Page 394 – The Times Of Central Asia

03 Feb 2025

Central Asia, Home, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

China’s AgiBot to Produce Robots in Kazakhstan

February 4, 2025
By Dmitry Pokidaev

Chinese robotics company AgiBot plans to establish a joint venture in Kazakhstan to manufacture and deploy robots at industrial facilities across the country. The company also aims to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) solutions as part of its expansion strategy.

An agreement of intent was signed between AgiBot and Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry during the Digital Almaty 2025 forum. Qazaqstan Investment Corporation JSC, a private equity fund founded in 2007 to support private equity and venture capital development, will also participate in the project.

To implement the initiative, AgiBot has partnered with EWPartners, a private investment firm specializing in cross-border collaborations with leading Chinese industrial companies. AgiBot, founded in February 2023, focuses on the development and production of general-purpose humanoid robots for industrial and domestic use.

Kazakhstan is the first country in the region where AgiBot plans to localize production and expand exports. As part of the partnership, the company is expected to launch a “data factory” for training robots and robotic systems. Qazaqstan Investment Corporation and EWPartners will contribute to financing this project. Additionally, a joint R&D center and an exhibition of AgiBot prototypes are set to be established at the Alem AI International Center for Artificial Intelligence.

AgiBot also intends to collaborate with Kazakhstani universities to develop joint research projects and train students in robot assembly.

“Partnership with an advanced company like AgiBot is an important milestone in the history of Kazakhstan’s robotics industry. I would especially like to highlight that this agreement includes the localization of robot production in Kazakhstan. This will not only help launch a facility in one of the most promising branches of mechanical engineering but also strengthen local expertise and create a domestic center of competence in robotics,” said Zhaslan Madiev, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry.

As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan exports IT products and services to 95 countries. With AgiBot’s involvement, the country may soon add robot exports to its growing digital economy.

03 Feb 2025

Central Asia, Home, Uzbekistan, Life & Culture, Uzbekistan Features, Uzbekistan Home, Uzbekistan Life & Culture, Features

International University of Turkic States Established in Tashkent

February 3, 2025
By Sergey Kwan

Uzbekistan is to establish the International University of Turkic States in Tashkent. The university aims to strengthen political, economic, cultural, and humanitarian ties among Turkic states.

The institution will offer specialized training in engineering, construction, logistics, information technology, healthcare, agriculture, and the food industry, as well as economic and social sciences. Educational programs will be developed in collaboration with leading universities in Turkey, ensuring international academic standards.

The university is a non-governmental higher education institution, jointly founded by the Councils of Higher Education of Uzbekistan and Turkey. Starting in the 2025/2026 academic year, its curricula will be based on those of Turkish universities ranked in the top 1,000 globally.

A Step Toward Deeper Turkic Cooperation

The university’s establishment represents another milestone in strengthening cooperation among the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). Founded in 2009, the OTS includes Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, with Hungary and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus holding observer status.

Over the past decade, economic ties among OTS members have significantly expanded, with trade volume surpassing $45 billion in 2024. According to the Turkish Ministry of Finance, by the end of 2024, the combined economies of the Turkic states reached an estimated $1.9 trillion, with a population of 178 million.

In a related development, The Times of Central Asia reported that in September 2024, the Astana-based Turkic Academy finalized the Common Turkic Alphabet, a Latin-based script consisting of 34 letters. Originally proposed by linguists in 1991, the alphabet aims to enhance mutual understanding and cooperation among Turkic-speaking nations while preserving their linguistic heritage.

03 Feb 2025

Central Asia, Environment, Kyrgyzstan Environment, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan Features

Kyrgyz Authorities Aim to Improve Air Quality in Bishkek

February 3, 2025
By Anton Chipegin

Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision, Meder Mashiev, has outlined plans to tackle air pollution in Bishkek.

Speaking at a meeting with representatives of an interdepartmental commission tasked with addressing environmental issues, Mashiev announced that the government is prepared to issue interest-free loans for environmental projects, with a particular focus on improving air quality in the capital. Bishkek ranks among the worst cities globally for air pollution, placing fifth from the bottom in terms of air quality. According to some reports, funding for these projects will come from the World Bank. Similar loan programs are expected to be introduced in the cities of Jalal-Abad and Osh.

As part of efforts to combat pollution, the Ministry of Natural Resources is considering building facilities to process coal from the Kara-Keche open-pit mine in Naryn Oblast. This coal is used to heat most of Bishkek, including its thermal power plant. Many environmentalists argue that the primary cause of the city’s poor air quality is the widespread use of coal for heating by private households.

“In addition, the use of nanotechnology to improve air quality is being explored, including the installation of catalytic converters on vehicles,” the ministry stated.

Separately, Mashiev met with members of Kyrgyzstan’s scientific community to discuss the role of research in addressing air pollution. He emphasized that science should play a key role in developing solutions and pledged to allocate funding for research on the issue.

Experts at the meeting urged the ministry to conduct a comprehensive study of the problem, including an analysis of the impact of vehicle emissions compared to coal burning.

03 Feb 2025

Home, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan International Affairs, International Affairs, Turkmenistan Features

Turkmenistan Airlines Extends Suspension of Moscow Flights Until March

February 3, 2025
By Sadokat Jalolova

Turkmenistan Airlines has extended the suspension of its Ashgabat-Moscow-Ashgabat flights until at least March, the airline confirmed on January 31, according to Interfax. No official reason was provided for the extension.

Flights on this route were initially halted at the end of December 2024. At the time, the airline announced that there would be no flights between December 30, 2024, and January 31, 2025, but did not explain their decision.

The Russian News Agency TASS has noted that Turkmenistan Airlines previously halted flights to Moscow in August 2023 due to safety concerns. That suspension followed a report from the Russian Defense Ministry stating that a Ukrainian drone had been intercepted in the Moscow region.

Interfax, meanwhile, reports that Russia’s S7 Airlines has received approval to operate up to 14 weekly flights between Moscow and Ashgabat. Daily flights began on January 15, making S7 the only airline currently serving this route.

In related news, as previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Uzbekistan Airways has adjusted its flight routes to Europe, avoiding Russian and Belarusian airspace. The airline’s press service stated that this decision was based on recommendations from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and was not connected to the recent Azerbaijan Airlines crash.

03 Feb 2025

Home, Uzbekistan, Life & Culture, Uzbekistan Features, Uzbekistan Life & Culture

Uzbek Chess Player Apologizes to Indian Opponent After Handshake Stir

February 3, 2025
By Times of Central Asia

A chess grandmaster from Uzbekistan who declined to shake hands with his Indian female opponent ahead of their game and later cited “religious reasons” has kicked up debate and criticism of his conduct on Indian social networks and media.

Nodirbek Yakubboev, a Muslim, later tried to atone for what had looked like a snub by giving flowers to grandmaster Vaishali Rameshbabu in a filmed street encounter on Jan. 30 after she had beaten him days earlier at the 2025 Tata Steel Chess Masters, in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands.

“I’m sorry,” Yakubboev, 23, said in the video posted by ChessBase India. “It’s very understandable. I didn’t take it that way,” replied Vaishali, who is also 23. She was accompanied by her brother Praggnanandhaa, 19, who is also a grandmaster and went on to win the Masters category in Wijk aan Zee. The tournament there ended on Sunday.

The polite exchange among the three chess players, who were bundled against the cold, might have been the end of it. But some Indians felt that Vaishali had been disrespected, and they said so on social media, while also reveling in Vaishali’s fourth-round victory over the Uzbek in the tournament’s Challengers category. Vaishali was playing with the black pieces.

“You absolute queen,” one admirer said.

The Hindustan Times said Vaishali had the “last laugh” by winning and that the video of Yakubboev’s apology was “like a Bollywood movie,” but The Times of India thought the apology was “heartfelt.”

A few online commentaries mused on the interaction between sports and religion, in particular the display of religious faith or symbols during competition. International chess luminaries also gave their opinions. One perspective came from Hungary-born Susan Polgar, who was the women’s world chess champion for several years in the 1990s.

“This is my opinion: I have less of an issue with the religious excuse. Others may disagree,” Polgar said on X. “BUT, he could have informed the organizers, chief arbiter, and/or his female opponents in advance. This is NOT an Open Swiss event. This is a prestigious invitational when he knew in advance that he would face 4 female opponents. If he wanted an exception then be proactive. Otherwise, he has to expect criticism.”

In the ChessBase India video, Yakubboev is interviewed about what he acknowledged was an awkward situation.

“I didn’t shake her hand because of religious reasons,” he said. “It was my fault that I could not inform her or the arbiter” before the game.

Yakubboev was asked about a 2023 incident in Abu Dhabi in which he shook the hand of another Indian female opponent, Divya Deshmukh. Photos of that handshake circulated online in the last week, prompting comments that the Uzbek grandmaster was inconsistent in encounters with women facing him across the chess board.

Yakubboev clarified that, starting in 2024, he began “following the rules of my religion” and that he now considered it wrong for him to shake the hands of other women. He said the fallout since his game with Vaishali had been negative and “unpleasant” but that “everything is OK” now.

The Uzbek chess player had posted an explanation on X, but appeared to have later taken down his account. In screen grabs of his written comments that circulated online, he said his decision not to shake the hands of women was personal and that he doesn’t insist that other people do the same, or demand that women wear the hijab or burqa.

03 Feb 2025

Cultural Heritage, Home, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan Business & Economy, Features, Kazakhstan Featurees

Prospects for the Development of Kazakhstan’s Maritime Trade Gateways

February 3, 2025
By Times of Central Asia

A container hub will be built in the Aktau seaport. The maritime harbor is expected to become a center for cargo consolidation and distribution, facilitating Kazakhstan’s deeper integration into the global trade and transport system. How will this impact port operations, regional development, and the global supply chain through the Caspian Sea?

The project in Aktau will primarily allow for the formation of a container park on its territory, serving Kazakhstan, Caspian region countries, and Central Asia. It will provide a full range of services, including container transshipment and warehousing. The hub’s construction marks a new phase in the port’s development, establishing it as a major logistical center. The hub can become not only a component of Kazakhstan’s transportation system, but a key link in the regional and global transport chain.

For this project, investment has been secured from Lianyungang Port Group Co. Ltd., which operates one of China’s largest ports, with a corresponding agreement having been signed with the company.

Growth Projections and Capacity Expansion

According to many industry experts, Kazakhstan needs to actively develop container cargo transport. Currently, the country’s containerization level is quite low, standing at only about 7%.

As Abay Turikpenbayev, Chairman of the Board of the Aktau International Sea Commercial Port public company, explained to TCA, oil and containers are ideal cargo for the harbor due to their swift transport, quick unloading, and rapid railcar turnaround.

“It’s a different matter when bulk cargo arrives at the port. Bulk materials take longer to unload and congest the port infrastructure, preventing the acceptance and accumulation of a large number of railcars. The use of containers allows for an increased cargo flow,” Turikpenbayev stated.

According to Turikpenbayev, unloading bulk cargo takes 2-3 days, and an additional 2-3 days is required for loading. In contrast, container unloading and processing take less than 24 hours.

According to World Bank estimates, by 2030, cargo volumes transported via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route through the Caspian Sea will reach 11 million tons. The new container hub is expected to help handle these volumes and attract additional cargo flows, increasing the port’s container transshipment capacity to 140,000 TEUs per year.

Addressing the Caspian Sea Water Level Decline

A critical issue that deserves attention is the declining water levels in the Caspian Sea. According to the Caspian Sea Hydrometeorological Research Department of RSE Kazhydromet, since 2006, the level of the Caspian Sea has dropped by approximately two meters. This decline has significantly affected navigation in the region. To address this, dredging work is planned in the Aktau port this year. Turikpenbayev stated that around 1.6 million cubic meters of heavy sediment will be removed from the harbor’s waters.

“The dredged material will be used to create new territories and extend the port area southward. This will allow the port’s land area to expand from 60 to 100 hectares in the future,” Turikpenbayev explained.

In addition to the construction of the container hub, further port expansion plans include building an additional berth for bulk cargo, restoring oil terminal infrastructure, upgrading and expanding the transshipment fleet, and reconstructing two berths which will allow for the simultaneous reception of up to four 140-meter-long vessels

Kazakhstan’s maritime transport infrastructure on the Caspian Sea, including the Aktau and Kuryk seaports, plays a crucial role in developing the country’s export, import, and transit potential.