Page 1080 – The Times Of Central Asia

08 Dec 2023

Tajikistan Life & Culture, Tajikistan, Tajikistan Features

ADB $40 Million Grant to Strengthen STEM Secondary Education in Tajikistan

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on December 8th approved a $40 million grant to help the Government of Tajikistan strengthen science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects in secondary education, including developing climate change awareness and promoting girls’ participation in STEM studies, the ABD announced in a news release on its website.

“Enhancing STEM education is vital for preparing students for sectors such as transport, manufacturing, construction, and information and communication technology, which will contribute significantly to poverty reduction and sustainable development in Tajikistan,” said ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov. “As Tajikistan is highly vulnerable to climate impacts, it is also essential to integrate climate change knowledge and best practices into general education to strengthen the country’s resilience against climate-induced hazards.”

The project will improve STEM teaching and learning methods in Grades 5–11 by adopting a skills-based approach that will help students develop abilities such as critical analysis and collaboration to enable them to solve real-world problems. It will train STEM teachers and modernize learning materials. The project will upgrade the facilities of 20 selected schools in four regions and improve school management. It will also support the inclusion of climate change-related topics into the STEM curricula and learning materials.

The project will directly benefit 11,500 students—including 5,600 girls—in targeted schools, as well as about 4,000 STEM teachers and college students training to become STEM teachers, education officials, school management staff, and communities in project areas.

“We are the first development partner to help Tajikistan tackle its STEM teachers’ shortage, integrate climate change into secondary education, and shape an enabling environment for girls and women to pursue STEM fields,” said ADB Principal Social Sector Specialist Xin Long. “To expand girls’ participation in STEM studies and help steer more women’s careers towards high-productivity sectors, the project will offer stipends and scholarships to girls studying at the schools and higher education institutions targeted by the project. It will also prioritize women STEM teachers and teacher candidates for information and communication technology courses.”

08 Dec 2023

Turkmenistan Justice, Turkmenistan Life & Culture, Turkmenistan

Turkmen Activist Malikberdy Allamyradov Disappears in Russia

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

About three days ago, Turkmen activist Malikberdy Allamyradov, who lives in Russia, ceased to be in contact, his associates reported.

Allamyradov is best known for his single picket protest against restrictions on currency conversion imposed by the Turkmen authorities which he staged as a student at Kalmyk State University in the city of Elista in 2021. Allamyradov was detained by the police for violating the laws on protesting, but a court acquitted him, finding no wrongdoing in his actions.

Allamyradov has since continued to criticize the Turkmen authorities on the internet. A few months ago, he was forced to change his place of residence after receiving a warning from an acquaintance that he was going to be deported to Turkmenistan. According to his friends, traces of a struggle and blood were found in Allamyradov’s place of residence.

08 Dec 2023

Tajikistan International Affairs, Tajikistan

Tajikistan Establishes Diplomatic Relations with Botswana

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

As reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic, a joint communique on the establishment of diplomatic relations between Tajikistan and Botswana was signed by the Permanent Representative of Tajikistan to the UN, Jonibek Hikmat, and the Foreign Minister of the African Republic, Lemogang Kwape.

Recently, within the framework of the 18th session of the Intergovernmental Committee on the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO in Botswana, the Tajik arts of atlas and adras, as well as the Garden festival, were recognized as part of the intangible cultural heritage of mankind. Tajikistan is actively working to expand its cooperation with promising partners from friendly states.

08 Dec 2023

Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

Chinese Investors to Build Trade and Logistics Complex in Chui Region

September 26, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

Chinese investors are set to build a trade and logistics complex in the Chui region at a total cost of over $700 million. Akylbek Japarov met with a delegation from the Chinese Chamber of Commerce for International Cooperation headed by Deputy Chairman Liu Yan. During the meeting, the head of the Cabinet of Ministers proposed the issue of investment by the Chinese side in projects in the field of renewable energy sources. In turn, Yan expressed the Chinese sides readiness to develop further bilateral cooperation in the sphere of investment.

Within the framework of the meeting, a signing ceremony was held between the Cabinet of Ministers and OcOO Kyrgyz-Chinese Investment Holding on the implementation of the investment project, Eurasian Trade and Logistics Complex. The complex will include a shopping center, an international exhibition center, a warehouse and logistics center with bonded areas, large equipment marketplaces, and housing and hotel complexes.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

08 Dec 2023

Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Business & Economy, Kazakhstan Home

Government Buys ArcelorMittal Termirtau for $286 Million

October 1, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

The Minister of Industry and Construction of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kanat Sharlapayev, announced at a briefing that after eleven rounds of negotiations, the purchase of Arcelor Mittal Temirtau has been completed, Kazinform has reported. Divulging the details of the deal, Sharlapayev stated that “$286 million is the cost of two fully functioning enterprises. In addition, ArcelorMittal will not make any claims against the Government of Kazakhstan. The agreement was reached within the legal framework, in full compliance with international law.”

Against a backdrop of ongoing incidents at ArcelorMittal Temirtau JSC, in August of this year, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev pointed out serious violations by the company. The Head of State stated that consequences for the enterprise to remain in the Kazakh market were not excluded for AMT.

At the time this statement was made, the government was already negotiating with the owners of ArcelorMittal Temirtau on the possible withdrawal of the company from the metallurgical plant. These talks began after the tragic accident that occurred on November 3^rd 2022 at the Lenin Mine, a subsidiary of AMT. As a result of these intensive negotiations, on December 9^th 2022, a “Standstill Agreement” was signed, which allowed the authorities to evaluate and audit the enterprise. During the negotiations, ArcelorMittal requested $3.5 billion, which did not correspond to the calculations of international consultants.

“This became one of the main reasons for the protracted negotiation process,” Sharlapayev said. “Our goal was to purchase the plant at a fair price without incurring costly and protracted international litigation. The urgency and acceleration of the negotiations were also dictated by the need to prevent the shutdown of the enterprise. The agreement between the Government of Kazakhstan and ArcelorMittal can be called a mega-deal, which is of exceptional importance to our country. We have avoided a lot of risks faced by the governments of other countries,” the minister stressed.

Sharlapayev also announced three key elements of the deal:

– The state has reduced the value of assets from $3.5 billion to $286 million;

– Not a single tenge was spent from the state budget on the implementation of the transaction;

– The new investor undertakes an obligation to the parent company, ArcelorMittal, to repay a short-term loan of $250 million and a long-term loan of $450 million over four years.

07 Dec 2023

Turkmenistan International Affairs, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan Business & Economy

Ashgabat Hosts Turkmen-Turkish Business Forum

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

On December 6^th, a Turkmen-Turkish business forum was held in Ashgabat, which was attended by heads and representatives of government and business structures of Turkmenistan and Turkey. The forum participants noted the progressive development of bilateral relations, which in recent years have received new qualitative content and powerful dynamics. At the same time, it was emphasized that business meetings between Turkmen-Turkish partners are an effective mechanism for promoting economic cooperation.

In their speeches, the heads of Turkish companies drew attention to the development of the historical Great Silk Road with an extensive railway network, road transport lines, and energy corridors. The Turkmen side told its Turkish partners that a good incentive for fruitful collaboration is the comprehensive reform ongoing in the country, including in the legislative sphere, and the development of new laws that provide significant benefits and government guarantees for the work of foreign business partners. On the sidelines of the business forum, documents were signed between Turkmen and Turkish companies.