Page 521 – The Times Of Central Asia

21 Oct 2024

Central Asia, Environment, Uzbekistan Environment, Kazakhstan Environment, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan Local Politics, International Affairs, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan Local Politics

200 Million Cubic Meters of Water Directed to the Aral Sea

November 28, 2024
By Vagit Ismailov

In 2024, agrarians from the Kyzylorda region of Kazakhstan introduced water-saving technologies on 55,000 hectares of rice fields, saving over 200 million cubic meters of water. These saved resources were directed to the Aral Sea, helping to improve its water levels.

During this year’s irrigation season, about a billion cubic meters of water were delivered to the Northern Aral, three times more than last year. Since the beginning of the year, the volume of water sent to the sea has reached 2 billion cubic meters, and the total water in the sea has reached 22 billion cubic meters.

Kazakhstan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, emphasized that this result was made possible not only by effective water diplomacy with neighboring Central Asian countries but also by actively using water-saving technologies. To encourage their use, the government has increased subsidies to farmers. In 2024, subsidies rose from 50% to 80%, and in the next three years, will be brought to 85% for small-scale farms using efficient irrigation methods.

These measures aim to further restore the Aral Sea’s water level, which is one of the region’s leading environmental objectives. Successes in water conservation demonstrates that innovative technologies can be crucial for addressing perennial water scarcity and ecosystem restoration.

Water diplomacy in Central Asia plays a crucial role in solving the problem of water level reduction in the Aral Sea. Uzbekistan is actively cooperating with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan on the rational use of water resources in the Amu Darya and Syr Darya river basins. One critical steps was the signing of an agreement on the exchange of electricity between the countries, which has allowed the volume of water used for irrigation to be regulated, and improved the state of the region’s ecosystem.

In addition, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are actively introducing water-saving technologies to optimize water consumption in agriculture, which is freeing up resources to replenish the Aral Sea. These measures have helped to increase water inflow to the Northern Aral Sea in recent years, maintaining its level and improving conditions for local ecosystems.

21 Oct 2024

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

Kazakhstan and Russia Increase Rail Cargo Transportation to and from China

October 21, 2024
By Sergey Kwan

On October 18, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin, and Russia’s Deputy Chairman of the Government Alexey Overchuk attended a meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation in Moscow, on Kazakhstan and Russia’s transport and logistics sectors.

As reported by the Kazakh government’s press service, between January and September 2024, the volume of containers transported by rail from Russia to China through Kazakhstan, increased by 63% compared to the same period in 2023, while container transportation along the China-Europe-China route through Russia and Kazakhstan increased by 65%.

During the meeting an agreement was made to further increase the flow of container trains on the China-Kazakhstan-Russia route by constructing the necessary transport infrastructure at the Selyatino rail station in the Moscow region. In April, Kazakhstan’s national railway’s company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), Russia’s Slavtrans-Service JSC, and China’s Xian Free Trade Port Construction and Operation Co., Ltd began construction on a new transport and logistics center, CRK Terminal, at Selyatino, aimed at ensuring the efficient handling of cargo following the route Xi’an (China) – Dostyk/Altynkol (Kazakhstan) – Selyatino (Russia). The center is set to become an essential link in developing international transport corridors and increase the competitiveness of transportation through Kazakhstan.

In 2023, the volume of cargo transported by rail between China and Russia through Kazakhstan amounted to 3.8 million tons, an increase of 35% compared to 2022. Kazakhstan also remains an important transit and transport link along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), which known as the Middle Corridor, connects China and Europe via Central Asia and the Caucasus.

21 Oct 2024

Cultural Heritage, Central Asia, Turkmenistan Life & Culture, Turkmenistan International Affairs, Turkmenistan, International Affairs, Turkmenistan Local Politics, Local Politics

Ashgabat Hosts Turkic Writers’ Forum

October 21, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

On October 18-19, leading cultural and literary figures gathered in Ashgabat, to attend a forum of Turkic writers organized within the program “Anau—Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2024″.

With a focus on the importance of preserving and developing common cultural heritage, the event attracted representatives of the writers’ unions of Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan, as well as prominent cultural figures of Turkmenistan. Honored guests included Ulugbek Esdevlet, president of the TURKSOY Writers’ Union, and Sultan Raev, secretary general of the organization, who in his address, emphasized: “This forum is a unique platform for demonstrating the rich literary heritage of the Turkic world and passing on our common cultural heritage to future generations.”

During the forum, the Union of TURKSOY Writers held a meeting to discuss promising projects for developing the literature of Turkic-speaking peoples, including programs to support young authors, the expansion of translation activities, and the organization of international literary contests.

In addition to complementary activities such as poetry readings, the forum afforded students from the Turkmen State Institute of Culture, a unique opportunity to engage with prominent writers.

21 Oct 2024

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

OTS Countries Take Steps Towards Turkic Integration

November 22, 2024
By Sergey Kwan

On October 18, Bishkek hosted the 13th meeting of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), wherein Ministers of Economy and Trade aimed to strengthen economic cooperation between the OTS member states.

The OTS, currently comprising Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, with Hungary and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as observers, was founded in 2009 to foster comprehensive cooperation among Turkic-speaking nations.

During the meeting, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Akylbek Japarov, stated that in recent years, Kyrgyzstan’s trade turnover with the OTS member states has grown by almost 62%, with Kyrgyz exports increasing by 54.6%, and imports by 66%.

The Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan, Nurlan Baibazarov, emphasized Kazakhstan’s adherence to the development of Turkic integration and announced that the “Turkic Investment Fund created within the OTS demonstrates a common desire to expand economic and investment cooperation, implement joint investment projects, and attract capital, technology, and talent for our countries’ dynamic growth and prosperity.”

OTS ministers supported Kazakhstan’s initiatives to create a Green Finance Council, a Council of Central (National) Banks of the OTS member states, and the inauguration of the Turan Special Economic Zone in the Kazakh city of Turkestan, where the next meeting will be held.

In January-August 2024, trade between Kazakhstan and the OTS countries amounted to $7.2 billion, and according to the Turkish Ministry of Finance, by the end of 2024, the Turkic states are poised to play an important role in the world economy, reaching an economic volume of $1.9 trillion and a population of 178 million.

As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, the Turkic Investment Fund, with an authorized capital of $1 billion, will begin financing major joint projects of the OTS member countries from January 2025.

21 Oct 2024

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

Uzbekistan Rejects Military Alliances and Maintains Observer Role in EAEU

October 21, 2024
By Sadokat Jalolova

At the opening of the Week of International Partnership Initiatives in Tashkent, the first deputy speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, Akmal Saidov, stated that Uzbekistan will not join any military formations and will remain an observer state in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

Responding to a question on whether Uzbekistan would compromise its sovereignty to cooperate more closely with other countries, Saidov announced: “The first article of our constitution states that Uzbekistan is a sovereign state. If we are talking about joining any paramilitary defense structures and organizations, then no, we will not allow it. We will never send our men [overseas] on military missions, including peacekeeping missions. There will be no foreign military bases in our territory.”

Saidov also emphasized that Uzbekistan’s current status as an observer in the EAEU is the most appropriate for the country. As head of the parliamentary commission tasked with studying Uzbekistan’s potential accession to the EAEU, Saidov asserted that, after reviewing over a thousand documents, observer status better aligns with Uzbekistan’s interests.

He further explained that Kazakhstan had gained minimal benefit from joining the EAEU and that the new Constitution strengthens and strictly follows the main principles of Uzbekistan’s foreign policy.

Uzbekistan received observer status in the EAEU on December 11, 2020, during an online summit of the High Eurasian Economic Council, attended by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

21 Oct 2024

Central Asia, Home, Local Politics, Kyrgyzstan, Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Local Politics, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy, Features, Kyrgyzstan Features

Kyrgyz Economy Is on the Rise

October 30, 2024
By Anton Chipegin

Government statistics and independent analysts note growth in almost all sectors of the Kyrgyz economy

The most significant increase is recorded in the construction sector, which in turn, has positively impacted other sectors, such as industrial production, agriculture, and foreign trade.

Speaking to The Times of Central Asia, macroeconomics expert Nasirdin Shamshiev remarked: “This year, due to favorable weather, twice as many beets, and one and a half times more barley and wheat were harvested. Due to the high rate of construction of small hydropower plants, the energy sector is also showing good growth. In addition, the production of construction materials has increased, and textile production is growing. Exports for the first eight months of 2024 increased by 13.5%, and imports by 8.1%.”

According to Shamshiev, the good economic dynamics were influenced by several factors: the strengthening of fiscal rules, fighting corruption and illegal financial flows, and a balanced monetary policy.

Earlier, Kyrgyzstan’ president Akylbek Japarov, held a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, during which the socio-economic development results for the first nine months of 2024 were summarized.

According to Japarov, Kyrgyzstan’s GDP grew by 8.4%. However, gold exports, traditionally the economy’s leading revenue-generating sector, have declined this year; a situation previously reported by The Times of Central Asia with reference to a decline in production at Kumtor, the country’s largest gold mine.

According to the Prime Minister’s information, 37% of the growth in the construction sector provides an increase in industrial production in Kyrgyzstan. Data also shows that over the past year, following the launch of the Chinese oil refinery Junda near Bishkek, the production of refined petroleum products almost doubled.

Hailing the success of recent ventures, Japarov stated: “The growth rate of our economy is nothing short of encouraging. We are now implementing the Leap of the Leopard program and approaching our set ambitious goals and objectives.”