the Kambarata hydroelectric power plant-1 and the cascade of the Kazarman hydroelectric power plants are two flagship projects aimed at introducing new power generating capacities to help Kyrgyzstan overcome its chronic electricity shortages, which are especially acute in the winter months.

17 Jan 2024

Kyrgyzstan, Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Features

Despite Challenges, Kyrgyzstan Showed Steady Economic Growth in 2023

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

Despite global uncertainties, Kyrgyzstan’s economic development in 2023 showed good results, the country’s Ministry of Economy and Commerce said on January 16^th. Economic growth over the past three years averaged 6.9% — 5.5% in 2021, 9% in 2022, and 6.2% in 2023, indicating the stability of the economy and its gradual adaptation to the post-Covid world and current geopolitical uncertainty, the ministry said in a statement.

According to preliminary estimates from the National Statistical Committee, in 2023 Kyrgyzstan’s gross domestic product amounted to $13.7 billion. In construction, growth was at 10.3%, in the services sector 6.2%, in industry 2.7%, and in agriculture 0.6%. Industries producing goods accounted for 32.3% of GDP, and industries providing services 50.8%.

The volume of foreign trade from January-November 2023 amounted to $13.9 billion, an increase of 29% compared to January-November 2022. Kyrgyzstan’s exports amounted to $2.8 billion and increased by 36.7%, and imports amounted to $11.1 billion, up 27.2%. In the structure of trade turnover, exports accounted for 20.2%, and imports 79.8%.

Kyrgyzstan’s trade with fellow member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) – Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia – amounted to $3.9 billion, a decrease of 11% compared to January-November 2022. Kyrgyzstan’s largest trading partners were Russia (65.9%) and Kazakhstan (31.7%). Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan’s trade with countries outside the EEU from January-November 2023 amounted to $10 billion, a 1.6-fold increase compared to January-November 2022.