Page 663 – The Times Of Central Asia

24 Oct 2024

Central Asia, Environment, Tajikistan International Affairs, Tajikistan Local Politics, International Affairs, Tajikistan, Tajikistan Features, Tajikistan Environment

Rogun HPP Faces Criticism for Violating World Bank Standards

October 24, 2024
By Sadokat Jalolova

The international environmental coalition Rivers without Boundaries has released a report titled “Rogun Hydroelectric Power Plant Project: Non-Compliance Report with World Bank Requirements.”

Outlining how the Rogun HPP in Tajikistan fails to meet the World Bank’s environmental and social standards, the report highlights violations in six key areas: environmental assessment, biodiversity protection, resource efficiency, dam safety, public participation, and forced displacement. It also highlights non-compliance with the bank’s policies on financing investment projects.

The report’s authors point out that the situation worsened as a result of the World Bank taking responsibility for developing environmental and social safeguards for the Rogun HPP project on behalf of all financiers, including major banks like the AIIB, ADB, and EIB. In accepting this move, these institutions have effectively treated the World Bank’s standards as their own. Therefore, if these standards are violated, the standards of other financial institutions are also breached.

“We are convinced that the presented version of the Rogun HPP project does not comply with the social and environmental principles of the World Bank and should not be financed by international development banks in its current form,” said Evgeny Simonov, coordinator of the international environmental coalition ‘Rivers Without Borders.’ “Due to non-compliance with banking standards and procedures, the project includes many ineffective and risky elements that could lead to serious environmental and social damage during its implementation.”

The report was created under the international Rogun Alert initiative, which represents environmental organizations worldwide. Last week, it was sent to all international development banks involved in the Rogun project. On October 23, an open letter signed by 124 public organizations, including Rivers Without Borders, highlighting the risks of financing large dam projects, including Rogun, will be presented to the World Bank management.

According to the source, urgent international public consultations on the environmental and social impact of the construction of the Rogun HPP on the basin countries are planned for October 28 of this year.

24 Oct 2024

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

Kyrgyz Blogger Jailed for Inciting Ethnic Hatred

October 24, 2024
By Vagit Ismailov

A video blogger from the Jalal-Abad region of Kyrgyzstan has been sentenced to two years in prison for inciting ethnic hatred and propaganda related to the war in the Middle East after the Supreme Court upheld the verdict of a lower court. According to information provided by Turmush, the blogger’s name was not disclosed. The charges were brought under Part 1, Article 330 of the Criminal Code of Kyrgyzstan.

The man ran a video channel with an audience of about 400,000 subscribers, where he posted religious instructions and supported the Yakyn Inkar organization, which is banned in the country. In addition, his channel published materials stoking hatred in the Middle East. In particular, on November 1, 2023, he posted an interview with the head of a political party of the Jogorku Kenesh, who made statements calling for violence and the destruction of a specific nationality. The case was classified by the National Security Committee.

The detention of the blogger took place on November 25, 2023, and the trial took place on March 27, 2024, in the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek. The defense argued that the materials published did not violate the law, but the Supreme Court left the regional court’s decision unchanged. Based on the conclusions of experts and reports from staff of the 4th Main Department of the SCNS, the court ruled that the blogger’s publications provoked an increase in harmful and radical comments.

There have been several cases in Kyrgyzstan involving charges of inciting ethnic and religious hatred. In August 2023, blogger Aizhan Myrsan was fined for posting what the court deemed to be incitement to ethnic hatred. Her lawyers insisted that the video had been taken out of context and edited, but the court upheld the decision.

Another famous case is that of Omurbek Babanov, a politician who was accused of inciting ethnic hatred after a speech he delivered in 2017. His remarks at a meeting with voters became the subject of court proceedings, where experts interpreted them as potential calls for violence.

24 Oct 2024

Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan Justice, Justice, Kyrgyzstan Life & Culture, Life & Culture, Local Politics, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan Local Politics

Kyrgyzstan to Introduce New Measures to Curb Noise Levels

October 24, 2024
By Anton Chipegin

During a parliamentary session, deputies determined that the Interior Ministry should be authorized to collect fines for excessive noise.

According to the republic’s law, fines for exceeding acceptable levels of noise were previously issued by the Department of Health Prevention. However, according to the deputies, the department was not properly equipped to measure levels of noise on the streets or on premises. In addition, the department’s employees do not work at night, when violations are most likely to occur.

“Individuals believe their rights should not be violated if they want to invite a noisy company home to an apartment building at night, put on music, start construction or repair work, or watch television at a volume that exceeds the maximum permissible noise levels. Entertainment or construction work in one apartment can become a nightmare or sleepless nights for many living there. But complaints to the police due to the lack of the necessary law have no proper effect,” said the Kyrgyz Interior Ministry.

According to the civil code of offenses, loud noise is prohibited from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weekdays and to 9 a.m. on non-working days and holidays. The only exception is during New Year’s Eve celebrations. Violation of the rules in settlements or public places is punishable by a fine of 10 thousand KGS ($120) for individuals and 28 thousand KGS ($330) for legal entities.

24 Oct 2024

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

Daewoo To Invest $730 Million in Turkmenistan

October 24, 2024
By Vagit Ismailov

South Korean company Daewoo Engineering & Construction has won a tender to build a fertilizer plant in Turkmenistan. The project is estimated to cost a trillion won (about $730 million).

According to the company, the new plant will be located in Turkmenabat, 450 km east of Ashgabat. It will have an annual capacity of 350,000 tons of phosphate fertilizer and 100,000 tons of ammonium sulfate, and will include additional auxiliary facilities. After the completion of the main contract, final data on the contract’s value and implementation terms will be published.

The company has stated that implementing the project will allow Daewoo E&C to strengthen its presence in Central Asia and expand its activities in the petrochemical and agricultural sectors, infrastructure, and urban projects. In the future, the company intends to offer environmentally friendly technological solutions to further cooperate with Turkmenistan.

Daewoo E&C noted that winning the tender was possible thanks to the support of the South Korean government, including during the official visit of President Yun Seok Yeol to Turkmenistan in June. The company’s Chairman, Jeong Won-ju, also met with the Chairman of the People’s Council of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, in November 2022 during his visit to South Korea. The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding, cementing an agreement on close cooperation. Jeong Won-ju has visited Turkmenistan three times since then, which helped strengthen ties and successfully conclude negotiations.

Daewoo E&C is aiming to become a leader in the global EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) market. “We strive to participate in projects that contribute to a sustainable future,” a company representative stated.

Turkmenistan is implementing several major projects with the participation of South Korean companies. Hyundai Engineering has agreed with state-owned Turkmengas to expand the Galkynysh gas field. This project includes the construction of a fourth gas desulfurization facility, making it the largest in the country’s history. Korean companies have also been actively constructing and developing an oil refinery in Kiyanly. Projects to create “smart cities” are also being discussed.

24 Oct 2024

Central Asia, Silk Road Treasures, Life & Culture, Kazakhstan Life & Culture, Kazakhstan, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan Business & Economy, Features, Kazakhstan Featurees

Kazakhstan Listed as a Top Destination by Lonely Planet

October 24, 2024
By Vagit Ismailov

Kazakhstan has been included in Lonely Planet’s prestigious “Best in Travel 2025” ranking, earning it recognition as one of the year’s best travel destinations.

Lonely Planet, a leading international publisher, was established in 1973 and since then, has published comprehensive travel guides in 14 languages, covering 195 countries. Aimed to inspire people to explore the world, the organisation also publishes articles, lists, and rankings of the best places to visit, based on recommendations from experts and travelers and according to their unique cultures and natural diversity.

Kazakhstan’s high ranking in ‘Best in Travel 2025’, is largely attributed to its ancient traditions and modern achievements, and especially, its rich history and varied landscapes. Vice Minister of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Erkinbayev warmly welcomed the country’s inclusion in the list as validation of the growing international interest in Kazakhstan and stated that it emphasised the importance of promoting sustainable tourism.

Lonely Planet’s executive editor, Nitya Chambers, said the publication is proud of its choice and confident that this list will inspire travelers to make new discoveries. In its description of Kazakhstan, Lonely Planet focuses on the intertwining of ancient traditions and modern culture, hailing the country a place where every visitor can discover something unique. The publication also mentions echoes of the ancient Silk Road, tangible in the vast steppes.

Tourism in Kazakhstan has been actively developing in recent years, and the country is becoming increasingly popular among international travelers. Popular destinations include Almaty, Astana, and national parks. In the first six months of 2024 alone, 566,500 foreign tourists visited Kazakhstan, an increase of almost 10% compared to the same period in 2023. The demographics of foreign tourists is also on the rise.

In the first quarter of this year, the average revenue of Kazakh companies working in the tourism sector – tour operators, travel agencies, and other organizations – increased five-fold. For January-March, it exceeded 160.3 billion tenge; the highest quarterly income indicator of tourism companies since the beginning of 2022.

Kazakhstan’s tourist potential has also been praised by other well-known travel publications. Earlier, “Conde Nast Traveler” and “Wanderlust” included Kazakhstan as one of the top world destinations for travel in 2024, and Almaty was included in a list of the 52 best tourist destinations issued by The New York Times.

24 Oct 2024

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

EDB Releases Finance for Kazakhstan’s Digital Investment Platform

October 24, 2024
By Sergey Kwan

Following an agreement signed by the EDB and the Investment Committee of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Information Technology JSC, in July, the Eurasian Development Bank’s Fund for Digital Initiatives has allocated the first tranche for a project to establish a National Digital Investment Platform in Kazakhstan.

The platform aims to provide comprehensive support to investors and investment projects by streamlining interactions between government authorities and the quasi-government sector to promote investments in Kazakhstan’s economy, and will coordinate and optimize the selection and registration of investment projects, the conclusion of investment agreements, and their monitoring. In addition, the project is expected to serve as a digital transformation model for attracting and supporting investment which can be implemented in other EDB member states: Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. The platform which already has 755 registered investment projects, will become fully operational by 31 July 2025.

Back in March, The Times of Central Asia reported Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov’s announcement that to achieve the target of increasing the Kazakh economy to $450 billion by 2029, at least $150 billion of foreign investment was required during the interim period.