Page 108 – The Times Of Central Asia

09 Jan 2026

Kazakhstan Boosts Trade with Turkic States on Back of Rising Exports

January 9, 2026
By Dmitry Pokidaev

Kazakhstan has significantly increased mutual trade volumes with member states of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), primarily driven by a surge in exports. According to data from the first ten months of 2025, trade turnover with OTS countries rose by nearly 11%, Deputy Minister of National Economy Asan Darbaev announced at the Third General Assembly of the Union of Turkic Chambers of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) in Astana.

The OTS includes Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan as full members. Hungary and Northern Cyprus hold observer status and contribute to deepening economic, cultural, and political cooperation across the Turkic world.

“At the end of ten months of 2025, the volume of mutual trade between Kazakhstan and OTS countries reached approximately $10.4 billion, which is almost 11% higher than the same period last year,” Darbaev stated.

He noted that this growth was largely due to a 16.6% increase in Kazakhstani exports to OTS member states, which totaled $7.6 billion. Imports from these countries to Kazakhstan amounted to $2.8 billion.

The export surge was driven by increased shipments of copper and copper cathodes, crude oil, wheat, petroleum products, sunflower oil, and a range of metallurgical and agro-industrial goods. According to Darbaev, this indicates not only the continued strength of Kazakhstan’s raw materials sector but also the gradual diversification of exports with higher value-added products.

Turkey, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Azerbaijan remain Kazakhstan’s principal trading partners within the OTS. Turkey leads with a trade turnover of $4.36 billion, followed by Uzbekistan at $3.88 billion. Trade with Kyrgyzstan reached $1.78 billion, while trade with Azerbaijan stood at approximately $390 million.

During the assembly, Kazakhstan assumed the rotating chairmanship of the TCCI for the first time since the Union’s establishment in 2019. The organization includes chambers of commerce and industry from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Hungary. It serves as a key platform for advancing trade, industrial cooperation, investment, and technology exchange among member and observer states.

Raimbek Batalov, chairman of the presidium of Kazakhstan’s National Chamber of Entrepreneurs “Atameken,” was appointed head of the TCCI for a one-year term.

“The Turkic economic space today possesses all the prerequisites for a qualitative leap forward, scale, resources, an institutional foundation, and political will. Our shared goal is to convert this potential into sustainable production, investment, job creation, and improved living standards,” Batalov said.

Delegates at the assembly identified priority areas for future cooperation, including the development of joint industrial projects, operationalization of the Turkic Investment Fund, reduction of trade and technical barriers, and enhanced transport and logistics connectivity.

Previously, The Times of Central Asia reported that energy ministers from OTS countries had discussed key joint initiatives in December 2025 as part of ongoing regional collaboration.

09 Jan 2026

Business & Economy, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

Kazakhstan to Build New International Cargo Airport Near China Border

January 9, 2026
By Times of Central Asia

Kazakhstan plans to construct a new international cargo and passenger airport in the Zhetysu region, near the Chinese border, as part of efforts to develop a major multimodal aviation and logistics hub along key transit routes linking China, Central Asia, and Europe.

The facility will be located within the Khorgos–Eastern Gate Special Economic Zone (SEZ), a strategic logistics cluster on the New Silk Road. According to Dias Esdauletov, Deputy Akim of the region, the project is one of the most significant and promising investment initiatives currently underway and aims to establish Kazakhstan as a central player in Eurasian trade.

The project is being developed by the Kazakh-German joint venture Skyhansa LLP and is coordinated by the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The airport is designed to complement the existing railway and road infrastructure in the SEZ, enabling faster movement of high-value and time-sensitive cargo, and bolstering regional passenger transport and tourism. Once completed, it will integrate rail, road, and air links in a single multimodal logistics system.

Construction will be carried out in three stages. The first stage, set for completion by mid-2027, will include the development of core airfield infrastructure, a cargo terminal, a fuel complex, an aviation technical center, and a business center with hotel facilities. It will also integrate the airport with the SEZ’s existing rail and road networks.

The second stage will expand the cargo and passenger infrastructure, build additional logistics and storage areas, increase refueling capacity, and attract airline and logistics partners.

In the third stage, the airport is expected to evolve into a full-fledged international aviation hub with an expanded route network, full-service and MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) operations, and deep integration with the SEZ’s industrial and commercial zones.

Esdauletov highlighted the importance of the Air-Rail-Auto-Air transport model for improving logistics efficiency, particularly for sectors such as e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, and electronics. Seamless transitions between transport modes can dramatically reduce door-to-door delivery times and costs.

Kazakhstan has already demonstrated the viability of such multimodal solutions. In 2014, KTZ Express piloted a successful international cargo transit from China to Europe via a rail-air corridor. HP products were shipped from Chongqing to Almaty by rail and then flown to Amsterdam, completing the 9,900 km journey in just seven days.

The new airport is expected to ease congestion in the Almaty transport hub and significantly improve cargo throughput capacity in southeastern Kazakhstan.

In the medium and long term, authorities anticipate strong growth in both cargo and passenger volumes, driven by increasing transit flows between China, Central Asia, Europe, and the United States, as well as ongoing shifts in global logistics routes.

To mitigate risks, the regional government has launched comprehensive preparatory work. Skyhansa has already secured 800 hectares of land within the Khorgos-Eastern Gate SEZ. The project is expected to create approximately 700 jobs.

09 Jan 2026

Central Asia, Turkmenistan Home, Home, Turkmenistan Life & Culture, Life & Culture, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan Features, Features

Turkmen Pensioners Endure Long Queues to Prove They Are Alive

January 9, 2026
By Vagit Ismailov

At the start of each year, elderly citizens and benefit recipients across Turkmenistan are forced to endure long hours in line at social security offices, as part of a biannual process requiring them to prove they are still alive. This routine formality has become a grueling ordeal, especially amid growing discontent over the government’s refusal to adjust payments as it had in previous years.

Twice annually, in January and July, pensioners and beneficiaries must appear in person at local offices to receive a stamp in their pension books, confirming eligibility and the amount of payment for the next six months. Failure to do so results in an immediate suspension of payments. While retroactive disbursements are promised upon eventual reappearance, surviving without income for six months is an impossible burden for many.

Reports of queues have emerged from across the country. Beneficiaries point out that the process could be easily streamlined with scheduled appointments or structured lists. However, no such measures are being implemented. Instead, in freezing cold or scorching heat, elderly people, women with young children, and individuals with disabilities must wait for hours.

In the city of Turkmenbashi, residents expressed particular frustration. Many pensioners reportedly held out hope until the last moment for the traditional 10% increase in payments and were shocked to find it canceled this year. For those in rural areas, even an extra $2.50 to $3 per month can make a significant difference.

The Times of Central Asia previously reported that the cancellation of the 2026 pension and benefit indexation triggered sharp discontent among older residents. Many only learned of the decision during their January visits and openly expressed their anger.

The move stems from a position voiced in the fall of 2025 at a parliamentary session. Honorary elder Yazmyrat Atamyradov proposed a complete freeze on wage, pension, benefit, and scholarship growth, claiming the standard of living for Turkmenistan’s “happy people” was rising sufficiently.

09 Jan 2026

Central Asia, Home, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Business & Economy, Kazakhstan Home

Kazakhstan Weighs Opening Casinos Exclusively for Foreign Citizens

January 9, 2026
By Dmitry Pokidaev

Kazakhstan is considering establishing new gambling zones that would be accessible only to foreign tourists. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports recently conducted a socio-economic study in potential host regions and reported that a significant portion of local residents support the initiative.

According to the ministry, international experience suggests that gambling zones restricted to foreign citizens can serve as an additional tool for attracting tourists and developing resort infrastructure, without directly impacting the domestic social environment.

The proposed sites for these exclusive casinos include the Mangistau region on the Caspian Sea, the Zhetysu region in southeastern Kazakhstan, and the Almaty region.

In Mangistau, 46% of respondents surveyed supported opening casinos for foreign tourists. The ministry estimates that by 2029, the region could receive up to 148,000 foreign visitors, creating approximately 7,000 permanent jobs and generating $2.3 million in annual tax revenue.

In the Zhetysu region, 67% of respondents expressed no objection to the development of such casinos. Projections suggest the region could host 36,000 foreign tourists annually by 2029, with around 700 jobs created and $4.7 million in annual tax revenue expected.

In the Almaty region, 54.5% of respondents supported the idea. By 2030, the region could attract up to 23,000 foreign tourists per year. According to forecasts, two gambling zones in the region may generate $12.8 million in tax revenue by 2028 and create around 2,000 permanent jobs.

The ministry stressed that the establishment and operation of gambling zones will comply with national legislation. Local authorities will determine the exact boundaries, and entry will be restricted to foreign citizens only.

Officials also highlighted ongoing national efforts to combat gambling addiction and mitigate social risks. The condition known as “pathological attraction to gambling” is internationally recognized and classified under the ICD code F63.0. In October 2023, Kazakhstan approved a clinical protocol for diagnosing and treating the disorder.

Previously, The Times of Central Asia reported that Kazakh authorities are intensifying their crackdown on bloggers promoting online casinos. Measures under consideration include licensing requirements for bloggers and the introduction of criminal penalties, replacing current administrative sanctions.

09 Jan 2026

Central Asia, Home, Life & Culture, Kazakhstan Life & Culture, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Home

Family Album of 20th Century Kazakh Leader Mustafa Shokay Added to National Museum

January 9, 2026
By Duisenali Alimakyn

The National Museum in Astana has acquired a rare and historically significant family photo album belonging to Mustafa Shokay, a leader of the Alash Orda political movement of the 1920s that strove for Kazakh autonomy, and his wife, Maria Shokay. The original album was formally donated to the museum by Shokay’s relative, Gulbarshyn Zairova.

For decades, the album was safeguarded by the distinguished violinist Alim Almat (born Galymzhan Absalyamov), who survived wartime imprisonment with the help of Mustafa Shokay and later became a spiritual son to Maria Shokay. Almat eventually entrusted this valuable heirloom to Shokay scholar Bakyt Sadykova, who in turn passed it on to Zairova in 2022.