Page 174 – The Times Of Central Asia

24 Nov 2025

Central Asia, Turkmenistan Home, Environment, Home, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan Environment

Two Major Reservoirs in Turkmenistan Dry Up Amid Intensifying Drought

November 24, 2025
By Vagit Ismailov

Turkmenistan’s Balkan region is facing a deepening drought, with two strategically important reservoirs, Mammetköl and Delili, completely drying up by mid-2025. Both reservoirs, fed by the Etrek (Atrek) River, have vanished from satellite imagery, underscoring the severity of the region’s water crisis.

According to meteorological reports, the reservoirs were not replenished during the winter months and rapidly lost their remaining water due to evaporation and filtration. The winter of 2024-2025 was exceptionally dry, and the spring brought no relief. With virtually no inflow from the now-dry Etrek River, the reservoirs were left to evaporate.

Mammetköl, built in 1964, had a total volume of 20.5 million cubic meters and a usable capacity of 17.9 million cubic meters. Delili, commissioned in 1970, had a capacity of 5.32 million cubic meters. Both were vital to irrigating farmland and sustaining livestock pastures in the Balkan region.

This is not the first time Mammetköl has dried up. During the prolonged drought of 2020-2023, the reservoir emptied in October 2021 and remained largely dry for nearly two years, with only brief periods of partial refilling. A rare flood event in August 2023, triggered by heavy rains in the Atrek’s upper reaches, temporarily restored water levels, but the relief was short-lived.

Data from the Etrek weather station show that from January to November 2025, normal precipitation levels were recorded only in February and March. The situation rapidly deteriorated not just in the Etrek basin but across other parts of Turkmenistan as well.

Reservoirs and rivers disconnected from the Amu Darya began to show signs of critical depletion in early 2025. The Murghab and Tedzhen rivers also reached dangerously low levels. By mid-year, many artificial reservoirs fed by the Atrek had dried out entirely. In autumn, the drought expanded into the Amu Darya basin, Turkmenistan’s largest and most vital waterway, further exacerbating the national water crisis.

24 Nov 2025

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

Containerization in Kazakhstan: How Simple “Packaging” Could Transform the Economy

November 24, 2025
By Times of Central Asia

Containerization is rapidly becoming one of the most talked-about topics in Kazakhstan’s logistics sector. Amid surging transit traffic, the question is increasingly raised: why, despite clear potential, is the domestic market still underutilized? What’s holding Kazakhstan back from making containerization a cornerstone of its integration into global trade?

Currently, transport costs account for up to 30% of the final price of goods in Kazakhstan, nearly three times the global average of around 11%. Experts agree that a systemic transition to containerized transport could speed up delivery times, cut logistics costs, and boost the competitiveness of Kazakhstani products. Yet progress remains sluggish.

A Priority Still in Waiting

In September, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev named the development of containerization as a strategic economic priority. Despite this, containers make up only 7% of domestic freight transport, less than half the global average of over 16%.

Meanwhile, transit volumes are surging. According to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, the national rail company, container transit grew by 59% last year to 1.4 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). The national target is 2 million TEU by 2030. Yet this growth is bypassing the domestic economy: Kazakhstan remains a transit bridge between China and Europe without yet unlocking containerization for its own industries.

Hidden Resources Still Untapped

Research by Russian consulting company Arthur Consulting suggests that Kazakhstan has the potential to containerize 50-55 million tons of domestic cargo, a volume capable of revitalizing the country’s entire logistics ecosystem.

So why hasn’t it happened? The reasons are well known.

First, infrastructure remains underdeveloped. Modern terminals capable of handling high volumes are lacking. Many transport routes lack essential repair facilities and service centers, meaning containers must often be returned without proper maintenance.

Second, there is a chronic shortage of containers and fitting platforms. This forces businesses to opt for cheaper, less efficient alternatives. Third, current tariffs make container transportation less attractive than road transport or covered railcars. Under such conditions, containerization appears more costly than beneficial. And lastly, there is a widespread lack of expertise. Some industrial players still don’t fully understand how to work with containers, optimize logistics, or implement modern transport solutions.

As a result, a significant portion of cargo is still transported the “old-fashioned way”, in covered railcars. This increases costs, extends delivery times, and limits access to multimodal transport routes.

Speaking at the New Silk Way transport and logistics forum, held in Almaty in September, Arthur Consulting partner Boris Poretsky described the sector as being “stifled” by systemic barriers. He emphasized the need for industrial companies to re-evaluate their logistics strategies. While nearly any cargo from bulk materials and liquids to heavy machinery can now be containerized, many exporters and consignees have yet to capitalize on the benefits.

Containers allow for door-to-door delivery without transshipment, reduce loading and unloading times, improve cargo safety, and offer maximum flexibility, whether by sea, rail, road, or even air.

@Dauren Moldakhmetov

A Global Shift

Worldwide, industries are rapidly adopting containerized logistics. The benefits are significant: 10-15% cost savings, reduced handling, greater cargo security, fewer supply chain disruptions, ESG compliance, and more efficient locomotive usage.

With urban growth, agglomeration, and the rise of e-commerce, demand for fast, reliable delivery is increasing. Containers are becoming the global standard.

Experts argue that containerization is no longer just a logistics tool. It is the infrastructural backbone of the modern economy.

Building a New Logistics Culture

Experts agree: Kazakhstan needs solutions from both the top down and the bottom up.

At the state level:

A national containerization strategy;
A reformed tariff policy;
Private investment in logistics infrastructure;
Integration with international transport corridors.

At the industry level:

Terminal and service base modernization;
Expansion of the national container fleet;
Localized production of containers and fitting platforms.

At the business level:

Investment in terminals and warehouses;
Digitization of logistics processes;
Shift to container-based delivery models.

If these steps are implemented in parallel, Kazakhstan could not only boost transit volumes but also establish a domestic containerized logistics economy that benefits shippers, exporters, and consumers alike.

Containerization isn’t just about packaging, it’s about speeding up trade. It makes Kazakhstani goods faster, cheaper, and more competitive in global markets.

In short, any serious discussion about economic modernization in Kazakhstan must include containers. They are a simple yet transformative tool capable of reshaping entire industries.

24 Nov 2025

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

Air Astana Signs Memorandum for Delivery of 50 Airbus A320neo Aircraft

November 24, 2025
By Vagit Ismailov

Kazakhstan’s national carrier Air Astana has signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus for the delivery of up to 50 A320neo family aircraft. The agreement includes 25 firm orders and 25 options, according to a company press release.

The proposed purchase will comprise a mix of A320neo and A321neo models, with initial deliveries expected in 2031. Most of the aircraft will be A321LRs, long-range models on which Air Astana was among the first to introduce a premium cabin layout for long-haul routes to Europe and Asia. This new memorandum builds on an earlier agreement announced by the airline this month and remains subject to shareholder approval.

Air Astana CEO Peter Foster, who is set to step down in March 2026, noted that expanding the A320neo fleet will help the airline enhance operational efficiency and maintain high service standards. He added that these aircraft “have demonstrated excellent operational performance over many years” in the company’s fleet.

Air Astana introduced the A320ceo into its fleet in 2006 for domestic and regional routes across Central Asia and the Caucasus. The first A320neo joined the fleet in November 2016, followed by the A321LR in September 2019. The A321LRs are deployed on long-haul routes to Europe and Asia.

The Air Astana group currently operates 62 aircraft, 59 of which belong to the A320 family. These are utilized by both Air Astana and its low-cost subsidiary FlyArystan.

Earlier this year Air Astana also signed a contract with Boeing for the delivery of up to 15 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. That order brings the total Dreamliner portfolio to 18 aircraft, with deliveries scheduled between 2032 and 2035. The total catalog value of the fleet stands at approximately $7 billion.

The arrival of the first Dreamliners is tied to the planned launch of a direct route between Astana and New York.

24 Nov 2025

Central Asia, Home, Life & Culture, Kazakhstan Life & Culture, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Home

Kazakhstan’s Golovkin Becomes World Boxing President

November 24, 2025
By Times of Central Asia

Gennadiy Golovkin, the two-time middleweight world champion and 2004 Olympic silver medalist for Kazkhstan, was named president of World Boxing at the federation’s inaugural congress in Rome on Sunday.

Golovkin, who has been president of Kazakhstan’s National Olympic Committee since last year, will lead the amateur boxing federation into the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He succeeds Boris van der Vorst, a Dutch national who was the first president of World Boxing.

“I feel great. I feel more excited. Right now, we have a new team, new view,” Golovkin said after his election to the post. “I have a plan. I have ideas, so many. My goal is bringing boxing’s position back to a high level.”

The World Boxing federation was launched in 2023 to address concerns about transparency and governance in amateur boxing that had placed the future of the sport at the Olympics in doubt. That year, the International Olympic Committee, or IOC, expelled the International Boxing Association, the former governing body of amateur boxing, from the Olympic movement because of those corruption concerns.

World Boxing, the new amateur boxing federation, has been collaborating with the IOC and said that, by January of this year, it had approved membership applications from 60 national boxing federations around the world.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated Golovkin.

“He has become the first representative of Kazakhstan to lead an international federation of an Olympic sport,” Tokayev said. “This landmark achievement is a testament to the global recognition of Gennady Golovkin’s outstanding accomplishments and his great contribution to boxing worldwide.”

23 Nov 2025

Home, Environment, Kazakhstan Environment, Kazakhstan, Features, Kazakhstan Featurees

COP30 Delegate from Kazakhstan Says International Cooperation Is Hard, But Worth It

November 25, 2025
By Times of Central Asia

One of Kazakhstan’s representatives at the United Nations climate talks (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, this month was Almira Azhibekova, a Master of Environmental Management student at Yale University in the United States. As a member of the team from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Azhibekova analyzed negotiations, helped prepare final reports, and performed other tasks. She shared this account, lightly edited by The Times of Central Asia. Views are her own.

Attending COP30 as part of Kazakhstan’s delegation was an amazing chance to connect theoretical knowledge that I acquired at Yale with real-world climate diplomacy. I learned how countries like Kazakhstan access climate finance and technology support through fair partnerships and witnessed how, despite obstacles and challenges, international cooperation is the best way to turn ambitious goals into action.

It is something I hope to bring back to Yale and my future work at home.

What struck me most about COP30 was how global cooperation works in practice. It is inspiring, but also incredibly challenging. Seeing negotiations happen in real time was eye-opening. There is urgency, there is complexity, and there is a very human side to everything.

Reaching consensus is not easy. Every country has its own priorities and concerns, and negotiators must ensure that everyone is heard and respected. Often, a single paragraph will go through informal consultations, smaller working groups, and then formal sessions before it can be agreed upon. Even one sentence in a final text can be discussed for hours, and some issues remain open for years. Diplomacy takes patience.

Sometimes, a small difference in language becomes the focus of intense discussion because specific terminology can carry distinct legal and operational consequences. In international climate law, each term has a defined meaning, and a slight change in wording can alter how a mechanism will be implemented. I realized just how much weight language holds in shaping global climate action.

Another insight, one I had known in theory but witnessed in practice, is that climate change affects every aspect of economies and societies and is a defining issue in international relations. Decisions made in negotiation rooms can influence economic development, security, and international cooperation, far beyond the environmental sphere.

There were also practical challenges that made cooperation more difficult. Differences in languages, levels of technical expertise, national experiences, and even delegation sizes. Some countries can’t send enough people to be present in every negotiation. Equity in the process is as important as equity in the results.

Photo provided by Almira Azhibekova

Another important factor is the quality of technical logistics and working conditions, which directly affect the effectiveness and accessibility of an already complex negotiation process.

In addition to these observations, I was incredibly fortunate to speak to Dr. Katia Simeonova, a key architect and co-founder of the transparency framework under the Paris Agreement. She explained the peculiarities of negotiation: how every word in the text works in practice, how specific terms shape legal outcomes, and things that delegations must closely monitor while building strategies and goals. Her advice helped me understand how countries can advance their national priorities. Speaking with someone who has contributed so much to global climate governance made me prouder to represent Kazakhstan and more motivated to serve my country and the global community.

I am grateful to Brazil for making COP30 happen while welcoming so many participants from around the world.

The system is imperfect and needs improvements to move from discussion to action. Even with challenges, COP remains a powerful platform where we can shape a safer, more equitable future. It is where countries learn to cooperate, where essential decisions begin, and where today’s voices speak for future generations.

21 Nov 2025

Environment, Uzbekistan Environment, Uzbekistan

Tashkent’s Air Pollution Crisis Sparks Public Concern and Expert Warnings

November 26, 2025
By Sadokat Jalolova

On November 20, local media reported that Tashkent briefly topped the global air pollution rankings compiled by IQAir, drawing urgent public attention to the capital’s worsening environmental conditions. According to IQAir, the city’s PM2.5 concentration reached 229 at 10:51 a.m. on November 21, placing Tashkent behind only Delhi and Lahore for hazardous air quality.

Experts Warn of Long-Term Mismanagement Behind Toxic Air

Environmental specialists attribute the crisis to deep-rooted structural mismanagement. Environmental advocate Mutabar Khushvaktova cited IQAir’s breakdown of primary pollution sources: summer dust storms (36%), heating systems running on coal and fuel oil in autumn and winter (28%), vehicle emissions (16%), and industrial activity (13%).

Khushvaktova argued that ineffective oversight across construction, industry, transportation, and urban development has contributed to the current crisis. “Even after the Ministry of Ecology was established, conditions did not improve. Initially, the ministry reacted defensively to criticism but then stopped responding altogether. If this continues, public frustration will intensify and the economy will suffer. Illness will increase, productivity will fall, hospitals will be overwhelmed, and skilled professionals may leave the country,” she warned.

She outlined several urgent steps: increased government transparency, expert-led planning, strict protection of green zones, enhanced oversight of construction sites, mandatory filtration at industrial plants, and boosted funding for water and glacier research. She also emphasized safeguarding forests, reservoirs, and nature reserves from tourism-related development and called for full reform of Tashkent’s landscaping department. “We need stable urban ecosystems, modern irrigation systems, restored canals, and composting initiatives. This work must be done in close cooperation with the Ecology Committee,” she said.

Families in Tashkent Voice Growing Health Concerns

Madina Mo‘minova, a writer and filmmaker known for her work on environmental themes in children’s literature, expressed grave concern for families in the capital. “Air quality in Uzbekistan, especially in Tashkent, has reached an unbearable level,” she said. “I fear for my children and grandchildren. People are afraid to open their windows or even go outside. Many are already thinking about leaving.”

Mo‘minova noted that while the government has taken preliminary steps, the response needs to be more comprehensive and sustainable. “Greenhouses shouldn’t just be shut down, they need access to clean energy sources like natural gas to prevent recurring pollution after every inspection. We want to live in a safe, healthy country, not one teetering on ecological collapse,” she said.

Urban Planners Call for Infrastructure Restoration and Stricter Oversight

Temur Akhmedov, an expert on green urban development, stressed the importance of rehabilitating traditional infrastructure. “Restoring canals should be the top priority in Tashkent and other cities,” he said. “In many areas, the damage is extensive, but we must recover what we can.” He also advocated for halting new construction until a comprehensive environmental strategy is in place, along with enforcing dust-control measures at existing sites.

These environmental concerns coincide with accelerated urban development plans. On November 20, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree aimed at stabilizing the housing and mortgage markets. The initiative includes plans to double annual housing construction by 2040, reaching 421,000 units per year, an ambitious target that experts warn could worsen environmental conditions if not accompanied by sustainable policies.

Although officials have yet to publicly respond to Tashkent’s high IQAir ranking, environmental advocates say Uzbekistan is at a critical juncture. They urge transparent communication, cross-sector coordination, and long-term environmental planning to avert deeper public health and ecological crises.