Page 67 – The Times Of Central Asia

16 Feb 2026

Central Asia, Home, Local Politics, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan Local Politics, Features, Kyrgyzstan Features, Kyrgyzstan Home

After Firing Close Ally Tashiyev, Japarov Says Goal for Kyrgyzstan is Unity

February 18, 2026
By Times of Central Asia

Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov, who fired his powerful security chief Kamchybek Tashiyev last week, says he plans to wipe out the “disease” of division between northern and southern groups in the country.

In an interview published on Monday by the state Kabar news agency, Japarov spoke about his broader vision for Kyrgyzstan in some of his most detailed comments since the dismissal of Tashiyev, the head of the State Committee for National Security who campaigned effectively against organized crime and was a close confidant of the president.

Some criticism of Japarov suggests he made the move to amass more power as part of an authoritarian project for Kyrgyzstan. But the president said he wants to repair traditional rifts that he blamed for political unrest in the country over the years. His government has accused some political figures of trying to exploit Tashiyev’s stature and undermine Japarov’s government, though the former security chief said he accepted the president’s decision to remove him.

Japarov is from northern Kyrgyzstan, while Tashiyev is from the south. For a time, their tight alliance appeared to be a way of smoothing over divisions between factions in the two regions. Japarov was sworn in as president in early 2021 after a tumultuous period that included his imprisonment, protests and victory in a landslide election.

Tashiyev has been a supporter of Japarov all along, including during moves against the media that opponents described as democratic backsliding in a country once known for relative freedom of expression.

“Since independence, politicians have been dividing the country into north and south,” Japarov said. “I saw this with my own eyes when I first entered politics in 2005. They divided the government so that half of it would be north, half south, or something like that in some ministry. And I was very sad.”

Japarov said the divisions had been “disappearing” since he took office, thanks to a policy of rotating district chiefs, prosecutors, governors, judges and the heads of other institutions around the country. People from the south hold leadership jobs in the north, and vice versa, he said.

“I will eventually eradicate the disease of North-South divide. It will take time,” Japarov said in the Kabar interview.

16 Feb 2026

Home, Tajikistan Local Politics, Tajikistan, Local Politics, Tajikistan Features

After Absence, Tajikistan’s Rahmon Highlights a Daily Schedule

February 16, 2026
By Times of Central Asia

He’s back.

President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan met Kazakhstan’s foreign minister on Monday, two days after welcoming the head of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to Dushanbe.

It might seem like routine business for the leader of a country. But the meetings, during which Rahmon was photographed and shown in video, followed more than two weeks during which Tajikistan’s president hadn’t been seen in public. The absence prompted some media and other online questions about his whereabouts and health, possibly prompting the presidency to issue a statement last week that said Rahmon had upcoming meetings.

The 73-year-old president, who has held the post since 1994, posed for a photographed handshake with Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev that was posted on the website of Tajikistan’s presidential office. Rahmon’s account on X also showed a video of a meeting between him and Zou Jiayi of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank on Saturday.

In addition, on Sunday, the presidential office posted a video of Rahmon congratulating Chinese President Xi Jinping on the beginning of the Chinese New Year. Speaking in a deep voice, Rahmon sat in front of an image of tree blossoms that are associated with the Spring Festival, which runs into early March.

Rahmon´s son, Rustam Emomali, is chairman of the National Assembly and would take over as interim president if his father is unable to serve.

16 Feb 2026

Business & Economy, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

Kazakhstan Intends to Triple Its Hydropower Capacity by 2030

February 16, 2026
By Dmitry Pokidaev

Kazakhstan plans to significantly expand its hydropower capacity over the next five years. By the end of 2030, the country intends to commission new hydropower plants with a combined capacity of approximately 660 MW, nearly tripling the sector’s current installed capacity, according to the Ministry of Energy.

At present, 43 hydropower facilities operate in Kazakhstan with a total installed capacity of 313 MW. The implementation of agreements already concluded is expected to raise this figure to nearly 1 GW, substantially increasing the contribution of hydropower to the national energy mix.

In 2025, an additional project was added to the portfolio: the 26 MW Korinskaya HPP-2 was commissioned in the Jetisu Region. By the end of the year, total electricity generation from renewable energy sources reached 8.621 billion kWh, of which 1.196 billion kWh was produced by small and medium-sized hydropower plants.

Kazakhstan continues to rely on an auction mechanism to attract investment and enhance transparency in the renewable energy sector. In 2025, 500 MW of capacity designated specifically for hydropower projects was offered through competitive auctions. According to the Ministry of Energy, this approach helps reduce project costs and foster a stable investment environment.

The highest concentration of renewable energy facilities, including hydropower plants, is located in the southern and southeastern regions, Zhambyl, Almaty, and Jetisu regions. These areas benefit from significant river potential and established infrastructure capable of supporting further generation growth.

The ministry states that implementation of the planned projects will diversify Kazakhstan’s energy mix, supply remote areas with stable green electricity, reduce pressure on the main transmission grids, and enhance overall system reliability.

As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, renewable energy accounted for 7% of Kazakhstan’s national energy mix by the end of 2025.

16 Feb 2026

Draft, Central Asia, Home, Kazakhstan Life & Culture, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Home

More Than 20 Promising Oil and Gas Fields Identified in Kazakhstan’s Aral Basin

February 16, 2026
By Dmitry Pokidaev

A large-scale state geological exploration program in Kazakhstan has identified more than 20 promising hydrocarbon sites in the Aral Basin. The announcement was made by Kanat Yerubaev, Acting Chairman of the Geology Committee of the Ministry of Industry and Construction.

According to Yerubaev, by the end of last year 29 promising exploration areas had been identified as part of the state geological study program, covering a range of minerals from gold and copper to lead, zinc, and tungsten. Particular attention was given to oil and gas. Work in the Aral Basin enabled specialists to specify the geological structure of the region, identify new structural elements, and assess forecast hydrocarbon resources. More than 20 sites have been classified as promising, and the Ministry of Energy intends to auction subsoil use rights for these areas later this year.

The Geology Committee estimates forecast hydrocarbon resources at one Aral Basin site at approximately 800 million tons. An even larger potential, exceeding 1 billion tons of oil and gas, has been identified in the Syr Darya Basin in the southwest of the country. Exploration activities there began in 2024 and are scheduled for completion in 2026. If these forecasts are confirmed, Kazakhstan’s proven oil reserves could increase by more than 25%. The current state balance sheet records more than 4 billion tons of proven oil reserves, sufficient for over 50 years at current production levels.

In 2026, new seismic exploration projects are scheduled to begin in other relatively underexplored sedimentary basins, including North Turgai, Shu-Sarysu, and Priirtysh. Yerubaev noted that Kazakhstan is moving away from geological surveys conducted at a 1:200,000 scale, which provide only a general overview, and transitioning to more detailed 1:50,000 scale surveys. He compared the shift to “getting a navigator instead of a world map, where you can see every step,” emphasizing that such precision aligns with international standards and supports informed investment decisions.

At the same time, the sector’s digital infrastructure continues to develop. Kazakhstan operates a unified subsoil use platform that provides 22 government services and access to more than 66,000 geological reports. By the end of 2025, 97.5% of primary geological data, approximately 4.7 million records, is expected to be digitized, with full digitization scheduled for completion this year.

Approximately $485.5 million has been allocated for state-funded geological research projects over the next three years.

Under current legislation, 50% of subscription bonuses collected from auctions for subsoil use rights are to be reinvested in the sector to support geological development and infrastructure modernization. This framework is designed to create a sustainable model in which revenues from subsoil licensing are directed back into further exploration.

The Times of Central Asia previously reported that Kazakhstan had become one of the global leaders in proven rare earth metal reserves.

16 Feb 2026

Business & Economy, Tajikistan Business Economy, Tajikistan

Tajikistan Plans Over $1 Billion for Rogun Hydropower Project in 2026

February 16, 2026
By Sadokat Jalolova

The government of Tajikistan plans to allocate at least 10 billion TJS (more than $1 billion) to finance the Rogun hydropower project in 2026, Finance Minister Faiziddin Qahhorzoda said on February 13 at a press conference in Dushanbe. The statement was later released by the Ministry of Finance and reported by Asia-Plus.

Qahhorzoda specified that 8.2 billion TJS has already been earmarked in the state budget for completion of the Rogun hydropower plant. He added that additional financing could be mobilized through development partners, as agreements have been signed and the required domestic procedures and partner conditions have been fulfilled.

“Certain conditions had to be met by the government of Tajikistan to access these funds. All conditions have been completed, and financing under the first tranche of $350 million has begun,” the minister said, referring to grant funding from the World Bank. He added that negotiations for an additional $300 million from the institution have been concluded successfully, with the funds expected to become available by mid-year.

The minister also stated that domestic procedures are being finalized to attract $150 million from the Islamic Development Bank, as well as $100 million each from the Saudi Fund for Development, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, and the OPEC Fund for International Development. According to Qahhorzoda, the remaining step is the completion of tender procedures.

In addition, all procedures have reportedly been completed to secure $500 million from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, of which $270 million is expected to be disbursed in the first tranche.

According to the Finance Ministry, approximately 11 billion TJS was allocated in 2025 for the completion of Rogun, including 2 billion TJS designated for servicing Eurobonds issued to support the project.

Earlier, at the end of January, the Energy Ministry stated during a separate press conference that several financing agreements signed with international partners in 2024-2025 had already entered into force. Officials noted that activating these agreements required fulfilling a number of technical and procedural conditions.

The Rogun hydropower plant, located 110 kilometers from Dushanbe on the Vakhsh River, is the largest energy project in Tajikistan. Construction began in 1976 but was suspended following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Work resumed after independence. Of the six planned generating units, each with a capacity of 600 MW, two are currently operational and had produced 9.9 billion kWh of electricity by the end of last year.

In December 2025, President Emomali Rahmon announced that the third unit is scheduled to be commissioned in September 2027. Once all six units are operational, the plant’s total installed capacity will reach 3.78 GW, and its 335-meter dam is projected to become the tallest in the world. The total cost of construction has been estimated at $6.2 billion.

16 Feb 2026

Justice, Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan Justice

Second Uzbek Woman Confirmed Dead in Istanbul Murder Case

February 16, 2026
By Sadokat Jalolova

A second Uzbek national has been confirmed dead in Istanbul, according to the Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Istanbul. The victim, identified as Sayyora Ergashalieva, born in 1994 in the Namangan region, had previously been reported missing.

Turkish law enforcement authorities informed the consulate that Ergashalieva disappeared shortly after the killing of her close friend, Durdona Khakimova, whose dismembered body was discovered in a garbage container in Istanbul in January 2026. Ergashalieva and Khakimova were reportedly close friends.

According to Turkish media reports, Ergashalieva’s family in Uzbekistan lost contact with her after January 23 and sought assistance from the Uzbek Women’s Rights Association in Turkey. The association’s president, Azade Islamova, together with lawyers Ezgi Ekin Arslan and Cevat Bozkurt, met with the family and outlined possible legal steps after suspicions emerged that Ergashalieva may have been present at the residence where Khakimova was killed.

The family traveled to Turkey and filed a formal complaint with the prosecutor’s office on February 6. Subsequent investigative actions confirmed Ergashalieva’s death. Her parents, who had gone to Turkey hoping to find her alive, were informed of the outcome as the investigation progressed.

Preliminary information from Turkish investigators indicates that on January 22, the two women and several suspects met for lunch at a restaurant in Istanbul’s Fatih district. During the meeting, a dispute allegedly arose between Ergashalieva and one of the suspects. Investigators believe the conflict may have been linked to Ergashalieva’s stated intention to return to Uzbekistan.

Authorities allege that on January 23, two suspects, identified as Dilshod Turdimurotov and Gofurjon Kamalkhojaev killed Ergashalieva and disposed of her body in garbage containers in the same district. The following day, investigators say, the suspects used her phone to send a message to Khakimova, luring her to a meeting. Khakimova was subsequently killed, and her body was found in Istanbul’s Şişli district.

Turkish prosecutors have detained the suspects, who have reportedly confessed. A preventive detention measure has been imposed, and the case materials have been submitted to the court. The investigation remains ongoing.

Local media reported that Ergashalieva’s body had been located but had not yet been transferred to the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institute, according to the Consulate General. Officials have not released further details pending confirmation.

Earlier, the killing of Khakimova sparked public protests in Turkey. Groups of women gathered in Istanbul and Ankara, condemning what they described as systemic violence against women, including migrant women. Feminist organizations organized a march in the Şişli district, beginning near the Osmanbey metro station and ending on the street where Khakimova’s body was discovered. Participants carried banners and called for stronger protective measures and prevention mechanisms.

The Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Istanbul stated that it is closely monitoring the case and cooperating with Turkish law enforcement authorities. It expressed condolences to the victims’ families and said the public would be informed as additional verified information becomes available.