25 Jul 2024
Central Asia, Life & Culture, Kazakhstan Local Politics, Kazakhstan Justice, Local Politics, Kazakhstan

Nursultan Nazarbayev Stripped of Academy of Sciences Membership

News that the first president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, has been stripped of his status as a member of the Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan, was announced by Minister of Science and Higher Education, Sayasat Nurbek.

Nurbek explained that in 2023, Kazakhstan’s current president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, decided to create a new Academy of Sciences with just nine members and in the process,  ‘reset’ the status of former academy members.

Nursultan Nazarbayev was awarded the status of academician of the Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan in 1995 and in 2011, whilst participating in a scientific forum at the academy, received the honourable title of “Scientist of the Century.”

The loss of his membership of the academy is the most recent example of Nazarbayev’s fall from grace. In July last year, he was deprived of his position as head of the supreme board of trustees of autonomous educational organizations. Then, this spring, a waxwork of the first president, installed six years ago in the State Military History Museum of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan in Astana, disappeared. Previously, the monument to Nursultan Nazarbayev, inaugurated on his 80th birthday in 2020, was dismantled from the territory of the National Defense University in Astana, in tandem with the removal of another memorial to the man from the National Museum.

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Times of Central Asia

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25 Jul 2024

@Asia-Plus

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

Russia Deports Thousands of Tajik Citizens

During a press conference, director of the Civil Aviation Agency, Habibullo Nazarzoda, announced that over the past six months, Russia expelled or deported some 3,400 Tajikistan citizens.

Nazarzoda emphasized that the action was spurred by errors in the Tajik citizens’ documents as opposed to being politically motivated and stated, “The reason for denied entry into Russian territory was sometimes a lack of necessary documents. 95% of people who travel to the country know where they are going and why they are going, but cannot answer questions when asked. Many become confused. That’s why it’s not political.”

Conditions for migrants heading for Russia and for those already in the country, have become stricter following the recent terrorist attack at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall and the suspected involvement of Tajik citizens.

Complaints about difficulties in entering the country are increasing and dozens of migrants report being detained at Russian airports and land border crossings under various pretexts. Since neither the Tajik nor Russian sides have commented on the situation, the official reasons for the above remain unclear.

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Times of Central Asia

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25 Jul 2024

@iStock

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

Turkish Company to Build Vegetable Storage Facility in Kazakhstan

On July 24, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Ermek Kenzhekhanuly met managers of the Turkish company Saraylim Tarim to discuss plans for a new vegetable storage facility.

A leader in Turkey’s fruit and vegetable storage industry, the company plans to build a 5,000-ton vegetable storage facility in Kazakhstan costing around $15 million.

In addition, Saraylim Tarim  plans to invest a further $15 million in establishing a vinegar and canned vegetable production facility in the country’s Almaty region.

According to the Turkish company, the project would be implemented in cooperation with a Kazakh partner and  Deputy Minister Kenzhekhanuly has promised maximum assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture.

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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25 Jul 2024

@iStock

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

Rise in Uzbekistan’s Foreign Trade Turnover

According to a report  published by the Statistics Agency of Uzbekistan on the country’s socio-economic situation for the first  half of 2024, the gross domestic product amounted to 567.4 trillion UZS ($44.93 billion), an increase of 6.4% compared to the same period last year.

The industrial network grew by 7.8%; agriculture, forestry, and fisheries by 3.8%, and construction by 10.1%. Local enterprises produced industrial products worth 370.0 trillion UZS ($29.30 billion) and the volume of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products totalled 170,297.3 billion UZS ($13.49 billion).

The rate of inflation in Uzbekistan’s consumer sector was 5.2%.

Foreign trade turnover amounted to $31,828.2 million, an increase of $2,486.7 million or 8.5% compared to 2023. Exports reached $12,992.7 million, an increase of 5.5%, and imports, reached $18,835.5 million, an increase of 10.6% compared to the previous year.

In July 1, 2024, 455,600 enterprises (excluding farms and peasant farms) were operating in the country, of which 387,100 are small enterprises and micro firms.

Between January and June, 42,400 new enterprises and organizations were established, of which 41,000 were small enterprises and micro firms, and by July, of the 13,880 enterprises operating with foreign capital, 4,221 were joint ventures, and 9,659, solely international.

 

Sadokat Jalolova

Sadokat Jalolova

Sadokat was in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, currently lives in Tashkent. She worked as a correspondent, editor in local newspapers and websites, as well as a copywriter in international companies. 

 Sadokat studied journalism course at Michigan, John Hopkins and Amsterdam universities. She can communicate fluently in English and Chinese.

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25 Jul 2024

@Eurasian Creative Guild

Central Asia, Life & Culture, Kyrgyzstan Life & Culture, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan International Affairs

British Publisher Promotes Kyrgyz Artists

The second issue of ‘The Great Steppe Treasury’, released in July by British publisher Hertfordshire Press, includes the addition of work by three artists from Kyrgyzstan: Seid Atambaev, Larisa Pak, and Gulmira Ayipova.

The art catalogue which promotes the diversity of Eurasia’s contemporary art, culture, and creativity, represents 24 artists from the UK, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Germany, and Crimea.

Regarding the second edition, publisher Marat Akhmedjanov commented,  “We are glad to be able to give artists from Kyrgyzstan the opportunity to share their creativity with an international audience through our unique project. And we especially admire how Seid Atambaev, as a deputy, combines his political activities with promoting his country through creativity, demonstrating the variety of ways to support the growth and representation of Kyrgyzstan.”

Copies of the catalogue will be sent to significant galleries in the UK and plans are in place for participants to present their work in Glasgow, London, Almaty, Minsk, St. Petersburg, and Batumi.

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Times of Central Asia

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25 Jul 2024
Central Asia, Environment, Kazakhstan Environment, Kazakhstan Local Politics, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

Kazakhstan to Increase Municipal Waste Processing

On July 24, Kazakhstan launched its first project to build a technological eco-park for processing solid municipal waste and producing electricity from biogas.

According to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan, the new facility will be equipped to sort 120 thousand tons of solid municipal waste and 120 thousand tons of large-sized waste, and process 80 thousand tons of organic waste per year.

In response to an instruction by the head of state in February to secure investment for the construction of waste processing plants in Kazakhstan, the government has secured a pool of 94 investment projects to  increase municipal waste processing from 1 million to 2.2 million tons annually.

In March, the government announced plans to build 37 new municipal solid waste processing plants and modernize eight existing plants.

To support the initiative aimed to improve the country’s environment, the government has given approval for an Industrial Development Fund, with an interest rate of 3 percent and loan terms from 3 to 15 years,  for projects related to waste management, including the purchase of rubbish trucks and the launch of sorting lines and processing facilities.

Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov reported that recycling solid waste is profitable worldwide and Kazakhstan too, must exploit its potential in this field.

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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