Page 367 – The Times Of Central Asia

25 Feb 2025

Central Asia, International Affairs, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan International Affairs, Kazakhstan International Affairs, Kazakhstan

Kazakh and Kyrgyz Prime Ministers Discuss Trade, Transport, and Water Cooperation

February 25, 2025
By Sergey Kwan

On February 24, Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov held talks in Astana with Adylbek Kasymaliyev, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan. The visit marked Kasymaliyev’s first official foreign trip since his appointment as Kyrgyzstan’s prime minister in December last year.

Expanding Trade and Economic Cooperation

The discussions covered trade, transit, water and energy cooperation, investment, and cultural ties, according to the Kazakh government’s press service.

Bektenov noted that bilateral trade reached $1.7 billion last year, underscoring Kazakhstan’s role as one of Kyrgyzstan’s key trading partners. Kasymaliyev reaffirmed both governments’ commitment to raising trade volume to $3 billion by 2030, a goal set by the presidents of both countries. He also revealed that Kazakhstani companies invested nearly $49 million in Kyrgyzstan’s economy in the first nine months of 2024.

New Industrial Trade and Logistics Complex

Kasymaliyev emphasized the importance of the Industrial Trade and Logistics Complex at the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border, which aims to streamline cargo transportation and enhance trade efficiency.

The complex, located near the Karasu and Ak-Tilek road checkpoints, will be one of the largest cargo hubs in Central Asia, facilitating consolidation, processing, and distribution of goods. Land plots have already been allocated, and the Alatau industrial zone has been established in Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl region to support the project.

Energy Cooperation and Food Security

Kasymaliyev highlighted the potential duty-free supply of Kazakh oil to Kyrgyzstan, which would bolster Kyrgyzstan’s energy security and lower fuel costs for consumers.

Additionally, both sides discussed building a trade and logistics warehouse in Kazakhstan’s Almaty region to store and distribute fruits and vegetables, ensuring stable fresh produce supplies and improving food security. Kasymaliyev stressed that these initiatives would create jobs, attract investment, and strengthen economic cooperation.

Improving Transport and Border Infrastructure

In the transit and transport sector, both governments focused on modernizing automobile checkpoints to boost cargo capacity at the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border.

Water Cooperation

Water resource management was another key topic, particularly irrigation water supplies from Kyrgyzstan to Kazakhstan for the upcoming growing season. Discussions centered on the Shu (Chu) and Talas rivers, which are crucial for agriculture in both countries.

Tourism and Education

The talks also explored expanding cross-border tourism, including:

Developing eco-routes
Improving active tourism infrastructure
Attracting investment in the hotel industry

Additionally, the two leaders discussed preparations for opening branches of Kazakh universities in Kyrgyzstan to enhance educational cooperation.

The meeting underscored Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan’s commitment to deepening economic, energy, and infrastructure ties, while also addressing key water and environmental concerns. The successful implementation of these initiatives will boost regional integration and economic growth for both nations.

25 Feb 2025

Central Asia, Turkmenistan Life & Culture, Life & Culture, Turkmenistan

Japanese Musician Yutaka Kikuchi Captivated by the Turkmen Dutar

February 25, 2025
By Vagit Ismailov

Japanese musician and shamisen performer Yutaka Kikuchi visited Ashgabat recently as part of a cultural exchange program, and shared his admiration for Turkmen musical traditions.

According to Kikuchi, the richness and diversity of Turkmenistan’s musical instruments left a strong impression on him.

“I consider it my duty to emphasize that during the master classes, I gained invaluable knowledge about Turkmenistan’s unique culture and feel deeply grateful for this experience,” he said.

Kikuchi noted striking similarities between Turkmen and Japanese musical instruments, particularly in their design and construction. He observed parallels between Turkmen instruments and the Japanese Koto and Biwa. However, what astonished him the most was the Dutar, which he compared to the shamisen, an instrument he has mastered.

With two decades of experience teaching music, Kikuchi was especially pleased to engage with students and faculty at the Turkmen National Conservatory. He praised the enthusiasm and dedication of Turkmen students.

“It is a great honor for me to hold a master class for talented Turkmen youth and introduce them to the traditions of Japanese culture,” he said.

Alongside Japanese folk dance master Ueda Chiho, Kikuchi conducted a series of master classes at specialized secondary and higher educational institutions in Ashgabat. The visit concluded with a performance at a reception celebrating the birthday of Emperor Naruhito of Japan, a vibrant display of the strengthening cultural ties between the two nations.

25 Feb 2025

Central Asia, Home, Uzbekistan, International Affairs, Uzbekistan International Affairs

Washington Signals Interest in Uzbekistan’s Nuclear Energy Sector

February 25, 2025
By Sadokat Jalolova

The United States has expressed interest in cooperating with Uzbekistan on civil nuclear energy investments, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated following a February 21 phone call between Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“Secretary Rubio spoke with Foreign Minister Saidov to reaffirm U.S. support for Uzbekistan’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. They discussed ongoing cooperation through the C5+1 platform to promote stability and economic growth in Central Asia. Secretary Rubio also thanked Uzbekistan for its efforts in controlling illegal migration and counterterrorism cooperation. The U.S. looks forward to exploring investment opportunities in critical minerals and civil nuclear energy technologies,” the statement read.

U.S. Expands Nuclear Energy Engagement in Central Asia

The United States has previously shown interest in participating in nuclear energy projects in Central Asia, including the construction of a nuclear power plant (NPP) in Kazakhstan.

During an October 2024 visit to Almaty, Khush Choksi, Senior Vice President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, emphasized America’s readiness to take part in Kazakhstan’s nuclear energy sector.

“The U.S. has the best technologies for nuclear power plants, and we hope there will be an open tender allowing American companies to participate,” Choksi told reporters.

Strategic Energy Cooperation

Washington’s interest in nuclear energy partnerships with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan reflects its broader strategy to expand energy cooperation in Central Asia. The region’s growing demand for energy security, technological development, and investment in clean energy solutions aligns with U.S. efforts to strengthen economic ties and counterbalance the influence of other global energy players.

25 Feb 2025

Home, Uzbekistan, International Affairs, Uzbekistan International Affairs

Uzbekistan and Taliban Agree on Hairatan-Herat Railway Project

July 17, 2025
By Sadokat Jalolova

Taliban Deputy Chief Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar announced that construction on the planned Hairatan-Herat railway would begin within 10 days of a feasibility study, which Uzbekistan will finance. He also stated that Uzbekistan had agreed to reduce the cost of a power transmission line project to Afghanistan by $30 million, lowering the total to $222 million, Amu TV reports. The announcement followed Baradar’s two-day visit to Uzbekistan.

The railway project aims to extend the existing line from Hairatan, a key trade hub on the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan border, through Mazar-e-Sharif and on to Herat. The first phase, a 75-kilometer section from Hairatan to Mazar-e-Sharif, was completed in 2010 with funding from the Asian Development Bank. The planned extension is expected to enhance trade links between Central Asia and the Middle East.

During the visit, Baradar and his delegation met with Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov and Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjayev to discuss trade, energy, aviation, and infrastructure. Baradar stated that Uzbekistan had agreed to increase electricity exports to Afghanistan during the summer and reduce tariffs.

Taliban Commerce Minister Nooruddin Azizi added that discussions also covered trade and banking cooperation, as well as a potential railway extension from Hairatan to Spin Boldak. Additionally, Uzbekistan will lift restrictions on Afghan agricultural exports and establish four trade centers in major cities across both countries.

Aripov visited Kabul last August for talks focused on boosting trade, strengthening energy cooperation, and collaborating on copper, iron, oil, and gas projects. Both sides agreed that trade between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan could reach $1 billion in 2024 and expand to $3 billion in the near future.

25 Feb 2025

Environment, Central Asia, Kazakhstan Environment, Home, Kazakhstan, Features

Report Addresses Cross-Border Challenges in Irtysh River Basin

February 25, 2025
By Sergey Kwan

The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has released a report titled “The Irtysh River Basin: Transboundary Challenges and Practical Solutions”, analyzing the water resources of the transboundary Irtysh River basin, shared by China, Kazakhstan, and Russia. The report highlights growing water demand in all three countries and proposes practical solutions to address cross-border challenges.

Strategic Importance of the Irtysh River

The Irtysh River, the world’s longest transboundary tributary, stretches 4,248 km and, together with the Ob River, forms Russia’s longest waterway, the second longest in Asia and the seventh longest globally. Flowing from China through Kazakhstan into Russia, the river is crucial for all three countries, necessitating strategic cooperation in its management.

The Irtysh River Basin; image: eabr.org

Key Challenges in Each Country

China

In China, the upper Irtysh River is essential for the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), where the population has surged from 15.2 million in 1990 to 25.87 million in 2022. Rapid regional development has made water stress a pressing issue. Research forecasts that annual water withdrawals from the Irtysh could more than triple, from the current 1.5 – 2.0 km³ to 7 km³, out of an average natural flow of 8.3 km³.

Kazakhstan

In Kazakhstan, the Irtysh and its tributaries support 30% of the population and contribute 45% of the country’s total agricultural output. The Irtysh HPP Cascade accounts for 10% of Kazakhstan’s electricity generation and 80% of its hydropower capacity. Increased water withdrawals by China pose significant risks to Kazakhstan’s water security.

Russia

For Russia, upstream water policies in China and Kazakhstan are major concerns. Excessive Chinese withdrawals could reduce Kazakhstan’s downstream flow, impacting Omsk and the surrounding Omsk Municipal District. Changes in water availability and quality over the next decade present serious socio-economic challenges for the region.

Key Recommendations from the Report

The EDB report outlines four major recommendations for managing transboundary water challenges:

Expanding Bilateral and Trilateral Cooperation

The report urges stronger water agreements between Kazakhstan and Russia, as well as between Kazakhstan and China, incorporating international water management principles. Recommended cooperation areas include:

Ensuring international navigation on the Irtysh-Ob River system
Controlling water pollution
Regulating safe water usage
Improving efficiency during floods, droughts, and low-water periods

This groundwork would help establish a future trilateral water management agreement between the three countries.

Strengthening Water Management Infrastructure

The report calls for soft infrastructure development, such as:

Creating an interstate river flow monitoring system with open data access
Developing joint training programs for water management specialists
Expanding interdisciplinary water research involving experts from all three nations

Coordinating Hydraulic Infrastructure Operations

The report stresses the importance of joint management of existing and future hydropower plants, dams, reservoirs, and irrigation canals to ensure stable water supplies without harming other nations’ resources. Priority projects include:

Shulbinsk HPP (Phase 2) in Kazakhstan
Semipalatinsk HPP in Kazakhstan
Modernization of the Satpayev Irtysh-Karaganda Canal in Kazakhstan
Construction of the Krasnogorsk hydro-system near Omsk, Russia

Developing a Multimodal Transport Corridor

The report proposes a multimodal transport corridor linking Russia, Kazakhstan, and China, utilizing the Irtysh-Ob waterway to connect:

The Northern Sea Route (Arctic shipping lane)
The Silk Road (Eurasian trade route)

This corridor would enhance global connectivity, providing landlocked Central Asian nations and northwestern China with access to Russian inland regions and Arctic ports.

The report underscores the urgent need for coordinated water management to balance economic growth, environmental sustainability, and regional stability. With China’s rising water demand, Kazakhstan’s agricultural dependence, and Russia’s downstream concerns, enhanced bilateral and trilateral cooperation is essential for securing the future of the Irtysh River Basin.

25 Feb 2025

Home, Environment, Kazakhstan Environment, Kyrgyzstan Environment, Tajikistan, Tajikistan Opinions, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan Features, Opinions, Kazakhstan Opinions, Kyrgyzstan Opinions, Tajikistan Environment, Features, Kazakhstan Featurees, Kyrgyzstan Features

Securing Central Asia’s Future: EBRD’s Regional Head on the Fight for Water Sustainability

May 1, 2025
By Times of Central Asia

Every fourth inhabitant of Central Asia, home to more than 83 million people, does not have regular access to safe drinking water. The region spans more than four million square kilometers, and over 15% of its territory is covered by the Karakum and Kyzylkum deserts, as well as waterless places such as the Ustyurt Plateau (similar in size to the United Kingdom), which stretches across Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. The extreme heat common to Central Asia in summer makes water a precious resource.

To make matters worse, irresponsible human activity, particularly wasteful water use for irrigation, has led to one of the most devastating ecological catastrophes globally. The Aral Sea, where up to 60,000 tonnes of fish were caught annually only 30 years ago, has practically ceased to exist. Most of Central Asia’s freshwater intake relies on glacial melts affected by global warming.

The World Resources Institute forecast in its 2023 Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas that an additional one billion people globally will live with extremely high water stress by 2050. This will disrupt economies and agricultural production. Most Central Asian countries will be severely affected.

While the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) cannot reverse the global warming process or tackle its impacts alone, it can certainly contribute to climate change mitigation efforts, securing better water access, and promoting its rational use. There is frequently no water supply or water treatment infrastructure in rural areas of the regions where it invests.

Most municipal water supply and treatment utilities across Central Asia have not seen much investment or refurbishment over the last 30 years. The EBRD has been working to address this issue, and many of its investment projects are already impacting people’s lives.

Image: EBRD

In Kazakhstan, the Bank’s work with Vodnye Resoursy Marketing (VRM)/Shymkent water company, the country’s only privately owned municipal water utility, perfectly illustrates why the EBRD is such a strong advocate of private-sector involvement in the provision of municipal services. Over many years, we have enjoyed excellent cooperation with this company, which has translated into high-quality water supply services for more than 1.2 million residents of Shymkent. It has become a benchmark for the region for its effective and efficient operations.

Thanks to VRM’s efforts, with 1.2 million residents, Shymkent became the first city in Kazakhstan to install a water meter for every consumer. User habits have changed: personal daily water consumption has decreased from 456 liters 27 years ago to 150 liters. The water savings achieved during this period will enable Shymkent to meet the needs of its population for another 20 years.

The EBRD started working with VRM in 2009 and has financed five projects totaling €60 million. With the Bank’s financial assistance, VRM has introduced an automated network monitoring system, improved power supply at twelve pumping stations, constructed eleven electrical substations, and built a European Union standards-compliant biogas facility (the only one of its kind in Central Asia), which helps VRM to meet all of its thermal energy needs. Water losses from the system have declined from 42% to 17%. The EBRD’s and VRM’s joint investments have allowed the upgrade of 126 km of water supply networks and 112 km of sewer networks in Shymkent.

Image: EBRD

Building sustainable infrastructure that can provide high-quality water and wastewater services to businesses and households in Central Asia is not easy. The institutional capacity of state-owned utilities in countries such as the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan is often very low. This slows project implementation, making them more expensive and frustrating for stakeholders.

Luckily, the EBRD has a solution. Thanks to its cooperation with donors (the EU, Switzerland, Japan, and the Global Environment Facility, to name but a few), the EBRD can offer longer loan maturities, mobilize grants to cover project-associated costs, and spend time on policy dialogue with relevant ministries, agencies, and state-owned companies. The EBRD is helping to strengthen the Kyrgyz Republic’s and Tajikistan’s resilience to climate change and reduce energy and water consumption by rehabilitating water networks and building pump stations, clean water reservoirs, and water intake and treatment facilities.

More than 1.7 million people in 21 municipalities across Tajikistan enjoy better access to clean and safe drinking water after completing eight water infrastructure rehabilitation projects (in various parts of the country, from Khujand to Khorog). Over the last 18 years, the EBRD has mobilized $102 million (€99 million), including its loans, donor grants, and technical cooperation funds. These funds have facilitated the replacement of over 700,000 meters of water network pipes, constructing or rehabilitating 44 water intakes, the installation of 25,000 water meters, and the procurement of more than 150 specialized vehicles and other equipment.

In the Kyrgyz Republic, the Bank has invested more than $196 million (€190 million) in 31 water projects in 26 cities, many of them under the Kyrgyz Water Sector Resilience Framework. Sub-loans to small municipalities in the mountains of Tian Shan and in the Ferghana Valley, where socioeconomic issues surrounding shared water resources are most pressing, may be not large but are very important. They address critical drinking water and wastewater infrastructural issues and promote sustainable water use by minimizing water losses and encouraging water conservation.

In 2024, the EBRD Board approved a €100 million Regional Integrated Water Resources Management Framework for the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan. It will help to identify and implement more water-related projects in the coming years.

In the region’s two largest economies, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the Bank has financed water and wastewater projects amounting to €255.8 million and €407 million, respectively. These include a sovereign loan of €96.4 million for constructing a new wastewater treatment plant in Aktobe, Kazakhstan (the EBRD’s largest municipal project in Central Asia). The funds will also finance the construction of a sludge treatment facility with a biogas-fuelled power generation unit.

It is also worth noting that the Bank is working to improve the efficiency of regional irrigation water conveyancing systems in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and the Kyrgyz Republic. All the countries depend on irrigated agriculture and are known for relatively low levels of rainfall throughout the year. Replacing old water pumps and pipes with modern equipment will ensure better control over the flow of water and reduce losses.