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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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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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@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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@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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@president.uz

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

OPEC to Allocate $500 Million for Tourism, Logistics Development in Uzbekistan

A delegation of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) International Development Fund headed by President Abdulhamid Alkhalifa participated in the events of the Tashkent International Investment Forum. The OPEC Fund and the Government of Uzbekistan signed agreements on joint activities and financial commitments worth $500 million. The funds will be used for the development of tourism, logistics, pharmaceuticals, ecology, support for women’s entrepreneurship, and youth initiatives.

The OPEC delegation will visit the facility of water supply and wastewater disposal in the Samarkand region, which was financed by the organization. This project provides the basic tools to improve health and living conditions for 70,000 local residents.

For 25 years, the OPEC Fund has been working with Uzbekistan, providing it with $760 million in loans. This financial support has helped provide drinking water to remote areas and modernize Uzbekistan’s energy sector.

This year’s Tashkent Investment Forum was attended by 2,500 delegates – government leaders, heads of major companies and representatives of the United Nations (UN), the 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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The border with Tajikistan as seen from Kyrgyzstan; image: TCA

02 May 2024
Central Asia, Home, Tajikistan International Affairs, International Affairs, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan International Affairs, Tajikistan Features, Features, Kyrgyzstan Features

Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan May Swap Territories to Ease Border Tensions

In order to solve their long-running border demarcation dispute, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan may consider the option of exchanging territories. That’s according to remarks made by Marat Imankulov, the Secretary of the Security Council of the Kyrgyz Republic, in an interview with state news agency, Kabar.

According to him, the remarkable thing is that the border in the Batken region passes through difficult terrain, densely populated areas, bisecting streets, yards, and even houses.

“Therefore, it should be separated. This is a difficult compromise. It is impossible without it. We have to give way. If necessary, the option of exchanging regions can be considered. Of course, there should be a preliminary agreement with local residents; that’s how things are going now,” said Imankulov.

The Secretary of the Security Council noted that each country has its own interests, but the parties are now looking for balance and compromise. Imankulov added that all border negotiations should proceed peacefully.

Demarcation of the border has been a long-standing source of conflict between the two nations, it is emblematic of the problem that even the length of the border – sometimes cited as being 975-kilomtres long, and at others times 972-kilomteres – is rarely agreed upon. In January 2023, Tajikistan’s President Rahmon stated that 614-kilometres had been settled upon, backtracking on a previously stated figure of 664.

In a sign of thawing relations, however, on November 9th 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic announced that a further 17.98 kilometers of the border had been agreed.

With its scant natural resources and dwindling water supplies, the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has been the scene of numerous skirmishes for many years. In 2014, all borders between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan were closed indefinitely to Kyrgyz and Tajik citizens following clashes over a bypass road in disputed territory; mortars were fired and both armies suffered casualties. Trouble spilled over again throughout 2021 and 2022, reportedly starting over a water dispute in the Vorukh enclave, and leaving an unknown number in the hundreds killed, and up to 136,000 people evacuated. In September 2022, another shooting took place on the border between the two countries.

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