20 May 2024

@iStock

Central Asia, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan International Affairs, International Affairs, Turkmenistan Local Politics, Local Politics

Electronic Information Exchange Systems to Be Introduced in Turkmenistan’s Agencies

The Türkmenaragatnaşyk Agency and UNDP (United Nations Development Program) have signed an agreement to assist the introduction of an inter-agency electronic information exchange system in Turkmenistan in accordance with the decree of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, as reported by Arzuw.news.

“The document provides for the connection of Turkmenistan’s agencies to the systems of electronic information exchange and electronic document management, as well as training of specialized staff in this area, taking into account international experience,” the report states.

The President of Turkmenistan stressed that the country is currently actively working on digitization in various spheres of life in the state.

At the meeting of the Government of Turkmenistan, Director General of the Agency of Transport and Communications, Mammetkhan Chakyev presented for consideration projects on introduction of electronic information exchange systems in the country’s agencies.

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Times of Central Asia

20 May 2024

@dobvesti.ru

Central Asia, Tajikistan Local Politics, Tajikistan, Tajikistan Business Economy, Local Politics, Business & Economy

Villagers in Tajikistan Building a Hospital With Their Own Funds

In the village of Kalai Dust in Tajikistan, locals have begun building a hospital on their own. Currently, there isn’t even an outpatient clinic, and women go to a neighboring village to give birth, Radio Ozodi reports. Local entrepreneurs together with migrant workers from the village have already collected half of the sum of 8 million somoni required ($740,000).

“According to the project, there will be 16 wards. Zoning is envisioned – on the lower floor there will be a maternity ward and on the second floor a children’s hospital for children up to 12-years-old… [It’s] on the initiative of our migrants working in Russia, thanks to them: they organized it,” said Asliddin Tojizoda, a resident of the village.

Residents hope that when the hospital is built, albeit at the expense of the villagers themselves, it will be fully transferred to the state and the authorities will provide it with the necessary specialists. The village needs doctors very badly.

Approximately 30 hectares of land have been allocated for the hospital in a plot adjacent to the local school. According to some villagers, while people were collecting money, the local authorities gave part of the land for private construction; now, residents are trying to challenge the officials’ decision and return the land to public use. They are filing a collective complaint against the district chairman.

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Times of Central Asia

20 May 2024

@US Embassy in Uzbekistan

Central Asia, Uzbekistan, International Affairs, Uzbekistan International Affairs

Agreement on Classified Military Information Signed between Uzbekistan and U.S.

The agreement “On the ratification of the agreement between the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the U.S. Department of Defense on measures to protect classified military information” was approved, Platina.uz reports. This decision was made during a regular plenary session of the Senate of Uzbekistan.

The 25-point agreement prepared by the Senate Committee on International Relations, Foreign Economic Relations, Foreign Investments and Tourism, was signed in Washington on June 9, 2023.

According to the chairman of the Committee, Ravshanbek Alimov, the official visit of the President of Uzbekistan to the USA on May 15-17, 2018 was a strong impetus to the strategic development of Uzbekistan-U.S. relations. One of the important directions of partnership between the two countries is, of course, the military-technical partnership.

In the discussion, it was noted that ratification of this agreement does not require any changes to the practical legislation of Uzbekistan or the allocation of additional funds from the budget.

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Times of Central Asia

20 May 2024

Photo: Kazakhstan Foreign Ministry

Central Asia, Kazakhstan Environment, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan International Affairs

Kazakhstan Looks to Israel’s Innovative Water Technologies

Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Israel, Daulet Yemberdiyev has visited the Israeli companies Mekorot, Odis, and BlueGen Water to see Israel’s best practices in the field of water security and management.

These companies are at the forefront of Israel’s environmental infrastructure and offer innovative solutions in water management, wastewater treatment and recycling, and the development of desalination systems and water-saving technologies.

The Israeli companies showed the Kazakh diplomat their innovative projects and demonstrated exclusive solutions in the field of water management.

As a result of the meetings, the parties agreed on further joint research initiatives and organizing visits of representatives of the Israeli water companies to the regions of Kazakhstan.

Ambassador Yemberdiyev emphasized that Kazakhstan prioritizes water conservation projects to ensure sustainable development and the environmental safety of the country.

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Times of Central Asia

20 May 2024

Photo: gov.kg

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

Kyrgyzstan and China Aim to Increase Trade

On May 18 in Bishkek, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, Akylbek Japarov held talks with Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, Liu Guozhong.

Emphasizing that China is one of Kyrgyzstan’s main trade and investment partners, Japarov stated that bilateral trade turnover is growing every year and reached $19.8 billion in 2023, an increase of 30% compared to 2022. “But this is not the limit, and the Kyrgyz Republic is ready to jointly make efforts to increase all trade and economic indicators,” he stated.

Japarov stressed the importance of the full and uninterrupted functionality of the Torugart and Irkeshtam checkpoints on the Kyrgyz-Chinese border to further increases in trade between the two countries. According to Japarov, the Kyrgyz side is aiming to develop transport and logistics infrastructure, removing restrictions that impede trade exchanges, and creating mutually beneficial conditions.

“We would like to expand our capabilities and switch to daily and round-the-clock operation of these border checkpoints. I believe this will also be useful for the Chinese side, as it will allow an even larger volume of cargo and goods to be exported from China to Kyrgyzstan, and on to third countries. We are aiming to increase the throughput capacity of the border checkpoints to 1,000 vehicles per day,” the prime minister said.

Kyrgyzstan also expects to sign protocols on new types of agricultural products and simplify procedures for the export of these products from Kyrgyzstan to China.

In turn, Vice Premier Liu Guozhong noted the high level of Kyrgyz-Chinese relations and the readiness to further develop and strengthen mutually beneficial and multifaceted cooperation.

Guozhong stated that construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is of strategic importance for the entire region and urged that its construction start sooner. He also noted the importance of increasing trade turnover, increasing the capacity at border checkpoints, opening the new Bedel border checkpoint this year, and expanding cooperation in tourism.

Guozhong also stated that the Chinese market is open to the import of Kyrgyz agricultural products.

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Times of Central Asia

20 May 2024

ECG Film Festival, image: ECG

Central Asia, Home, Life & Culture

Sixth Eurasia Creative Guild Film Festival to be Held in the U.K.

From May 24-28, Premier Cinemas Romford will host the Eurasia Creative Guild (ECG) Film Festival, in collaboration with the Romford Film Festival for the sixth consecutive year, featuring a diverse line-up of films from across the globe.

Founded by the ECG to foster deeper cultural ties and understanding, the festival will feature 100 submissions from 22 countries, with movies from Spain, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, the U.K., Iran, Uzbekistan, Russia, Cyprus, Kyrgyzstan, Jordan, Tajikistan, Armenia, and China. In addition to the competition, there will be a program of educational films.

The opening ceremony will feature an exhibition of original work by Central Asian artists, headlined by Rahima Makhmut from Kyrgyzstan, and a presentation by Gulsifat Shakhidi, a renowned writer from Tajikistan, of her latest book.

On May 28, the ECG will present awards for the Best Eurasian Film, Best Short Film, Best Documentary, and Best Screenplay.

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Times of Central Asia