BISHKEK (TCA) — The threats of violent extremism and transnational organized crime in Afghanistan reverberate across Central Asia and the world and countering them cannot be the responsibility of one country alone, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said on January 19, urging regional and multilateral cooperation, based firmly on human rights, the UN News Centre reported.

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ASTANA (TCA) — Kazakhstan’s Interior Ministry says investigators think the cause of a bus fire that killed 52 Uzbek citizens on January 18 was an open flame on a portable gas cooker that was being used for heat inside the vehicle, RFE/RL reports.

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BISHKEK (TCA) — Russia has called for urgent talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, while the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said that Afghanistan is getting closer to holding peace talks with the Taliban as a result of a new Afghan strategy put in place by the United States last year.

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BISHKEK (TCA) — Through Iran’s Chabahar port, India has got access to the markets of Afghanistan and Central Asia states, with the possibility to reach Russian and European markets by land routes. We are republishing this article by Sudha Ramachandran on the issue, originally published by the CACI Analyst:

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ASTANA (TCA) — Investors are mainly interested in privatization of 47 large assets of Kazakhstan’s Samruk-Kazyna national wealth fund. Depending on IPO strategies of these companies, the amount of expected revenues for Kazakhstan can range from $3.5 billion to $5.5 billion, Deputy Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin said at a press conference on January 18, the official website of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan reported.

“Investors are mainly interested in 47 large assets of the Samruk-Kazyna fund. Assets to be privatized through IPO are Kazakhstan Temir Zholy national railways company, KazMunayGas national oil and gas company, Kazatomprom national atomic company, Samruk-Energy, Air Astana, Kazpost, and Tau-Ken Samruk. Depending on the decisions to be made regarding IPO strategy of these companies, the amount of expected proceeds from the IPOs can vary from $3.5 billion to $5.5 billion — a fairly large sum,” said Zhumangarin.

He also said that in the oil and gas industry, 10 companies are offered for privatization, 11 in the railroads, 11 in nuclear power, eight in the energy sector, in civil aviation (apart from Air Astana) it is planned to sell four companies, four in the defense industry, and five companies in other spheres. At the moment, the assets are being prepared for sale.

“All assets, the so-called top 65, are being prepared [for sale] with the help of foreign consultants who recommend the procedure, the form of sale (whether through an IPO or direct targeted sale to a strategic investor), and all this is being considered by the state commission on economic modernization,” the deputy minister said.

TASHKENT (TCA) — World Bank Chief Executive Officer Kristalina Georgieva on January 18 welcomed Uzbekistan’s wide ranging reforms to boost the country’s economy and improve the lives of all Uzbek citizens. Georgieva met with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, senior government and parliamentary leaders, and representatives from the private sector and civil society. She offered World Bank Group support to the country’s reform program, in particular in the areas of agriculture modernization, public service delivery, and private sector development.

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