Kazakh Invest

03 May 2024
Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Environment, Kazakhstan International Affairs, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

South Korean Сompanies to Modernize Kazakhstan’s Power Plants

At the end of April, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan, KEPCO and Doosan Enerbility regarding the South Korean companies’ investment in modernizing Kazakhstan’s GRES Topar power plant and power plants in Astana, Almaty, and Pavlodar.

Kazakh Invest welcomed the Korean partners’ pledge to provide innovative environmental solutions to increase the plants’ productivity.

In support of the initiative, Kim Jung-Kwan, Senior Vice President of Doosan Enerbility, commented, “The environmental solutions of KEPCO and Doosan Enerbility are optimal for the government of Kazakhstan, which seeks to reduce the level of air pollution in the country. After signing this memorandum, we will work together to contribute to the development of environmentally friendly energy projects in Kazakhstan.”

 

 

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Times of Central Asia

gov.kg

03 May 2024
Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan Environment, Kyrgyzstan Environment, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan International Affairs, Uzbekistan Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

Tashkent Investment Forum Focus on Kyrgyzstan’s Kambarata HPP-1

The construction of the Kambarata hydroelectric power plant (HPP)-1 on Kyrgyzstan’s Naryn River was at the forefront at the Third Tashkent International Investment Forum attended by Uzbekistan’s Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov and representatives of international organizations and financial institutions.

At the panel session on energy, on 2 May, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic Akylbek Japarov, outlined the master plan behind Kambarata HPP-1, investment indicators,  and its potential benefits to water resources management and Central Asia’s electricity market.

Japarov explained that generated by hydropower, almost all electricity in Kyrgyzstan is green, but stated, “We have so far used only about 13% of our existing potential. Taking into account global challenges and trends in the development of green energy, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic has actively begun to implement infrastructure energy projects. The large-scale construction of Kambarata HPP-1, strategically important for the entire region, will up the pace of development in this field.”

Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan recently signed a Roadmap for joint construction of Kambarata HPP-1. If completed, Kambarata HPP-1 will have a capacity of 1860 MW and will generate 5.6 billion kWh of electricity per year.

A forum for further discussions on foreign investment in the project is scheduled for early June in Vienna .

Turning to plans for hydroelectric power plants elsewhere in the country, Kyrgyzstan’s Prime Minister, stated, “Work is underway to implement projects for the construction of a cascade of hydroelectric power plants on the Chatkal River, as well as a cascade of Kazarman hydroelectric power plants on the Naryn River. Our country needs foreign investment to develop energy, which is the main sector of the economy. We invite foreign companies to consider the possibility of participating in the construction of small and medium-sized hydroelectric power stations and renewable energy sources in Kyrgyzstan.”

 

 

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Times of Central Asia

@iStock

03 May 2024
Central Asia, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

Satellite Internet Connection to Start Working in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Digital Development says that work has been completed on an interface station for the OneWeb non-geostationary communication network at the Kokterek Space Services Center. Officials expect to achieve technical readiness to provide commercial services this year.

Work is also continuing on infrastructure at the Spacecraft Assembly and Test Complex in Astana. A project to build a constellation of medium-resolution satellites for remote sensing of the Earth has also been launched, with plans to replace the current KazEOSat-2. This new equipment will be used in various fields, including agriculture, emergency management and sustainable use of natural resources.

EutelSat OneWeb is a unit of the EutelSat Group that provides broadband internet access using low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. It was founded in 2012. At different times, Airbus, Qualcomm, Virgin Group and others have acted as investors in the company. In the spring of 2020, OneWeb filed for bankruptcy because it failed to agree with Japan’s Softbank on a round of financing totaling $2 billion. Later, the company was saved by the British government, India’s Bharti Global and EutelSat, before the latter company merged with OneWeb in September of 2023.

It has been reported that villages in Kazakhstan have gained access to satellite internet from Starlink, one of Elon Musk’s companies. Over 170 rural settlements are connected to the KazSat network, which provides broadband access to more than 17,000 people.

The initiator of the joint project, minister of digital development Bagdat Musin, was fired on April 30 amid a scandal involving the leak of personal data of Kazakh citizens.

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Times of Central Asia

Image: kabar.kg

02 May 2024
Central Asia, Home, Kyrgyzstan Life & Culture, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan Features

Kyrgyzstan: Truck Hits Students Performing at Event, Injuring 29

A truck has mowed through a crowd of students during a hillside event in Kyrgyzstan, injuring 29 children in an incident that was captured on video, media reported on Thursday.

The Health Ministry said three of the injured children were in a serious condition following the incident in Suzak district, the state-run Kabar News Agency reported. The agency said there was no driver in the truck, and that there were indications that the incident was accidental. An investigation is underway.

Video shows hundreds of people, many of them spectators and others in formation holding a huge national flag scatter as the truck goes down the hill and ploughs through the crowd. In another video, people are heard screaming and shouting as the truck is seen knocking over a tent.

The students had been performing Manas, an epic poem that is integral to Kyrgyz culture, as part of a competition, according to traffic safety officials.

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Times of Central Asia

@Ulysmedia

02 May 2024
Central Asia, Kazakhstan Local Politics, Kazakhstan Justice, Local Politics, Kazakhstan

New Case Against Nazarbayev’s Former Niece-in-Law Brought to Court

The Anti-Corruption Service of Kazakhstan has completed its investigation into the criminal case against Gulmira Satybaldy – the ex-wife of Kairat Satybaldy – nephew of former President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Ms. Satybaldy is accused of illegal imprisonment, extortion on a large scale, and arbitrariness which led to grave consequences. The criminal case was transferred to a specialized court in Almaty. According to law enforcement agencies, other information is not subject to disclosure at this juncture.

Gulmira Satybaldy was originally detained by the anti-corruption service on March 16, 2022, accused of abductions and aiding the commission of a crime. A year ago this month, she was sentenced to seven years, but has since been incriminated in further crimes.

Gulmira Satybaldy’s ex-husband, Kairat, was convicted of abuse of power and embezzlement of funds from the state company, Kazakhtelecom. According to official data, since 2022 he has repatriated more than 700 billion tenge ($1.58 billion) worth of illegal assets to the state.
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Times of Central Asia

@president.uz

02 May 2024
Central Asia, Uzbekistan, International Affairs, Business & Economy, Uzbekistan Business & Economy, Uzbekistan International Affairs

Uzbekistan’s President Guarantees Protection of Foreign Investors’ Rights

Addressing the Tashkent International Investment Forum, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev remarked that in recent years, his country had attracted more than $60 billion in foreign investment, in over 300 joint industrial projects. Regarding the goal to attract further foreign partnerships, he continued, “Our state guarantees development of market relations, reliable protection of investors’ rights, improvement of favorable investment and business environment, creation of wider opportunities and conditions for fair competition, ensuring inviolability of private property and independence of [our] judicial system.”

To achieve its aims, Uzbekistan has adopted a new version of the law “On Investments” in accordance with World Trade Organization (WTO) standards.  Despite not yet ratified by Uzbekistan, the International Commercial Court (ICC), is already operating in the country, and the terms of land lease for foreign investors have been increased from 25 to 49 years. Uzbekistan’s head of state also announced plans to introduce  new approaches to the system of industrial zones,  the management of which will involve experienced foreign companies.

Drawing attention to the country’s wealth of natural reserves, the  president noted, ” Our country has colossal resources of gold, copper, tungsten, silver and uranium. Along with rare and unique minerals, we have deposits of more than 30 rare earth metals such as lithium, magnesium, molybdenum, germanium, vanadium and indium. ”

He emphasized Uzbekistan’s ongoing negotiations with the U.S. and the UK  on cooperation in the field of critical raw materials (CRMs) and extended an invitation to leading companies to develop projects concerning the deep processing of strategic raw materials and the creation of a value-added chain of refining and processing.

Mirziyoyev mentioned  the forthcoming construction of the Trans-Afghan railroad and upgrades to existing international airports in Tashkent, Bukhara and Urgench  planned with the cooperation of foreign investors, and with reference to improved logistics, stated,  “These strategic projects will radically change the geo-economics situation in the region and turn Central Asia into a global transit centre connecting North and South, East and West.”

This year’s Tashkent Investment Forum was attended by 2,500 delegates including government leaders, heads of major companies and representatives of the  United Nations (UN), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

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