23 Sep 2024

@uz.kursiv

Central Asia, Justice, Uzbekistan, Local Politics, Uzbekistan Justice, Uzbekistan Local Politics

Uzbek Parliament Adopts Law on “Undesirable” Foreigners

On September 20, the Senate of Uzbekistan’s Oliy Majlis approved amendments to the law regulating the legal status of foreign citizens and stateless persons. The main changes concern those who, through their public statements and actions, threaten Uzbekistan’s state sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security. According to Senator Anvar Tuichiev, such persons often provoke interstate, social, and religious discord and discredit the honor and dignity of the people of Uzbekistan. The existing legislation lacks the legal mechanisms to tackle such actions.

The amendments adopted establish that foreign citizens and stateless persons who commit such acts will be considered “undesirable,” and will be included in the registry of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan. Those on the registry will be subject to a five-year ban on entering the country, opening bank accounts, buying real estate, and participating in the privatization of state property. If such a person temporarily or permanently resides in Uzbekistan, they will be given ten days to leave voluntarily. Otherwise, a procedure for their deportation will be initiated. A person can be removed from the register if the reasons for their inclusion are eliminated.

The senator also stated that the experience of countries such as Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Poland, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, and China was considered when drafting the law. The amendments will come into force after being signed by President Mirziyoyev.

The decision came to make changes to the legislation came amid statements such as that made by Russian politician Zakhar Prilepin in 2023, who proposed that Russia annex Uzbekistan and other former Soviet republics. This provoked a sharp reaction among Uzbek politicians, including deputies Rasul Kusherbayev and Bobur Bekmurodov.

The Norwegian Helsinki Committee has said that it fears the new amendments could contradict international standards of freedom of expression, leading to Uzbekistan’s isolation.

Vagit Ismailov

Vagit Ismailov

Vagit Ismailov is a Kazakhstani journalist. He has worked in leading regional and national publications.

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23 Sep 2024

@iStock

Central Asia, Uzbekistan, International Affairs, Business & Economy, Uzbekistan Business & Economy, Uzbekistan International Affairs

Uzbekistan Ratifies International Labor Organization Convention

On September 21 a meeting of the Uzbek Senate passed the new law “On the ratification of the International Labor Organization Convention No. 155 on Occupational Safety and Hygiene and the Working Environment”.

The Convention was adopted in Geneva in 1981, and among other Eurasian countries has also been ratified by Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan.

Senators noted that it is appropriate to ratify this convention, taking into account the development of cooperation between Uzbekistan and the International Labor Organization and the fact that the national labor legislation meets international labor standards.

As noted, the convention’s ratification will improve national labor laws, enhance safety and hygiene standards per international guidelines, and help prevent workplace accidents.

The International Labor Organization has been criticizing the use of forced labor in cotton plantations in Turkmenistan for a long time.

Sadokat Jalolova

Sadokat Jalolova

Jalolova has worked as a reporter for some time in local newspapers and websites in Uzbekistan, and has enriched her knowledge in the field of journalism through courses at the University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Amsterdam on the Coursera platform.

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23 Sep 2024

@iStock

Central Asia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan International Affairs, International Affairs, Tajikistan, Tajikistan Business Economy, Business & Economy, Uzbekistan Business & Economy, Uzbekistan International Affairs

Tajikistan Continues Electricity Supply to Uzbekistan and Afghanistan

It is being reported that Tajikistan delivered more than $82.3 million worth of electricity to neighboring countries from January to August of this year. The export of electricity is $2.8 million (3.3%) less than in the same period of 2023.

During this period, Tajikistan’s electricity production amounted to about 15.4 billion kilowatt-hours, of which about 1 billion kilowatt-hours (6.5% of the total production) were exported.

More than 80% of electricity exports go to Afghanistan, and the remaining 20% to Uzbekistan. Tajikistan signed an agreement on the export of electricity for 2024 with these two countries.

Electricity exports to Uzbekistan are carried out only in the summer, and supplies to Afghanistan will continue in the autumn-winter season, but in small volumes — “exclusively for the preservation of infrastructure.”

For information, a memorandum of understanding has been signed between Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, providing electricity supply produced by the Rogun hydropower plant until 2032. Agreements on the supply of electricity to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are one condition for external financing of the Rogun project.

The Times of Central Asia has reported that when the Rogun hydropower plant in Tajikistan reaches full capacity, about 70% of the electricity produced will be exported to other Central Asian countries.

Sadokat Jalolova

Sadokat Jalolova

Jalolova has worked as a reporter for some time in local newspapers and websites in Uzbekistan, and has enriched her knowledge in the field of journalism through courses at the University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Amsterdam on the Coursera platform.

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23 Sep 2024

@U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan

Central Asia, Uzbekistan, Life & Culture, International Affairs, Local Politics, Uzbekistan International Affairs, Uzbekistan Local Politics

USAID Extends Education Programs in Uzbekistan

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided an additional $6.1 million in funding under an ongoing Development Goals Grant Agreement (DOAG) with the Department of Early Childhood Education.

The total volume of investments in DOAG nw exceeds $47 million, the US Embassy in Tashkent has reported.

The embassy added that the new funding strengthens programs that help develop basic skills in elementary school students, and gives students in grades 8-11 the entrepreneurial and economic skills they need to get jobs and participate in the economy of the future.

“Investing in education is an investment in a brighter future for everyone. By providing quality education, we empower individuals with the skills and knowledge they need and pave the way for a more prosperous, equitable, and stable society,” explains David Hoffman, USAID Mission Director in Uzbekistan. “Every dollar spent on education is a step toward building a better tomorrow for all,” he added.

The five-year DOAG contract was signed in 2019. USAID’s investments in Uzbekistan’s education sector aim to improve reading and math skills in primary grades, English fluency, information and communication technology development, and employability skills.

Also, in March, USAID announced the investment of $17.7 million in a five-year project to support business in Uzbekistan.

This investment will increase competitiveness in the fields of information and communication technologies (ICT), tourism, textiles, and green economy.

Another USAID initiative is to support clean energy goals in Uzbekistan. As part of the initiative, the “Strategy for the Development of Renewable and Hydrogen Energy” of Uzbekistan plans to increase the production of renewable energy (solar, wind, and hydropower) by 25% by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

Sadokat Jalolova

Sadokat Jalolova

Jalolova has worked as a reporter for some time in local newspapers and websites in Uzbekistan, and has enriched her knowledge in the field of journalism through courses at the University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Amsterdam on the Coursera platform.

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23 Sep 2024

@gov.kg

Central Asia, International Affairs, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan International Affairs, Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

Kyrgyz-Chinese Trade Center Opened in Xi’an

On September 21, a Kyrgyz-Chinese Center for Trade and Economic Cooperation was opened in Xi’an in China’s Shaanxi Province.

The new center, which occupies an area of 1,000 square meters, will hold exhibitions of products manufactured in Kyrgyzstan, provide information about the country, and organize meetings between Kyrgyz and Chinese entrepreneurs.

On the same day, a 200-square-meter trade pavilion of Kyrgyzstan opened in downtown Xi’an. The pavilion will permanently display Kyrgyz products sold offline and online through applications such as Douyin, WeChat, and Pingduoduo.

The Xi’an municipality provided Kyrgyzstan with a total area of 1,200 square meters free of charge for three years.

“The trade center and pavilion will become an incentive for the development of trade turnover between the two countries, where Chinese consumers will be able to get acquainted with the products of Kyrgyzstan,” Deputy Chairman of the Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers Bakyt Torobaev said at the opening ceremony of the center.

Xi’an also hosted a business forum attended by representatives of more than 200 companies from Kyrgyzstan and Shaanxi Province.

During the forum, representatives of government agencies in Kyrgyzstan and China and entrepreneurs discussed investment opportunities in sectors such as industry, tourism, transport, and agriculture.

In 2023, trade turnover between China and Kyrgyzstan amounted to $20 billion, a 32% increase compared to 2022. Bilateral trade reached almost $11 billion from January to July this year.

Sergey Kwan

Sergey Kwan

Sergey Kwan has worked for The Times of Central Asia as a journalist, translator and editor since its foundation in March 1999. Prior to this, from 1996-1997, he worked as a translator at The Kyrgyzstan Chronicle, and from 1997-1999, as a translator at The Central Asian Post.
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Kwan studied at the Bishkek Polytechnic Institute from 1990-1994, before completing his training in print journalism in Denmark.

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23 Sep 2024

@railways.kz

Kazakhstan Business & Economy, Features

Kazakhstan and China to Build Container Hub in the Port of Aktau

Kazakhstan’s national railways company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), has announced that KTZ Express (a subsidiary of KTZ), China’s Lianyungang Port, and Kazakhstan’s Aktau Sea Trade Port have signed the founding documents of a joint venture to construct a container hub in the port of Aktau.

The documents were signed on September 20 in the Chinese city of Xi’an.

The project has received support from the governments of Kazakhstan and China as part of China’s Belt and Road initiative.
The project will strengthen Kazakhstan’s position in the international logistics system. The planned container hub’s location on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), or the Middle Corridor, will further increase the route’s attractiveness and the volume of transit traffic.

The Lianyungang Port is a longstanding partner of KTZ Express. Over the past ten years, they have implemented two joint projects: the Kazakh-Chinese terminal in the Port of Lianyungang and Khorgos Gateway, the largest dry port in Central Asia located on the Kazakh-Chinese border.

Also on September 20, a container train departed along the TITR from Xi’an on the route Altynkol—Aktau (Kazakhstan)—Baku (Azerbaijan)—Poti (Georgia)—Burgas (Bulgaria)—Belgrade (Serbia)—Hamburg/Duisburg/Budapest.

The heads of the railway administrations of China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia attended the departure ceremony.

The train, consisting of 55 40-foot containers, was assembled at the Kazakh-Chinese Xi’an terminal. It will travel about 7,000 km to Baku in 8-11 days and then reach its final destination in Budapest in 25 days.

The reduced delivery time was made possible by the cooperation of the railway and port administrations of the TITR member countries.

The Kazakh-Chinese terminal in the dry port of Xi’an was opened in early 2024. Today, 30% of all container trains from China to Europe via Kazakhstan are formed in the dry port.

According to KTZ, thanks to the terminal in Xi’an, cargo transit along the TITR increased 20-fold in the first eight months of this year compared to last year. The delivery time to Azerbaijan has been reduced to 11 days and to Georgia to 14 days.

Sergey Kwan

Sergey Kwan

Sergey Kwan has worked for The Times of Central Asia as a journalist, translator and editor since its foundation in March 1999. Prior to this, from 1996-1997, he worked as a translator at The Kyrgyzstan Chronicle, and from 1997-1999, as a translator at The Central Asian Post.
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Kwan studied at the Bishkek Polytechnic Institute from 1990-1994, before completing his training in print journalism in Denmark.

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