Page 115 – The Times Of Central Asia

01 Jan 2026

Central Asia, Environment, Uzbekistan Environment, Home, Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan Home

Water Shortages Cut Hydropower Output in Uzbekistan

December 30, 2025
By Sadokat Jalolova

Electricity generation at Uzbekistan’s hydropower plants has declined significantly due to water shortages, Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamahmudov told lawmakers during a recent session of the Legislative Chamber of the country’s parliament, the Oliy Majlis, according to reports in Uzbek media.

Mirzamahmudov said water inflows to major hydropower facilities had fallen by 35%, directly impacting electricity production compared with last year. He was responding to a question from deputy Saydullo Azimov, who inquired about the ongoing decline in hydropower output.

“The main reason for the drop in electricity generation at large hydropower plants compared to last year is the reduced water inflow,” Mirzamahmudov said. He added that while Uzbekistan has commissioned a number of small and micro hydropower stations, with capacities ranging from one to five megawatts, these facilities collectively produced only about 140 million kilowatt hours of electricity. This output, he noted, remains limited and cannot compensate for the shortfall at major plants.

Mirzamahmudov reaffirmed the government’s commitment to further developing the hydropower sector but acknowledged its heavy reliance on water availability. To reduce dependence on natural gas and enhance energy security, Uzbekistan is increasingly investing in alternative energy sources. “We are paying special attention to solar and wind power, as well as energy storage systems,” he said, noting that these options offer more consistent short-term performance.

He also revealed plans to construct pumped-storage power plants, which store excess electricity for use during peak demand periods. However, he pointed out that building a large hydropower facility typically takes six to ten years, making green energy projects the most viable option for addressing immediate energy needs.

In a related development, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan agreed in July to a new phase of electricity trade. Under the deal, power from Tajikistan’s Rogun Hydropower Plant will be exported to Uzbekistan at an initial rate of 3.4¢ per kilowatt hour. The agreement, which has a 20-year term with automatic extensions, builds on electricity exports that Tajikistan has supplied to Uzbekistan each summer since 2018.

01 Jan 2026

Home, Justice, Kazakhstan Justice, Kazakhstan, Features, Kazakhstan Featurees

Russia Closes Criminal Case Into AZAL Plane Crash Near Aktau

December 31, 2025
By Sadokat Jalolova

Russia has closed its criminal investigation into the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) aircraft near Aktau, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from Baku, according to Azerbaijani news outlet Minval Politika.

Citing Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, the outlet reported that a letter from Alexander Bastrykin, the head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, notifying Baku of the case’s closure caused “serious surprise” on the Azerbaijani side. Bayramov stated that Azerbaijan had issued a detailed and principled response to the letter and expects the process to proceed in accordance with public commitments made by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Dushanbe, as well as bilateral agreements between the two countries.

The announcement came just days after Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport issued an interim update on its own investigation into the December 2024 crash of the Embraer E190 aircraft operated by AZAL. The update noted that accredited representatives from Azerbaijan, Russia, and Brazil are participating in the probe, alongside an observer from the International Civil Aviation Organization.

The crash occurred on December 25, 2024, when the aircraft was operating a scheduled passenger flight from Baku to Grozny. After multiple failed landing attempts in Grozny, the crew diverted to Aktau, on Kazakhstan’s Caspian Sea coast. The plane reportedly circled the airfield twice before crashing near the runway and catching fire.

Of the 67 people aboard, 62 passengers and five crew members, 38 were killed. The remaining 29 survived, including two members of the flight crew.

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport emphasized that the sole objective of its ongoing investigation is to determine the causes and contributing factors of the accident to prevent similar incidents in the future. The final report, including safety recommendations, will be released once all technical analyses are complete.

In September, The Times of Central Asia reported that Russia had begun disbursing insurance payments related to the crash. The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that AlfaStrakhovanie JSC, one of Russia’s largest insurers and currently under Western sanctions over the war in Ukraine, began issuing compensation in February 2025. Azerbaijan Airlines reportedly received full compensation of 1.003 billion rubles (approximately $12.3 million) for the aircraft.

Additionally, insurance claims related to injuries and fatalities among 46 of the 62 passengers had been settled. These included payments to seven of the 15 Russian citizens, 35 of the 38 Azerbaijani citizens, all three Kyrgyz citizens, and one of the six Kazakh citizens on board. As of that date, total insurance payouts to injured passengers and the families of those killed amounted to 358.4 million rubles.

Russia’s decision does not affect the ongoing technical investigation being led by Kazakhstan.

31 Dec 2025

Home, Kazakhstan, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

Kazakhstan Sets 2026 Quota for Foreign Workers

December 31, 2025
By Sergey Kwan

Kazakhstan has set its 2026 quota for the employment of foreign workers at 0.25% of the country’s total labor force, according to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection. The annual quota is part of the government’s policy to regulate labor migration and safeguard the domestic job market.

The 2026 quota includes specific allocations across several categories of foreign workers: 726 permits for senior managers and their deputies (first category), 3,402 for heads of structural divisions (second category), 5,893 for specialists (third category), and 3,131 for skilled workers (fourth category). An additional 4,994 permits have been allocated for seasonal labor.

Separately, the quota for foreign labor employed in private households has been set at 2.9% of Kazakhstan’s total labor force for the year.

The new quotas mark an increase from 2025, when the initial foreign labor cap was 0.2%, equivalent to 14,800 permits. In March 2025, that figure was raised to 16,500 following requests from regional authorities grappling with labor shortages.

As of December 1, 2025, 14,103 foreign nationals were officially employed in Kazakhstan. The largest contingents came from China, Uzbekistan, Turkey, and India, underscoring the country’s continued dependence on migrant labor in construction, industry, and other specialized sectors.

The quota-based system reflects Kazakhstan’s broader strategy to meet economic labor demands while prioritizing employment for domestic workers, particularly amid ongoing infrastructure expansion and industrial development.

31 Dec 2025

Home, Life & Culture, Kazakhstan Life & Culture, Kazakhstan, Features, Kazakhstan Featurees

Eco-Friendly Quraq-Korpe Christmas Tree Installed in Astana

December 31, 2025
By Dmitry Pokidaev

An unconventional art installation has appeared in Astana’s new administrative center: an eco-friendly Christmas tree styled after quraq-korpe, the traditional Kazakh patchwork quilt. Created by local volunteers, the project is part of the city’s broader initiative to incorporate national cultural heritage into contemporary public spaces.

Quraq-korpe, made from multi-colored fabric scraps, symbolizes warmth, family, and hospitality. The New Year’s tree, hand-assembled from textile elements and installed on the left bank of the Ishim River, reflects these values in a striking urban art form.

A similar eco-tree was first introduced in the capital in 2020 and proved popular with both residents and visitors. In response to public interest, the project was revived in 2025 with a fresh concept and deeper symbolic meaning, focusing on community involvement.

Image: gov.kz

“The eco-tree project in the quraq-korpe style has returned to the city at the request of residents,” said organizer Rakhima Mukusheva. “This year’s version is inspired by the Year of Working Professions and the Year of the Horse, symbols of labor, movement, strength, and a living connection to tradition.”

All the tree’s decorations were handmade by Astana residents of all ages. More than 50 volunteers across three generations, grandmothers, mothers, daughters, and grandchildren, contributed to the effort. Within two days, they crafted over 100 unique textile ornaments, which were placed in a symbolic “chest of goodness” as part of the installation. The tree will remain on display through January 20, inviting the public to experience it during the holiday season.

Image: gov.kz

According to the Astana mayor’s office, the initiative supports Kazakhstan’s Year of Working Professions and highlights the value of labor, craftsmanship, and intergenerational professional traditions. It also showcases the potential of handicrafts as a foundation for cultural initiatives and the creative economy.

Interest in Kazakhstan’s national culture continues to grow internationally. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, a cultural event called NoMad was recently held in New York to celebrate Kazakh identity.

In Kazakhstan, Christmas is officially celebrated on January 7 by Orthodox Christians as a public holiday, while December 25 is observed privately by Catholic and Protestant communities.

31 Dec 2025

Home, Life & Culture, Kazakhstan Life & Culture, Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva Wins Third World Blitz Chess Championship

December 31, 2025
By Dmitry Pokidaev

Kazakh chess star Bibisara Assaubayeva has claimed her third women’s world blitz title, emerging victorious at the 2025 World Blitz Championship in Doha. The win secures her a direct place in the 2026 Candidates Tournament, set to take place in Cyprus in April.

Assaubayeva reaffirmed her dominance in women’s chess by defeating Ukraine’s Anna Muzychuk 2.5-1.5 in the final. After three consecutive draws, she clinched the title in the decisive fourth game by capitalizing on a strategic advantage.

The 21-year-old first rose to prominence in 2021, when she won the blitz title in Warsaw at just 17, becoming the youngest champion in the tournament’s history. She defended her crown in 2022 at the home championship in Almaty, solidifying her position among the elite in women’s chess.

Her 2025 win in Doha marked the culmination of a strong performance throughout the 2024-2025 FIDE Women’s Tournament Cycle.

“It’s an amazing feeling, as if all my New Year’s wishes have come true,” Assaubayeva told the tournament’s press service. She described this third title as the most emotional of her career due to the pressure and workload tied to the Candidates’ qualification.

Assaubayeva is the first Kazakhstani player to qualify for the Women’s Candidates Tournament, where she will face top contenders including India’s Divya Deshmukh, Humpy Koneru, and Vaishali Rameshbabu; China’s Zhu Jiner and Tan Zhongyi; and Russia’s Kateryna Lagno and Alexandra Goryachkina.

The tournament will follow a double round-robin format in classical time control. The winner will earn the right to challenge China’s Ju Wenjun, who has held the women’s world championship title since 2018.

In Kazakhstan, Assaubayeva’s achievement received high praise. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev awarded her the Order of Barys, 2nd degree. In his official message, he noted that Assaubayeva “has gone down in the history of world chess as an outstanding master and the first representative of Kazakhstan to become a three-time world blitz champion.”

As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Assaubayeva was awarded the title of International Grandmaster (GM FIDE) in July 2025, becoming one of the most decorated chess players in Kazakhstan’s post-independence history.

31 Dec 2025

Central Asia, Home, Kazakhstan Local Politics, Local Politics, Kazakhstan

Astana Plans to Launch Driverless Taxis in 2026

December 30, 2025
By Dmitry Pokidaev

Kazakhstan plans to launch pilot projects for autonomous taxi services in Astana as early as 2026. Memorandums of cooperation have been signed between the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, the Ministry of Transport, the capital’s akimat, and private companies inDrive and Yandex Qazaqstan.

According to the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, Astana will be among the first cities in Kazakhstan to test driverless urban transport in real-world conditions. The initiative is part of the country’s broader “smart city” strategy and includes a phased rollout from the creation of a testing ground and a “regulatory sandbox” to limited on-road operation.

The inDrive pilot project is expected to begin in early 2026. A preliminary route has already been mapped in coordination with the capital’s local government (akimat), running from Astana International Airport to the Abu Dhabi Plaza business center on the left bank of the Ishim River. Before deployment, all autonomous vehicles will undergo rigorous safety testing, including assessments related to passenger, pedestrian, and road user safety. Operators and manufacturers will oversee vehicle performance, and road risk evaluations will be mandatory.

InDrive stated that the Astana project draws on the company’s previous experience with autonomous transport in Saudi Arabia. The driverless taxi service will be accessible through a mobile app, with designated boarding areas planned at Astana Airport. Full-scale deployment will proceed only after testing is complete and regulatory approvals are in place.

A parallel pilot project is also planned with Yandex Qazaqstan. The company intends to gradually introduce autonomous taxis on a limited number of routes, beginning with trial operations. The service will feature 24/7 dispatch support, passenger insurance, and AI-based systems for real-time monitoring of road conditions. Expansion will follow once operational experience has been gained.

The ministry highlighted that countries already using driverless taxis have reported reductions in serious traffic accidents. Authorities in Kazakhstan expect similar benefits, alongside a broader transformation in the ride-hailing industry and urban transportation.

As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan is also preparing the infrastructure and regulatory frameworks for autonomous trucking on intercity highways.