27 Jun 2024

@gov.kg

Home, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan International Affairs, Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

Kyrgyzstan to Construct Solar Plant with Chinese Partners

The Kyrgyz government’s press service is reporting that Akylbek Zhaparov, the country’s prime minister, met with the vice-chairman of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), Lu Tezhong, and the president of Transformer Industrial Group Company Limited (TBEA), Zhang Xin, during his working trip to Urumqi, the capital of China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

At the meeting, Zhaparov and Tezhong discussed issues in the energy sphere, particularly the construction of solar power plants, and the prospects for projects in other sectors of the economy.

As a result of the meeting, Fortis KG LLP, Kyrgyzstan’s national electricity network, and the cabinet of ministers’ Green Energy Fund signed an investment project to construct a 400-megawatt solar power plant at the Kara-Talaa site in the Issyk-Kul region.

Zhaparov and Zhang Xin discussed the modernization of the Bishkek CHPP, the construction of the Datka-Kemin high-voltage transmission line and substation, and projects to improve the power grids of the southern regions of Kyrgyzstan.

Zhaparov emphasized the importance of the projects implemented by TBEA for the country, and invited the company to participate in developing renewable energy projects in Kyrgyzstan. One of the areas of cooperation is the introduction of technologies for charging electric vehicles and installing relevant services and devices.

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Times of Central Asia

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27 Jun 2024

@Anadolu

Turkmenistan, healthcare, Turkmenistan Local Politics, Local Politics

Doctor Shortage in Turkmenistan’s Prisons

As outlined in a report in Turkmen Newsed, the Turkmenistan’s Ombudsman Yazdursun Gubannazarova has recently published a paper highlighting concerns following visits to detention centres and meetings with prisoners in 2023.

Throughout the past year, the Ombudsman conducted investigations in both the MR-E/14 detention centre and the MR-B/15 prison hospital in the Maryam region.

The detention centre consists of two rooms with 160 and 150 beds, built in 1964 and 1984. Inspections showed that conditions in the dormitories required updating to meet modern sanitary and hygiene standards.

Staffing in the prison hospital is a serious issue. Vacancies remain unfilled, creating a chronic shortage of medical personnel and on occasion, leaving inmates to administer their own injections and IVs (intravenous injections). Nevertheless, according to feedback on group and individual meetings with the hospital’s prisoners,  “Except for the convicts’ remorse and requests (for)parole, no complaints were made”.

It was a different situation in the prison. The Ombudsman reports that 562 written complaints were submitted in 2023: 457  by Turkmens, 65 by Uzbeks, 46 by Russians, and 13 by Azerbaijanis, 3 by  Tatars, 6 by Mordovians and Ukrainians, 2 by Persians, and one each by Armenians, Kazakhs, and Germans.  Requests for help from the Human Rights Ombudsman  from the  Baloch ethnic minority, who living in the Meri province, are frequent targets of violence, were either not received or ignored.

Perhaps this is unsurprising given that only 17 of the complaints were addressed whilst the rest went ignored.

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Times of Central Asia

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27 Jun 2024

@iStock

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

Tokayev Announces Referendum on New Power Plant

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has announced a referendum on constructing a nuclear power plant. The popular vote will be held in the fall of this year.

“You know that economic development is impossible without a stable energy supply. Therefore, I was tasked to work on constructing a nuclear power plant. A wide discussion is underway, and different points of view are being expressed. Mass media should also take an active part in this process,” Tokayev said during a speech at a ceremony to honor journalists.

He noted that Kazakhstan has excellent opportunities to develop nuclear energy.

“It is important to use them correctly and effectively. The people will decide on this issue, and the referendum will be held this fall. The government will determine the exact date,” Tokayev said.

Kazakhstan’s intentions to build a nuclear power plant have been discussed for years. The Ulken settlement, located on the shore of Lake Balkhash, is tentatively chosen as the site.

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Times of Central Asia

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27 Jun 2024

@newshub.uz

Central Asia, Uzbekistan, Local Politics, Uzbekistan Local Politics

Uzbekistan to Protect Children from Religious Extremism

The Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis (Supreme Assembly of Uzbekistan) has adopted a draft law to further strengthen children’s rights and prevent their becoming “victims of ideas of religious extremism, separatism and fanaticism.”

The bill states that “the transfer of a child for religious education to unregistered or unlicensed organizations or persons who have no special religious education and who provide religious education without permission from the central governing body of religious organizations in Uzbekistan is prohibited.”

Parents or guardians registering children in illegal religious education will be fined the equivalent of up to $270 and repeated offenses could result in administrative arrest for up to 15 days.

 

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Times of Central Asia

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27 Jun 2024

photo: Kyrgyzstan Ministry of Economy & Commerce

Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan International Affairs, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

Kyrgyz-Chinese Trade and Economic Cooperation Centre Opens in Urumqi

On June 26, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic Bakyt Torobaev attended the official opening of the Kyrgyz-Chinese (XUAR) Trade and Economic Cooperation Centre in Urumqi, in China’s northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR).

Established with authorization from the Trade Mission under the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic in China, the centre occupies an area of over 400 square metres in the Xing Long Industrial Park, owned by Xing Long Corporation of Xinjiang.

The main remit of the centre is to serve as a platform for negotiations between Kyrgyz and Chinese businesses through thematic meetings, events, presentations of projects, as well as the provision of up-to-date information on investment and opportunities for cooperation on joint projects in Kyrgyzstan.

The Xing Long Corporation of Xinjiang earlier expressed interest in developing an industrial park in Kyrgyzstan to attract business from Chinese companies.

 

 

 

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Times of Central Asia

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27 Jun 2024

photo: primeminister.kz

Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan International Affairs, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

China’s Xinjiang Offers Kazakhstan Assistance in Cooperation with Hong Kong and Macao

The 3rd Forum of Interregional Cooperation of Kazakhstan and China was held on June 26 in Urumqi, the main city in China’s northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR).

On the eve of the Forum, the Secretary of the Communist Party Committee of the XUAR, Ma Xingrui, met Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Serik Zhumangarin, during which he proposed a new direction in investment cooperation between Kazakhstan and China, with the assistance of Xinjiang.

“The third forum of interregional cooperation between Kazakhstan and China in Urumqi is a significant result of our close friendly relations,” said Ma Xingrui. “At this new stage of our relationship, we are ready to promote cooperation between Kazakhstan and Hong Kong through Xinjiang. We suggest considering cooperation with large enterprises from Hong Kong and Macao that are ready to invest in Kazakhstan. These are large companies that now at a stage of transforming their activities, are showing great interest in cooperation with Kazakhstan.”

Following his statement that in 2023, China became Kazakhstan’s largest trading partner, the Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister said, “XUAR is Kazakhstan’s key partner in China, accounting for almost half of the Kazakh-Chinese trade turnover. The practical expansion of interregional cooperation has significant growth potential. The most promising areas are transport and logistics, agriculture, investment cooperation, eliminating trade barriers, and tourism.”

Regarding the above, the parties discussed furthering cooperation in tourism, the development of railways and the construction of new border crossings. With reference to increasing supplies of agricultural products, Zhumangarin announced Kazakhstan’s readiness to raise beef exports to China by up to 500 thousand tons.

In 2023, the volume of trade between Kazakhstan and China reached $31.5 billion (+30.1%), including exports by Kazakhstan amounting to $14.7 billion (+12.6%). In January-April 2024, bilateral trade turnover amounted to $9 billion, 10.3% more than the same period of the previous year.

 

 

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Times of Central Asia

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