Page 175 – The Times Of Central Asia

31 Jul 2025

Environment, Kazakhstan Environment, Kazakhstan

Transboundary Water Inflows Boost Lake Balkhash Levels

July 31, 2025
By Sergey Kwan

Kazakhstan received 10.2 billion cubic meters of water from China in the first half of 2025 through transboundary rivers, the country’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation announced. Of this total, 4.6 billion cubic meters were supplied via the Irtysh River and 5.6 billion cubic meters via the Ili River.

The increased inflow from the Ili River has enabled the Kapchagay Reservoir in the Almaty region to reach full capacity for the second consecutive year. This marks a significant improvement, as 2024 was the first time in a decade the reservoir had filled completely. As a result, 8.52 billion cubic meters of water have been directed downstream to Lake Balkhash since the beginning of 2025.

Located approximately 280 kilometers northwest of Almaty, Lake Balkhash is one of Asia’s largest inland lakes and ranks fifteenth globally by surface area. Due to improved water flows, the lake’s water level has risen by an average of 32 centimeters since January.

The Ili River alone contributes nearly 70% of Lake Balkhash’s inflow, underscoring its critical importance to the lake’s ecological balance and water levels.

Nagima Azhigulova, head of the Department of Water Cooperation with China and Russia at the Ministry, stressed the growing significance of bilateral water management efforts. “In March of this year, Kazakhstan and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding on water cooperation for the first time,” she said. “The agreement focuses on the rational and sustainable use of water resources, the adoption of modern technologies, alternative water sourcing, experience-sharing, and joint training of specialists.”

Three major rivers that flow through Kazakhstan, the Irtysh, Ili, and Emel, originate in China, highlighting the strategic importance of cross-border water diplomacy.

A recent report by the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), titled The Irtysh River Basin: Transboundary Challenges and Practical Solutions, offers an in-depth analysis of the Irtysh River’s role in regional water security.

At 4,248 kilometers, the Irtysh is the world’s longest transboundary tributary and, along with the Ob River, forms the longest river system in Russia. Flowing from China through Kazakhstan and into Russia, the Irtysh plays a vital role for all three countries and requires close trilateral coordination to ensure the sustainable management of its resources.

31 Jul 2025

Central Asia, Tajikistan Business Economy, Tajikistan, Business & Economy, Tajikistan Home

Tajik Government Seeks New Destinations for Labor Migrants

July 31, 2025
By Vagit Ismailov

Tajikistan is intensifying international cooperation in the field of labor migration. According to the Ministry of Labor, Migration, and Employment, the country signed dozens of agreements in the first half of 2025 aimed at simplifying and legalizing the overseas employment of its citizens. However, actual employment figures continue to lag behind the government’s ambitious declarations.

Expanding Employment Opportunities

At a mid-year press conference, the ministry reported that Tajikistan currently holds 37 international agreements with 15 countries, 13 of which specifically address labor migration and are under implementation.

Key partners include Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, South Korea, and Japan. Negotiations are also underway on nine new agreements with countries such as Georgia, Poland, Serbia, Saudi Arabia, and Croatia.

Official data show that 9,478 Tajik citizens found employment through 29 licensed organizations in the first half of 2025. Of those, 5,648 were assisted by the State Employment Agency. Despite appearing significant, these numbers represent only a fraction of the working-age population seeking jobs abroad.

South Korea, for example, allocated 800 worker quotas for Tajikistan in 2025. Yet only 26 of 35 citizens trained under the Employment Permit System (EPS) passed the required exam. A new group is now in training for the next selection phase.

Japan also ranks as a priority destination, but the volume remains low. Of 68 registered candidates, four have begun working, and eight have passed interviews, underscoring Japan’s high entry standards and limited intake.

Key Partners: Russia and Saudi Arabia

Russia remains Tajikistan’s principal labor migration partner. From January 28 to 31, officials from both countries held “substantive talks” in Moscow, addressing the training of specialists, new employment channels, and joint initiatives.

More than 80 Russian companies have reportedly expressed interest in hiring Tajik workers, a figure that the ministry says reflects rising demand for labor from Tajikistan.

Saudi Arabia is emerging as a new strategic partner. During a visit by a Tajik delegation, officials held talks with the Saudi Minister of Human Resources and with executives from Arco, a major HR outsourcing firm in the Middle East.

Ambitious Goals, Limited Impact

While the Ministry of Labor and Migration continues efforts to expand cooperation, protect migrants’ rights, and promote safe, legal employment abroad, progress remains uneven. Despite active diplomacy, the scale of organized labor migration is still limited.

The real measure of success will be the implementation of these agreements, not their number. With millions of Tajik citizens still seeking employment overseas, building effective systems and improving workforce skills will require sustained effort, time, and investment.

31 Jul 2025

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

Kazakhstan and Turkey to Jointly Develop Trans-Caspian Transport Route

July 31, 2025
By Sergey Kwan

Kazakhstan’s national railway operator, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), and Turkey’s TCDD Taşimacilik A.Ş. have signed a cooperation agreement to enhance railway freight transportation along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor.

Bypassing Russia, the TITR links China and Europe via Central Asia and the Caspian Sea. Freight volumes along the corridor surged by 60% in 2024, reaching 4.5 million tons. Projections suggest that figure could surpass 10 million tons by 2030.

According to KTZ, the agreement outlines several joint initiatives aimed at improving the route’s efficiency and competitiveness. Key measures include:

Launching regular rail services between Kazakhstan and Turkey;
Increasing freight volumes on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line;
Expanding two-way cargo flows between China and Europe/Africa;
Streamlining transit procedures and logistics coordination;
Simplifying customs and administrative processes to speed up cross-border cargo movement.

The partnership will also focus on implementing digital solutions such as paperless documentation and real-time tracking of containers and rolling stock.

These initiatives are expected to enhance Kazakhstan’s transit and logistics capacity and reinforce its strategic role in global supply chains.

The agreement was signed during President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s official visit to Turkey. During the visit, Tokayev reiterated Kazakhstan’s commitment to developing the Trans-Caspian route and highlighted interest in attracting Turkish investment in key infrastructure sectors, including railways, dry ports, cargo terminals, and shipbuilding.

As part of the visit, KTZ also held talks with Mersin International Port, part of the PSA International Group, on expanding cooperation to develop the Middle Corridor and establish more efficient multimodal logistics links between Asia and Europe.

KTZ Chairman Talgat Aldybergenov affirmed both sides’ commitment to ensuring stable freight volumes and underscored Mersin’s role as a strategic transshipment hub for the Middle Corridor.

To further strengthen the logistics chain, Kazakhstan proposed leveraging the potential of KPMC, a joint venture between KTZ and PSA International, which is already involved in developing multimodal services along the Xi’an-Istanbul route.

31 Jul 2025

Environment, Kyrgyzstan Environment, Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan Restores Irrigation System Amid Growing Water Demand

July 31, 2025
By Anton Chipegin

In the dry and hot year of 2025, Kyrgyz farmers received one billion cubic meters more water than in 2024, according to the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry.

Despite the challenging weather conditions, 7 billion cubic meters of water were delivered during the growing season, enabling the irrigation of over 1.1 million hectares of agricultural land. Chronic water shortages during the irrigation season have long plagued Kyrgyzstan’s agriculture, frequently sparking disputes in rural areas.

The primary cause is the aging irrigation infrastructure, much of it dating back to the Soviet era. Many canals are clogged or damaged, leading to significant water losses. In 2025, the ministry reported that 429.5 kilometers of canals were repaired and cleaned, alongside the restoration of 302 hydraulic structures, 123 water gauges, 91 pumping stations, and 156 pumping units. Nine units were fully replaced, and 53.5 kilometers of collector and drainage systems were cleaned.

To modernize the network, the government plans to construct 106 daily and ten-day water regulation basins by 2030. These facilities are intended to improve water storage and distribution across farms. Ten basins have already been commissioned this year, with 12 more under construction.

Officials are also combining modern and traditional solutions to address irrigation challenges. Sprinkler systems, popular in the 1980s, are being revived due to their efficiency, they require 500 to 1,000 cubic meters of water per hectare, compared to two to three times more with the traditional ary system. However, most farmers continue to rely on the ary method due to the high cost of sprinkler and drip irrigation equipment.

According to the ministry, drip and sprinkler systems are now in use on 8,365 hectares: 1,702 hectares on state-owned land and 6,663 hectares on private farms.

Restoration of old wells and construction of new canals also continue. This year, work began on a plant to manufacture concrete linings for irrigation canals, with a target of producing 500,000 square meters of concrete canal linings in 2025.

31 Jul 2025

Local Politics, Tajikistan Local Politics, Tajikistan

Tajikistan to Introduce 10-Point Grading System in Schools

July 31, 2025
By Sadokat Jalolova

Beginning September 1, secondary schools in Tajikistan will adopt a new 10-point grading system, the country’s Minister of Education and Science, Rahim Saidzoda, announced at a press conference today, according to Khovar.

Saidzoda stated that preparations are already underway for the system’s implementation, including the development of new grade books. The reform is part of a broader effort to align Tajikistan’s educational standards with international practices.

Experts emphasize that one of the key objectives is to standardize national grading in line with global benchmarks, making Tajik school diplomas more readily accepted abroad. This change is expected to facilitate Tajik students’ admission to universities in both neighboring and more distant countries.

The ministry noted that the new 10-point scale will enhance classroom assessments and examinations by introducing clearer and more consistent evaluation criteria, aligned with advanced education systems.

Multi-point grading systems are already widely used in developed nations such as Japan, South Korea, the United States, and France, where 10, 12, or even 20-point scales are standard. In contrast, neighboring Central Asian countries continue to rely on the traditional five-point grading model. For instance, Kyrgyzstan has confirmed that it will retain the five-point scale, according to 24.kg. Uzbekistan also maintains a system ranging from “5” (excellent) to “1” (poor).

31 Jul 2025

Business & Economy, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

Kazakhstan to Boost Oil Exports to Turkey via BTC Pipeline

July 31, 2025
By Dmitry Pokidaev

Kazakhstan plans to increase crude oil exports to Turkey through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced following bilateral talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara.

“Currently, 1.4 million tons of Kazakh oil are transported annually to Turkey through the BTC pipeline. We discussed the possibility of expanding volumes and welcomed Turkish Petroleum’s plans to enter the Kazakh market. Kazakhstan is also interested in Turkish companies’ investment potential and expertise in energy diversification and power plant construction. We are ready to implement large-scale joint projects,” Tokayev stated at a joint press conference.

Kazakhstan began exporting oil via the BTC pipeline in 2008, initially at just 300,000 tons per year. Expansion has since been limited by the pipeline’s capacity, 50 million tons annually, with Kazakhstan allocated a quota of 1.5 million tons and by the restricted tanker fleet of KazTransOil, the transport subsidiary of the national oil and gas company KazMunayGas (KMG), which ships crude across the Caspian Sea from the port of Aktau.

In 2022, President Tokayev prioritized the development of the Trans-Caspian corridor as part of Kazakhstan’s export diversification strategy. That same year, Azerbaijan signaled readiness to raise Kazakhstan’s BTC quota to 2.2 million tons. As a result, shipments surged 5.5-fold to 1.392 million tons in 2023 and surpassed 1.4 million tons in 2024. The government now aims to reach 1.5 million tons in 2025.

During the Ankara visit, KMG Chairman Askhat Khasenov met with Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) President Ahmet Türkoğlu to discuss potential cooperation in exploration, transport, and oil and gas sector development.

“Currently, KMG and TPAO working groups are assessing prospects for joint initiatives in geological exploration in Kazakhstan,” the press release stated. Khasenov emphasized that strengthening ties with Turkey’s leading energy firms aligns with Kazakhstan’s strategic foreign policy. He expressed confidence that enhanced collaboration with TPAO would boost economic relations between the two countries.

As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan has encountered growing challenges in transporting oil via Russian ports due to new regulations and export bottlenecks.