Page 397 – The Times Of Central Asia

03 Feb 2025

Home, Life & Culture, Kazakhstan Life & Culture, Kazakhstan

Kazakh Singer Dimash Kudaibergen Climbs U.S. Charts with “Smoke”

February 3, 2025
By Vagit Ismailov

Kazakhstani singer Dimash Kudaibergen has achieved significant success on the U.S. charts with his song Smoke, ranking highly on both Amazon and iTunes.

Throughout January 2025, international media outlets, including publications in Argentina, the United Kingdom, and the United States, featured stories on the singer. Reports highlighted his exceptional vocal range, creative independence, and dedication to Kazakh national culture – qualities that have earned him a global fan base.

“Dimash Kudaibergen is rapidly becoming one of Asia’s best-known artists, captivating audiences worldwide with his unique fusion of neo-classical, pop, Kazakh folk, and contemporary trends. His independence allows him to experiment freely, combining traditional Kazakh motifs with global musical influences. For him, music is not just entertainment but an opportunity to present Kazakhstan’s rich culture on the world stage,” Haute Living wrote.

Released on April 26, 2024, Smoke is one of Dimash’s latest tracks. The music of the composition was written by the singer, with lyrics by Candice Kelly and Dimash Gordon. The song quickly gained traction, and by January 30, 2025, it had risen in the U.S. charts. It reached No. 32 on the iTunes Top 100, entered the Top 10 of Amazon’s Best Sellers in Songs, and claimed No. 1 in Amazon’s Best Sellers in Pop. This success underscores Dimash Kudaibergen’s growing influence beyond Kazakhstan and rising prominence in the international music industry.

Dimash Kudaibergen is a Kazakh singer renowned for his extraordinary six-octave vocal range. He first gained international recognition after winning Slavic Bazaar (2015) and later became a finalist on the Chinese talent show Singer (2017). His musical style blends elements of neoclassical, pop, and traditional Kazakh folk.

He has performed on prestigious stages worldwide, including the Kremlin Palace, Barclays Center, and Meridian Hall in Toronto. In 2019, he won the MTV Global Chinese Music Awards, and in 2021, he was named Asian Musician of the Year by the Top Chinese Music Awards. Kudaibergen also took part in the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics.

03 Feb 2025

Central Asia, Tajikistan Life & Culture, Uzbekistan, Life & Culture, Kyrgyzstan Life & Culture, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan Life & Culture, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan Life & Culture

Russia May Impose Stricter Rules on Central Asian Migrants

February 3, 2025
By Sadokat Jalolova

New immigration regulations in Russia could affect millions of Central Asian migrants. A proposed bill from the Russian Ministry of Education would require migrant children to pass a Russian language test. Those who fail would be required to enroll in a three-month language program, funded by their parents.

If a child does not attend the required language classes, regional authorities will investigate the family’s living conditions and report the case to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Parents who fail to ensure their child meets the language requirements could face administrative penalties.

As of September 1, 2024, nearly four million Central Asian migrants were officially living in Russia. With tightening immigration policies in Russia, the challenges facing Central Asian migrant workers continue to grow.

According to a recent survey by the FOCUS Alliance of Euro-Asian Sociologists, most Kyrgyz citizens believe that working conditions for migrants in Russia will worsen significantly in the near future.

03 Feb 2025

Central Asia, Turkmenistan Home, Home, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan Local Politics, Local Politics, Turkmenistan Features

Turkmen Civil Servants Could Lose Jobs for Misusing Newspapers with Pictures of Berdimuhamedovs

February 3, 2025
By Vagit Ismailov

Authorities in Turkmenistan have warned civil servants that they could face dismissal for misusing state newspapers featuring images of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and his father, former President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. Officials have been explicitly banned from using these newspapers as toilet paper, food packaging, or firewood.

Government employees are now required to sign pledges to “carefully keep the pages” containing photographs of the ruling family. According to civil servants, they have been instructed to ensure that images of the Berdimuhamedovs do not end up in the trash or repurposed for household use.

Authorities are reportedly even considering introducing QR codes on each page of newspapers to track subscribers and monitor how printed materials are used.

“Now we are afraid that children might accidentally tear or throw away a newspaper with the president’s image – because you can lose your job for that,” said one civil servant, who spoke anonymously for fear of reprisals.

Human rights organizations, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF), consistently rank Turkmenistan among the world’s worst countries for press freedom. Since Serdar Berdimuhamedov succeeded his father as president in 2022, the country’s media environment has remained tightly controlled. Despite officially stepping down, Berdimuhamedov Sr. continues to wield significant influence over decision-making in the government.

03 Feb 2025

Central Asia, Home, International Affairs, Kazakhstan International Affairs, Kazakhstan, Features, Kazakhstan Featurees, Kazakhstan Home

Iran Expands Economic Cooperation with EAEU and Kazakhstan

February 3, 2025
By Sergey Kwan

In recent years, Iran has strengthened its trade, economic, and transport ties with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), an economic bloc comprising Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia.

In December 2024, Iran was granted observer status in the EAEU, joining Cuba and Uzbekistan as the bloc’s third observer state. This status allows Iran to attend EAEU meetings and access non-confidential documents but does not grant decision-making rights.

A year earlier, in December 2023, the EAEU and Iran signed a full Free Trade Agreement (FTA), establishing duty-free trade for 90% of goods and covering more than 95% of mutual trade between the parties.

According to official statistics, the EAEU plays a significant role in Iran’s foreign trade. In 2023, the bloc accounted for 10.1% of Iran’s exports, making it Iran’s third-largest trading partner after China (30.4%) and Turkey (14.5%).

Image: Marko Bukorovic

Strengthening Ties with Kazakhstan

Iran has also worked to deepen bilateral cooperation with EAEU members, particularly Kazakhstan.

On January 30, Iranian First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref visited Almaty to attend a meeting of EAEU prime ministers. He also held bilateral talks with Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, focusing on expanding trade, economic, agricultural, transport, and logistics cooperation.

According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration, in the first eleven months of 2024, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Iran reached $296 million, an 8.1% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Kazakhstan’s exports to Iran rose by 29.1% to $100.6 million.

Bektenov described Iran as a friendly neighbor in the Caspian region and emphasized Kazakhstan’s interest in diversifying and increasing exports to Iran. The country has identified 60 types of goods worth over $132 million for potential export and is prepared to meet Iran’s demand for grain products, including wheat and barley.

Expanding Transport and Logistics Cooperation

Discussions also covered transport and logistics cooperation, with a focus on increasing cargo traffic along the North-South Corridor, which connects Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Iran. Both sides expressed interest in expanding transit capacity and modernizing key port terminals in Kazakhstan (Aktau and Kuryk) and Iran (Anzali and Amirabad).

The Iranian Vice President stressed the geographic and economic importance of the Iran-Kazakhstan partnership and reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to increasing bilateral trade to $3 billion annually.

03 Feb 2025

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