Page 729 – The Times Of Central Asia

20 May 2024

Agreement on Classified Military Information Signed between Uzbekistan and U.S.

June 28, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

The agreement “On the ratification of the agreement between the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the U.S. Department of Defense on measures to protect classified military information” was approved, Platina.uz reports. This decision was made during a regular plenary session of the Senate of Uzbekistan.

The 25-point agreement prepared by the Senate Committee on International Relations, Foreign Economic Relations, Foreign Investments and Tourism, was signed in Washington on June 9, 2023.

According to the chairman of the Committee, Ravshanbek Alimov, the official visit of the President of Uzbekistan to the USA on May 15-17, 2018 was a strong impetus to the strategic development of Uzbekistan-U.S. relations. One of the important directions of partnership between the two countries is, of course, the military-technical partnership.

In the discussion, it was noted that ratification of this agreement does not require any changes to the practical legislation of Uzbekistan or the allocation of additional funds from the budget.

20 May 2024

Central Asia, Kazakhstan Environment, Kazakhstan International Affairs, Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan Looks to Israel’s Innovative Water Technologies

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Israel, Daulet Yemberdiyev has visited the Israeli companies Mekorot, Odis, and BlueGen Water to see Israel’s best practices in the field of water security and management.

These companies are at the forefront of Israel’s environmental infrastructure and offer innovative solutions in water management, wastewater treatment and recycling, and the development of desalination systems and water-saving technologies.

The Israeli companies showed the Kazakh diplomat their innovative projects and demonstrated exclusive solutions in the field of water management.

As a result of the meetings, the parties agreed on further joint research initiatives and organizing visits of representatives of the Israeli water companies to the regions of Kazakhstan.

Ambassador Yemberdiyev emphasized that Kazakhstan prioritizes water conservation projects to ensure sustainable development and the environmental safety of the country.

20 May 2024

Central Asia, Home, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan International Affairs, Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

Kyrgyzstan and China Aim to Increase Trade

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

On May 18 in Bishkek, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, Akylbek Japarov held talks with Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, Liu Guozhong.

Emphasizing that China is one of Kyrgyzstan’s main trade and investment partners, Japarov stated that bilateral trade turnover is growing every year and reached $19.8 billion in 2023, an increase of 30% compared to 2022. “But this is not the limit, and the Kyrgyz Republic is ready to jointly make efforts to increase all trade and economic indicators,” he stated.

Japarov stressed the importance of the full and uninterrupted functionality of the Torugart and Irkeshtam checkpoints on the Kyrgyz-Chinese border to further increases in trade between the two countries. According to Japarov, the Kyrgyz side is aiming to develop transport and logistics infrastructure, removing restrictions that impede trade exchanges, and creating mutually beneficial conditions.

“We would like to expand our capabilities and switch to daily and round-the-clock operation of these border checkpoints. I believe this will also be useful for the Chinese side, as it will allow an even larger volume of cargo and goods to be exported from China to Kyrgyzstan, and on to third countries. We are aiming to increase the throughput capacity of the border checkpoints to 1,000 vehicles per day,” the prime minister said.

Kyrgyzstan also expects to sign protocols on new types of agricultural products and simplify procedures for the export of these products from Kyrgyzstan to China.

In turn, Vice Premier Liu Guozhong noted the high level of Kyrgyz-Chinese relations and the readiness to further develop and strengthen mutually beneficial and multifaceted cooperation.

Guozhong stated that construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is of strategic importance for the entire region and urged that its construction start sooner. He also noted the importance of increasing trade turnover, increasing the capacity at border checkpoints, opening the new Bedel border checkpoint this year, and expanding cooperation in tourism.

Guozhong also stated that the Chinese market is open to the import of Kyrgyz agricultural products.

20 May 2024

Central Asia, Home, Life & Culture

Sixth Eurasia Creative Guild Film Festival to be Held in the U.K.

October 8, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

From May 24-28, Premier Cinemas Romford will host the Eurasia Creative Guild (ECG) Film Festival, in collaboration with the Romford Film Festival for the sixth consecutive year, featuring a diverse line-up of films from across the globe.

Founded by the ECG to foster deeper cultural ties and understanding, the festival will feature 100 submissions from 22 countries, with movies from Spain, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, the U.K., Iran, Uzbekistan, Russia, Cyprus, Kyrgyzstan, Jordan, Tajikistan, Armenia, and China. In addition to the competition, there will be a program of educational films.

The opening ceremony will feature an exhibition of original work by Central Asian artists, headlined by Rahima Makhmut from Kyrgyzstan, and a presentation by Gulsifat Shakhidi, a renowned writer from Tajikistan, of her latest book.

On May 28, the ECG will present awards for the Best Eurasian Film, Best Short Film, Best Documentary, and Best Screenplay.

18 May 2024

Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan Environment, Kyrgyzstan Life & Culture, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

EU and Partner Banks Upgrade Water Supply in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan

October 8, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

A new water intake facility has been launched in the Cholpon-Ata resort at Kyrgyzstan’s Lake Issyk-Kul thanks to a joint investment of EUR 5.1 million from the European Union, the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

The opening ceremony on 11 May was attended by the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic Akylbek Japarov.

The European Union’s grant of EUR 3.1 million, combined with an EIB and EBRD investment loan of EUR 2.25 million, funded vital improvements to the city’s water supply system which had not been upgraded since it began operating in 1986.

According to the EU Delegation to the Kyrgyz Republic, by helping eliminate the risk of water-borne diseases, the project has provided over 19,000 citizens of Cholpon-Ata with regular access to safe drinking water and sanitation services.

To date, grants exceeding EUR 100 million from the EU have leveraged EUR 205 million investments to support Kyrgyzstan’s drinking water, solid waste management, and energy services, benefitting over 376,000 citizens in 14 cities and eight villages across the country.

18 May 2024

Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan International Affairs, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

Kazakhstan and Malaysia Investment Roundtable

June 28, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

On May 17, the second day of his official visit to Kazakhstan, Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim joined Kazakhstan Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and representatives of the two countries’ business communities for a Kazakhstan-Malaysian investment roundtable in Astana.

In his welcoming speech, the Kazakh prime minister reiterated that Malaysia is one of the key trade and economic partners of Kazakhstan in Southeast Asia. Over the past year, bilateral trade turnover increased from $150 million to almost $245 million. The goal is to now unlock the existing potential and exceed the pre-pandemic trade figure of $650 million.

Bektenov announced Kazakhstan’s intention to diversify exports to Malaysia and called on Malaysian business to jointly explore new opportunities to strengthen partnerships in services, manufacturing, finance, education, subsoil use, agriculture, and construction. Today, 48 companies with Malaysian capital operate in Kazakhstan and 17 joint investment projects totalling over $410 million are being implemented.

Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim announced his country’s intention to strengthen cooperation with Kazakhstan in tourism, education, the energy sector, as well as in the supply of Kazakh halal products.

Kazakh and Malaysian businesses agreed to deepen investment ties and explore collaboration in new markets.

Agreements and memoranda totaling more than $350 million were signed on cooperation in attracting investment in Islamic finance and trade development, as well as in food processing, mining, gold processing, and joint production of transformer and automotive oil.