19 Jun 2024

photo: KTZ

Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan International Affairs, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

Kazakhstan Reports Rise in Rail Cargo

Kazakhstan’s national railway company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) reports that from January-May 2024 it transported 102.4 million tons of cargo. Over 34.2 million tons of this cargo were exported by rail.

During the first five months of the year, rail transportation of coal amounted to 40.6 million tons, including 30.3 million tons within the country.

Over the same period, over 3.7 million tons of grain were transported by rail. Exports of oil by rail increased by 9.5% (2.3 million tons), ferrous metals by 5% (1.4 million tons), chemical fertilizers by 12% (over 550,000 tons), iron ore and manganese by 8.4% (4.7 million tons), and construction materials by 9% (142,000 tons).

KTZ also reported that the Caspian port of Aktau handled over 5,100 shipping containers in May 2024, setting its own record for the monthly container handling volume. Over the five months of this year, 15,800 containers were handled, double the volume in the same period in 2023.

“Since the beginning of the year, there has been a high growth in container traffic through the port of Aktau,” said the seaport’s chief dispatcher Vadim Novikov. “Container transit from China along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) accounted for the lion’s share of the traffic, which has grown 10-fold due to the launch of the Kazakh-Chinese terminal in Xi’an.”

 

 

Times of Central Asia

Times of Central Asia

Laura Hamilton MA, is the former Director of the Collins Gallery at the University of Strathclyde. She first visited Kyrgyzstan in 2011 to research and curate a major exhibition of contemporary textiles and fashion. Since 2012, she has worked as an editor on over thirty translations of Central Asian novels and collections of short stories. In more recent years, her work has focused on editing translations of Kyrgyzstan's great epics -'Ak Moor', Saiykal', Janysh Baiysh', 'Oljobai and Kishimjan', 'Dariyka', 'Semetey' and 'Er Toshtuk' for The Institute of Kyrgyz Language and Literature, and the Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University.

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19 Jun 2024

@kokshetau.asia

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

Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan to Invest in Fiber Optic Cables in Caspian Sea

More than $50 million will be invested by Kazakhstani and Azerbaijani operators in laying fiber optic fiber along the bottom of the Caspian Sea.

Kazakhstan’s minister of digital development Zhaslan Madiev has announced: “Today, a joint venture between Kazakhtelecom JSC (Kazakhstan’s national telecommunications company) and Azertelecom LLC has been established, and a tender to select a contractor for designing and laying an underwater FOCL is being finalized.” The laying of optics on the bottom of the Caspian Sea will total 370 kilometers. “Investments of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan telecom operators will total more than 23 billion tenges ($50.6 million).”

Madiev also said that introducing 5G mobile communication in Kazakhstan should be completed by the end of 2025. According to him, by the end of 2027 cellular operators will invest almost $1 billion in the country’s telecommunications industry.

The Trans-Caspian fiber-optic communication line (FOCL) project along the Caspian Sea bed is part of the Digital Silk Road project, which envisages the creation of a digital telecommunications corridor between Europe and Asia. Earlier, it was reported that the deadline for the project’s realization was 2025.

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Times of Central Asia

Askar Alimzhanov graduated from the journalism department of the Kazakh State University named after S. Kirov, then worked as a correspondent for the daily republican newspaper Leninskaya Smen. He then moved to the United States to be a reporter for the daily newspaper "Cape Cod Times" in Hayanis, Massachusetts, (USA) under the journalist exchange program between the Union of Journalists of the USSR and the New England Society of News Editors. Since then, he has helped build transparency and understanding of Central Asia region in various executive level positions at esteemed media organizations including "Akbar"(Alma-Ata) international center for journalism, the Khabar News agency, the Television and Radio Corporation "Kazakhstan" JSC, and MIR- Kazakhstan.

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19 Jun 2024

photo: Kazakhstan Ministry of Water Resources & Irrigation

Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan Environment, Kyrgyzstan Environment, Kyrgyzstan International Affairs, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan International Affairs

Kazakhstan’s Irrigation Water to be Swelled by 560 Million Cubic Meters from Kyrgyzstan

On June 18, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation announced that during this year’s irrigation season, the country will receive 180 million cubic meters of water from the Shu River and 380 million cubic meters of water from the Talas River from upstream Kyrgyzstan.

As reported by Kazakh Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, the agreement between the two countries was reached during the 33rd meeting of the Shu-Talas Water Commission.

Agreements were also settled on the extent of work required on the repair and reconstruction of water management facilities located on the transboundary Shu and Talas rivers.

Welcoming the decisions, Minister Nurzhigitov commented: “International cooperation is one of our ministry’s key goals. In preparation for the irrigation season, a lot of work has been undertaken to provide farmers in the south of Kazakhstan with necessary volumes of water, and important negotiations have taken place with neighbouring countries. Today’s agreement with the Ministry of Water Resources of Kyrgyzstan to increase water supply along the Shu and Talas rivers, will be implemented from June 21.”

The agreement follows that between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan for the supply of 922 million cubic meters of water to the former through the Dostyk interstate canal.

 

 

Times of Central Asia

Times of Central Asia

Laura Hamilton MA, is the former Director of the Collins Gallery at the University of Strathclyde. She first visited Kyrgyzstan in 2011 to research and curate a major exhibition of contemporary textiles and fashion. Since 2012, she has worked as an editor on over thirty translations of Central Asian novels and collections of short stories. In more recent years, her work has focused on editing translations of Kyrgyzstan's great epics -'Ak Moor', Saiykal', Janysh Baiysh', 'Oljobai and Kishimjan', 'Dariyka', 'Semetey' and 'Er Toshtuk' for The Institute of Kyrgyz Language and Literature, and the Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University.

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19 Jun 2024

5G mobile communication

Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Life & Culture, Kazakhstan International Affairs

Kazakhstan to Establish 5G Mobile Coverage by 2026

On June 18, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry Zhaslan Madiev updated the government on progress on improvements to the country’s Internet and mobile communication.

International data indicates that the share of the population using the Internet in Kazakhstan is now on par with that of developed countries. Traffic growth has increased by 61.5% since 2020, and the number of users, by 12.9%.

According to Speedtest Ookla, in April 2024, Kazakhstan ranked 66th with an average Internet speed of 43.6 Mbps, higher than Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.

Wired Internet is currently available in 2,606 of Kazakhstan’s 6,290 villages, with plans in place to connect optical communication lines through the PPP mechanism to 3,010 villages.

Mobile Internet is now accessible in 4,866 villages. As part of tax incentives in 2023, 1,161 villages were connected to 4G technology. Work to connect the remaining 1,424 villages is ongoing.

Regarding the further development of 5G technology, operators Kcell and Tele2 will continue work to expand 5G coverage in the cities of Astana, Almaty, Shymkent, as well as regional centres. To date, 1,144 base stations have been installed in 20 cities.

“In accordance with instructions issued by the Head of State, the introduction of 5G mobile communications should be completed before the end of 2025,” reported the minister.

Madiev then outlined the three steps required to develop the Digital Silk Road and turn Kazakhstan into a regional digital hub.

The first is to lay a 370-kilometer fiber-optic line along the bed of the Caspian Sea with investment by telecom operators in Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan amounting to more than 23 billion tenge. A joint venture has been created between Kazakhtelecom JSC and Azertelecom LLC, and a tender to select a contractor for the design and installation of an underwater fibre-optic line is underway.

The second is the construction of the national West-East Internet hyper highway, which will increase Internet transit traffic across  Kazakhstan.

The final step is the construction of a data processing centre, no lower than Tier-III level, for storing transit and international traffic.

 

Times of Central Asia

Times of Central Asia

Laura Hamilton MA, is the former Director of the Collins Gallery at the University of Strathclyde. She first visited Kyrgyzstan in 2011 to research and curate a major exhibition of contemporary textiles and fashion. Since 2012, she has worked as an editor on over thirty translations of Central Asian novels and collections of short stories. In more recent years, her work has focused on editing translations of Kyrgyzstan's great epics -'Ak Moor', Saiykal', Janysh Baiysh', 'Oljobai and Kishimjan', 'Dariyka', 'Semetey' and 'Er Toshtuk' for The Institute of Kyrgyz Language and Literature, and the Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University.

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19 Jun 2024

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

Sogd-2024 International Trade Fair Marks First Decade

The international trade fair, Sogd-2024 officially opened at the sports palace in Khojand, Tajikistan, on June 18th. This year marks a decade of the Sogd—Valley of Opportunities fair, which will run from June 18th-19th. More than 500 guests from Tajikistan and abroad have gathered, Andar Rahmani, the head of the press service of the Sogd regional administration informed Sputnik Tajikistan, adding that regional ambassadors are also participating in this important economic event.

“Ambassadors and representatives of the diplomatic corps of Russia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Japan, Iran, Belarus, Turkmenistan, Slovakia, Poland, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan visited the region,” Rahmani said. Representatives from the Tashkent, Namangan, Ferghana, Samarkand, Bukhara, and Syr Darya regions of Uzbekistan, and business- people from China’s Shaanxi province and representatives of international financial organizations also participated.

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Times of Central Asia

Askar Alimzhanov graduated from the journalism department of the Kazakh State University named after S. Kirov, then worked as a correspondent for the daily republican newspaper Leninskaya Smen. He then moved to the United States to be a reporter for the daily newspaper "Cape Cod Times" in Hayanis, Massachusetts, (USA) under the journalist exchange program between the Union of Journalists of the USSR and the New England Society of News Editors. Since then, he has helped build transparency and understanding of Central Asia region in various executive level positions at esteemed media organizations including "Akbar"(Alma-Ata) international center for journalism, the Khabar News agency, the Television and Radio Corporation "Kazakhstan" JSC, and MIR- Kazakhstan.

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19 Jun 2024

Image: Knews.kg

Central Asia, Lead Supplementrary 1, Home, Justice, Kazakhstan Supplementary Stories, Kazakhstan Local Politics, Local Politics, Kazakhstan, Features

Controversial Kazakh Opposition Figure Aidos Sadykov Shot in Kyiv

An unknown man in Kyiv fired several shots at Kazakh activist and oppositionist Aidos Sadykov, who has been granted official refugee status in Ukraine. It is reported that the incident occurred in the Shevchenkivskiy district of the Ukrainian capital when Sadykov was approaching his car with his wife, Natalia, who previously worked for Mukhtar Ablyazov’s opposition paper, Respublika. The gunman used a silencer on the firearm.

Sadykov’s condition is currently assessed as serious; his wife was not injured. As this is a case involving a high-profile individual, the head of the regional police, Andriy Nebytov, was called to the crime scene.

Sadykov is the author of the Telegram channel ‘Base’, which has 59,000 subscribers, and has been permanently residing in Kyiv since 2014. Over the years, he has criticized the current Kazakh authorities, including the current president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. In 2020 Base, together with the initiative to create the opposition Democratic Party, became the co-organizers of a rally in Almaty demanding a boycott of the upcoming parliamentary election. The Democratic Party of Kazakhstan, an unregistered political party, was founded and led by Zhanbolat Mamai, a former journalist who was convicted for receiving funds from Ablyazov in 2017.

Sadykov and Mamai both actively supported the protests in January 2022 in Kazakhstan, widely seen as an attempted coup. He is wanted in Kazakhstan under the articles on the incitement of discord.

Avatar

Times of Central Asia

Askar Alimzhanov graduated from the journalism department of the Kazakh State University named after S. Kirov, then worked as a correspondent for the daily republican newspaper Leninskaya Smen. He then moved to the United States to be a reporter for the daily newspaper "Cape Cod Times" in Hayanis, Massachusetts, (USA) under the journalist exchange program between the Union of Journalists of the USSR and the New England Society of News Editors. Since then, he has helped build transparency and understanding of Central Asia region in various executive level positions at esteemed media organizations including "Akbar"(Alma-Ata) international center for journalism, the Khabar News agency, the Television and Radio Corporation "Kazakhstan" JSC, and MIR- Kazakhstan.

View more articles fromTimes of Central Asia