Page 610 – The Times Of Central Asia

09 Aug 2024

Central Asia, Home, Uzbekistan, International Affairs, Uzbekistan Features, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan Business & Economy, Kazakhstan International Affairs, Kazakhstan Business & Economy, Features, Kazakhstan Featurees, Uzbekistan International Affairs

Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan Aim for $10 Billion Trade Volume

August 14, 2024
By Sadokat Jalolova

Following on from our previous report on the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan’s current visit to Kazakhstan, on August 8, a meeting was held between Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, at the residence in Аkorda. Meetings of the Intergovernmental Commission, the business forum, and several cultural events were also held on the eve of the visit. A strategic partnership and alliance program until 2034 has been prepared, and a council chaired by the heads of foreign policy agencies is being established.

In recent years, the volume of trade has doubled, the number of joint ventures has increased five-fold, the volume of cargo transportation is increasing, and large cooperation projects are being implemented.

At the meeting, the presidents supported a further comprehensive cooperation program and the establishment of an inter-parliamentary forum with the participation of the chambers of the two countries’ parliaments. Before the current summit, a portfolio of new deals and contracts with a total value of $7 billion was initiated to develop industrial cooperation which includes projects in energy, transport and logistics, metallurgy, textiles, agriculture, and construction, as well as inter-regional projects. The highest priority was given to implementing strategic regional projects as soon as possible, such as the Kambarata HPP-1. It was also agreed that the first meeting of the two countries’ regional leaders in Samarkand will be held this fall.

In unison, the first session of the Supreme Interstate Council was held under the president’s chairmanship. The two countries’ leaders noted the adoption of the strategic partnership and alliance program for 2024-2034, stating that the volume of trade should increase to $10 billion in the coming years, and for this purpose, a separate program will be adopted by the end of the month. Special attention was paid to the mutual formation of markets and eliminating existing restrictions.

At the end of the Supreme Interstate Council’s first meeting, a ceremony was held, wherein the presidents signed the decisions of the Supreme Interstate Council on approving the strategic partnership and alliance program for 2024-2034 and establishing the Council of Foreign Ministers. In addition, agreements were reached on mutual cooperation in agriculture, health, and the economy. A memorandum on establishing the Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan Council of Experts, protocols on cooperation in the regulation of natural monopolies and competition policy, and a plan for several other activities were also signed.

At the end of the bilateral negotiations, branches of the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers in Almaty (Kazakhstan) and the South Kazakhstan State University named after Mukhtar Avezov in Chirchik (Uzbekistan) were ceremonially opened.
The leaders of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan also took part in a ceremony dedicated to the arrival of the first freight train on the route Xi’an–Khorgos–Almaty–Saryogoch–Tashkent.

Presidents Mirziyoyev and Tokayev unveiled a statue in Astana of the founder of the Uzbek literary language, poet and great thinker, Alisher Navoi. In 2020, the late Kazakh poet Nesipbek Aytuli translated and published Navoi’s most important work, Khamsa, into Kazakh, and President Tokayev personally wrote the foreword to this book.

Furthermore, there was a ceremony to award President Mirziyoyev the Order of Altyn Qyran (Golden Eagle) of the Republic of Kazakhstan. This order is awarded to statesmen for their contribution to strengthening friendly relations with Kazakhstan.

09 Aug 2024

Central Asia, Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan Business & Economy, Business & Economy

Uzbekistan’s Reserves Reach $37.4 billion

August 9, 2024
By Sadokat Jalolova

As of August 1, Uzbekistan’s official reserves reached $37.4 billion, 1.06 billion dollars more than a month ago, according to a Kun.uz report based on data from the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

This reserve value is a record indicator for the period after 2018 when data disclosure began. Still, $37.4 billion is enough to cover 12 months of imports.

The increase in the value of international reserves is mainly due to the continued rise in gold reserves and prices. The physical volume of gold in reserves increased by 310,000 ounces (9.64 tons) to 12.05 million ounces (374.8 tons), and the value reached $29.15 billion (+$1.84 billion). According to the Central Bank, the impact of the increase in the price of gold from $2,327.6 to $2,419.6 in July amounted to $1.11 billion.

In July, foreign currency assets decreased by $781.5 million to $7.69 billion and since the beginning of the year, have declined by $1.68 billion, partly affected by the extinguishment of the sovereign Eurobonds issued in 2019, worth $500 million.

The value of securities purchased by the Central Bank was 35.3 million dollars.

09 Aug 2024

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

Israeli Companies Ready to Invest in Construction of Reservoirs in Kazakhstan

August 9, 2024
By Sergey Kwan

Israeli companies have expressed interest in participating in the construction and reconstruction of reservoirs in Kazakhstan as well as their readiness to provide the country with modern flood forecasting and protection systems.

The announcement was made during a meeting on August 8 between Kazakhstan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, and a consortium of leading Israeli companies in the field of water resources management, headed by Managing Partner of Value LBH and Chairman of the Board of the investment company Dan Capital, Shimon Ben-Hamo.

Discussions focused on potential cooperation in various areas of the water industry, from the construction and reconstruction of water facilities to joint personnel training, as well as the introduction of water-saving technologies, water purification and reuse, drinking water quality control, and automation of water distribution and metering.

Reporting on the meeting, Minister Nurzhigitov commented: “Israeli companies have extensive experience and modern technologies for high-quality water management. Some companies have been successfully operating in Kazakhstan for a long time. We intend to achieve the most efficient water use in all sectors, so we count on mutually beneficial cooperation.”

The Kazakh Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation plans to build 20 new reservoirs with a 2.5 billion cubic meters capacity by 2030.

Once completed, the project will reduce the country’s dependence on water flowing from upstream Kyrgyzstan and China by 25%, help combat drought in southern Kazakhstan, and reduce the threat of flooding in 70 rural settlements with a total population of nearly 140 thousand people. In addition, irrigation will be provided for a further 250 thousand hectares of farmland.

Plans are also in place to reconstruct 15 existing reservoirs with a total capacity of 1.9 billion cubic meters.

09 Aug 2024

Central Asia, Home, Tajikistan International Affairs, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan International Affairs, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Features, Tajikistan, International Affairs, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan International Affairs, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan International Affairs, Tajikistan Features, Turkmenistan Features, Uzbekistan International Affairs, Kazakhstan Featurees, Kyrgyzstan Features

Sixth Consultative Meeting of Heads of Central Asian States Takes Place in Astana

August 19, 2024
By Vagit Ismailov

On August 9, 2024, Astana will host the Sixth Consultative Meeting of Heads of State of Central Asia, bringing together the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. This event has become an important platform for discussing critical issues of regional cooperation, strengthening economic ties, and addressing everyday challenges. This year’s guests of honor were the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and the head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asian countries, Kakha Imnadze.

The main topics of this year’s meeting will be economic cooperation, regional security and cooperation, water resources, and energy. Special attention will be paid to water resources management, which is critical to the region’s sustainable development. The leaders will also discuss strengthening trade and economic ties, which has become especially important given the growing indicators of mutual trade, which have grown 2.5 times over the past ten years, reaching almost $11 billion.

Another important topic will be ensuring regional stability, including fighting terrorism and extremism, and developing joint measures to strengthen border security. The summit is also expected to adopt the “Strategy for the Development of Regional Cooperation in Central Asia-2024”, which aims to expand the five-party interaction and strengthen the international role of the region.

These consultative meetings of Central Asian leaders, which began in 2018, have become an important tradition and serve as a constructive platform to discuss and address common challenges. The 2024 meeting emphasizes Central Asia’s growing importance in the international arena and the readiness of the region’s countries to address current challenges and seize opportunities for joint development jointly.

On August 9, 2024, a meeting of Central Asian foreign ministers was also held in Astana. Kazakh Foreign Minister, Murat Nurtleu opening the meeting, emphasizing that the event demonstrates the strong commitment of Central Asian countries to strengthening cooperation in all spheres, and that the region’s governments have all made significant progress in economic and political interaction in recent years. The total GDP of the Central Asian countries now stands at about $450 billion, and mutual trade has grown by 80% over the past five years, reaching $11 billion.

The meeting focused on strengthening regional cooperation in the key areas of energy, transportation, logistics, industry. Kazakhstan proposed developing a long-term comprehensive mechanism of collaboration in the area of water resources and hydropower that would consider the interests of all countries in the region.

On the same day, the summit, Central Asia + Japan was to be attended by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida; however, Kishida cancelled his visit to Kazakhstan due to a powerful earthquake which struck off the coast of Japan.

09 Aug 2024

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

Uzbek Coach Honored for Supporting Kyrgyz Olympic Boxer

August 9, 2024
By Anton Chipegin

Uzbek coach Akmal Hasanov has been honored for helping Kyrgyz boxer Munarbek Seyitbek-uulu make it to the semi-finals in the Paris Olympics.

According to the Kyrgyz Ministry of Culture, Munarbek’s personal trainer, Beganas Sultanbaev was unable to attend the event due to the expiry of his international accreditation and because the head coach of the Kyrgyz national boxing team was likewise absent, the Uzbek specialist agreed to act as a second for a boxer from another country.

Munarbek Seyitbek-uulu regularly trained at Uzbekistan’s training camps and hence, was well acquainted with both fellow athletes and the Uzbek coach who in a statement, emphasized , “Munarbek trained with us and because he came to the Olympics alone, asked me to help. Since our countries have friendly relations, we were happy to help him. He made history and became the first Olympic boxing medalist in the history of Kyrgyzstan.”

In lieu of the magnanimous role played by the coach, honored cultural worker of Kyrgyzstan Assol Moldokmatova, together with the son of renowned Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov, decided to award Akmal Khasanov with a medal “for humanism, tolerance, humanity and high level of people’s diplomacy.”

“Today, I called Uzbek coach Akmal Hasanov in Paris to express my gratitude and to rejoice in the news that he has been honored with the medal of the great writer Chingiz Aitmatov,” posted Moldokmatova on social media. ” I thank Akmal for his humanity and brotherly attitude. We appreciate, respect, and admire you! You are worthy of all praise and awards!”

09 Aug 2024

Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan Justice, Justice, Local Politics, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan Local Politics

Kyrgyzstan Strengthens Protection From Family, Sexual, and Gender Violence

August 9, 2024
By Vagit Ismailov

The President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sadyr Japarov has signed a law aimed at strengthening the protection of its citizens from family, sexual, and gender violence. The law provides for amendments to several legislative acts and aims to provide comprehensive assistance to victims of various forms of violence. A key objective is to ensure victims’ access to justice and protect their rights and interests.

The law is being adopted due to the alarming situation with the level of family and gender violence in Kyrgyzstan. In 2021, more than 10,000 cases were registered, but only 2.5% of them proceeded to court. In 2023, the number of cases increased to 11,000, and 95% of the victims were women.

The increasing number of such incidents and the lack of protection for victims necessitated a review of the relevant legislation. The new law is designed to address gaps in legal protection for victims and create stricter measures to punish perpetrators.