ASHGABAT (TCA) — The capital of Germany this week hosted a Turkmen–German business forum which gathered representatives of the Foreign Department of Germany, Federal Ministries of economics and energy, agriculture and food, German International Cooperation Society, East European Association of Entrepreneurship Support, Office of German economy in Central Asia, Chamber of Industry and Commerce, and around 70 big German companies, the State News Agency of Turkmenistan reported.

Turkmenistan was represented by the ministries of agriculture and natural protection, energy, finances and economics, textile industry, healthcare and medical industry, State Concerns Turkmengaz and Turkmenhimiya, State Bank of Foreign Economic Affairs, administration of Ahal province, Turkmen Agricultural University, International Oil and Gas University, Turkmenbashy International Seaport, and the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.

The agenda of the forum included new proposals for planning of further trade and economic cooperation. The sides discussed the opportunities of efficient use of mutual potential, especially taking into account the diversification of Turkmenistan economy, wide implementation of high technologies to production, industrial infrastructure and digitization processes in the country.

German companies — Siemens AG, Glass Global Sales GmbH, John Deere Walldorf GmbH & Co. KG, Umax Trade GmbH — are taking part in long-term projects in Turkmenistan. In addition to these companies, the forum presented other German companies which intend to improve their positions in the Turkmen market.

Great opportunities are opened for German companies producing equipment for petroleum industry for such major projects in Turkmenistan as construction of Turkmenistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan – India gas pipeline, facilities for processing of natural gas and production of polyethylene, polypropylene, synthetic gasoline and other goods.

A number of agreements were signed between the members of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and German companies.

An exhibition of goods made in Turkmenistan was organized as part of the business forum.

DUSHANBE (TCA) — A senior official in Tajikistan’s Customs Service has confirmed that the authorities have confiscated and burned 5,000 evangelical Christian calendars ordered by a Baptist church in the Central Asian country, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported.

Continue reading

TASHKENT (TCA) — On February 13, the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Malaysia held negotiations with the President of SME International Trade Association of Malaysia (SMITA) Megane Soo to discuss implementation of investment projects in Uzbekistan’s Namangan region, the Jahon information agency reported.

SMITA’s main task is to support members of the Association in finding new partners abroad for establishing business contacts and trade relations and implementing joint projects.

Megane Soo praised reforms implemented in Uzbekistan for liberalizing the economy and improving the business climate and expressed great interest in further strengthening and expanding cooperation with the country, including by organizing joint ventures in leading sectors of the economy and exports to Malaysia.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, following the negotiations, an agreement was reached on organizing a visit of the Association members to Namangan region by the end of February. It is planned to discuss issues of implementation of specific investment projects for construction of a hotel and creation of a livestock complex.

On February 7-10, a delegation of the Kelantan State Economic Development Corporation (Malaysia) visited Uzbekistan.

According to the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Malaysia, the corporation is a financial institution for provision of loans on the principles of Islamic banking, as well as providing consulting services in this sphere.

The state of Kelantan is considered the cradle of Malaysian culture with a predominantly Muslim population and a center of agriculture and fish farming in Malaysia.

According to the Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the visit, the Malaysian delegation was received at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan. They discussed opening a representative office of the corporation in Tashkent for conducting trainings, courses and practical workshops on microcredit for medium and small business, as well as familiarization with basics of Islamic finance.

TASHKENT (TCA) — The states of the European Union are important trade and economic partners of Uzbekistan, and year after year the number of industries created with the input of European companies in various sectors of the Uzbek economy is rapidly increasing, the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan said.

Continue reading

KABUL (TCA) — Zamir Kabulov, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Afghanistan envoy, told reporters in Moscow on February 12 that a US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan will not create a power vacuum in Afghanistan and the Taliban can be a potential ally in the fight against Daesh in the country, Afghan broadcaster TOLOnews reported.

Continue reading

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (TCA) — The leader of a group in Almaty that has raised concerns over problems faced by ethnic Kazakhs in China’s Xinjiang region is on trial. Serikzhan Bilash, who is charged with illegally leading an unregistered organization, pleaded not guilty as his trial started in Almaty on February 12, RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service reported.

Continue reading