Page 592 – The Times Of Central Asia

23 Aug 2024

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

S&P Estimates That Rogun Hydroelectric Power Plant Will Cost Over $6 Billion To Finish

May 5, 2025
By Sadokat Jalolova

The ratings agency S&P has estimated the cost of completing the construction of the Rogun hrydroelectric power plant in Tajikistan at $6.4 billion.

The Tajik government is negotiating with a consortium of multilateral and bilateral creditors to provide a financing package covering about 50% of these costs. The other half of the financing is expected to come from the state budget and revenues from the plant.

S&P analysts said the initial external financing package includes $1.73 billion in semi-concessional loans, $850 million in grants, and $390 million in soft loans.

According to S&P, the Rogun hydroelectric power plant (HPP) already produces electricity at 10-15% of its total capacity. In 2024-2035, the income from electricity is expected to be $1.1 billion, which will be invested in further construction of hydroelectric power plants.

In 2016, during the international tender to select the main contractor for the dam’s construction, the plant’s value was announced as $3.9 billion.

In 2022, the Tajik Ministry of Energy announced that more than $5 billion would be required to complete the project.

In February 2023 the ministry estimated that the plant would cost $6.2 billion to complete. Then, more than $4 billion were allocated, including through the sale of shares of Rogun HPP OJSC (890 million TJS), Eurobonds ($500 million) and the remaining part from the state budget.

The Times of Central Asia has been reporting on the loans allocated for the plant’s construction.

23 Aug 2024

Central Asia, Environment, Kazakhstan Local Politics, Local Politics, Kazakhstan, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan Business & Economy, Kazakhstan Featurees

Poll Shows Over Half of Kazakhstanis Support Proposed Nuclear Plant

September 30, 2024
By Sergey Kwan

The Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies has announced the results of a telephone survey concerning the proposed construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan.

In his address to the nation on September 1, 2023, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the economic and political importance of the development of nuclear energy, and proposed resolving the issue of building the country’s first nuclear power plant through a nationwide referendum. In June 2024, Tokayev announced that the referendum on building a nuclear power plant would be held this fall, adding that the Cabinet of Ministers would set the exact date.

The survey was conducted from August 7 to August 18 this year, among 1,200 respondents aged 18 and older from Kazakhstan’s 17 regions and the cities of Astana, Almaty, and Shymkent.

Over half of respondents (53.1%) supported building a nuclear power plant, agreeing that it will help solve the problem of electricity shortages by 2030.

32.5% of the respondents oppose the construction of nuclear power plants, mainly because they fear possible accidents and their environmental consequences.

14.4% were uncertain of their stance.

During the survey, 42.6% of the respondents expressed a firm intention to participate in a referendum on the issue of nuclear power plant construction, 16.4% said they are likely to participate, 25.3% do not plan to take part, 8.9% are unlikely to participate, and 6.8% are unsure.
The Ministry of Energy estimates the cost of building a nuclear power plant at $10-12 billion.

Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev said that the nuclear power plant would be built by a foreign company that wins the tender — providing that the issue is approved in the referendum. In addition to companies from China, Russia, France, and South Korea, the ministry is considering companies from the United States and Japan as potential bidders.

The proposed location of the nuclear power plant is the village of Ulken in the Karaganda region.

23 Aug 2024

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

Kazakhstan and Tajikistan Sign Allied Relations Treaty

August 23, 2024
By Sergey Kwan

A treaty on allied relations between Kazakhstan and Tajikistan was signed on August 22 during Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state visit to Tajikistan and talks with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in Dushanbe.

Noting its significance, Rahmon stated that the treaty opens a new page in the history of Kazakh-Tajik cooperation and will become a solid foundation for strategic partnership between the two nations.

President Tokayev, in turn, emphasized that “there are no problematic issues between our countries” and announced plans to increase bilateral trade to $2 billion.

Over the past five years, the annual trade volume between Kazakhstan and Tajikistan has more than doubled, exceeding $1 billion.

Referencing Kazakhstan’s readiness to increase supplies to Tajikistan of some 85 commodities valued at $200 million, Tokayev announced: “We agreed to expand the range of goods supplied, systematically remove barriers that hinder trade and economic cooperation between our countries, and strengthen partnership in the transport and logistics sector. There is a serious potential for increasing bilateral trade in the agro-industrial sector. In the first six months of this year, agricultural trade between our countries increased by 12%, amounting to almost $300 million.”

Tokayev also emphasized the importance of cooperation in the water sector: “We agreed to continue the coordinated work on the rational use of resources of transboundary rivers of Central Asia. Kazakhstan is grateful to the Tajik side for timely decisions related to fulfilling obligations in the water and energy sector, particularly on [irrigation] water supplies to Kazakhstan.”

During the talks, it was stated that over the past five years, Kazakhstan has invested $700 million in Tajikistan’s economy. Today, more than 80 percent of Tajikistan’s fruit and vegetable exports go to Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan imports large amounts Kazakh wheat, flour, and other grain products.

On August 21, the eve of Tokayev’s visit, Dushanbe hosted a Kazakh-Tajik business forum, during which the parties signed 14 commercial contracts and cooperation agreements worth $1.2 billion.

23 Aug 2024

Education, Central Asia, Turkmenistan Life & Culture, Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan Supports Japanese Language Exam

August 23, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

The official website of the Embassy of Japan in Turkmenistan reports that Ashgabat will host the second Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) on December 1, 2024, with applications accepted from 26-30 August.

JLPT, the most comprehensive exam in the Japanese language in both Japan and abroad to assess the skills of foreign citizens, comprises five levels – from N1-N5- and the cost of participation varies according to grade.

In 2022, the Dovletmamed Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages signed a contract with the Government of Japan to implement the “Japanese Language Teaching Equipment Project Grant.”

The project includes re-equipping three university classrooms to provide language laboratories, facilities for simultaneous translation, and rooms designated for Japanese language teachers.

23 Aug 2024

Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan Life & Culture, Life & Culture, Kyrgyzstan

New Species of Dinosaur Discovered in Kyrgyzstan

October 8, 2024
By Vagit Ismailov

German and Kyrgyz palaeontologists have discovered the remains of a previously unknown species of predatory dinosaur in the vicinity of the town of Tash-Kumyr.

Named Alpkarakush kyrgyzicus after the mythological bird Alpkarakush from the great Kyrgyz epic ‘Manas’, it is the first theropod to be found on Kyrgyz territory.

The dinosaur’s remains, found in the Balaban-Sai Formation, date to the Middle Jurassic period, about 165 million years ago.

Remarkably intact, the skeleton including the skull and vertebrae, has enabled the team to gauge its appearance.

Although similar to members of the Metriacanthosauridae family and close to large predators of East Asia, the unusual “eyebrow” on the skull — which according to scientists indicates the presence of a horn — makes the Alpkarakush kyrgyzicus unique among other theropods.

As such, the discovery marks a significant step in our understanding of both the biogeography of theropods and the evolution of Central Asia.

In due course, the reconstruction of the dinosaur’s skeleton will take pride of place in the National History Museum in Bishkek.

22 Aug 2024

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

Uzbekistan Releases Foreign Trade Data For 2024 So Far

August 22, 2024
By Sadokat Jalolova

The Statistics Agency of Uzbekistan has presented a report on the country’s foreign trade turnover in January-July 2024.

According to the report, during this period, the country’s foreign trade turnover (FTT) reached $36.8 billion and increased by $1.9 billion, or 5.3%, compared to January 2023. The volume of exports amounted to $14,786 million, which decreased by 1.1% compared to last year; imports increased by 10.1% and amounted to $22,049 million.

Kazakhstan became one of Uzbekistan’s largest foreign economic partners after China and Russia during this period. This may be due to a common border, trade in the CIS free trade area, and the recent liberalization of mutual economic relations.

Uzbekistan has trade relations with 187 countries worldwide. A significant share of FTT was recorded in the PRC (18.6%), Russia (18.5%), Kazakhstan (6.2%), Turkey (4.6%), and South Korea (3.2%).

From January to July 2024, the share of the CIS countries in the foreign trade turnover was 35.3%, which increased by 3.1% compared to the corresponding period of 2023. The total cost of FTT with these countries was $13,020.8 million. Exports reached $4,940.3 million, while imports amounted to $8,080.5 million.

Uzbekistan’s FTT with the Eurasian Economic Union member states amounted to $9,913.1 million. The export volume reached $3,230.5 million, and the import volume reached $6,682.5 million.