Page 901 – The Times Of Central Asia

16 Jan 2024

Tajikistan International Affairs, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan International Affairs, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan Features, Kyrgyzstan Features

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan continue to work on harmonizing state border

July 9, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

Topographic working groups of the two countries gathered in the city of Batken in the Batken region of Kyrgyzstan between January 10 and January 16, and agreed on another major 38.35-kilometer section their state borders, the press service of the Kyrgyzstan Cabinet of Ministers reports.

“In accordance with the agreement reached in the period from January 10 to 16, 2024 in the city of Batken of Batken oblast of the Kyrgyz Republic held a meeting of topographic working groups and working groups on legal issues of the government delegations of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Tajikistan on delimitation and demarcation of the Kyrgyz-Tajik state border,” reported Cabinet of Kyrgyzstan on its website.

The Kyrgyz authorities note that the meeting was held in an atmosphere of friendship and mutual understanding, and a protocol was signed following the meeting. The parties will continue work on the description of the remaining areas at the next meeting, which will be held in Tajikistan.

The previous meeting was also held on the territory of Tajikistan from December 17 to 23, 2023. At that time, almost 12 kilometers of the state border were agreed upon.

It should be noted that as of today, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have agreed on 90 percent of the territories of the state border, the total of which is 975 kilometers. Next year, the authorities of both countries plan to finalize the delimitation.

Issues related to delineating a common border between the two countries arose after the collapse of the USSR, particularly with regards to lands rich in water resources, given that irrigation of agricultural lands and private plots is critical in this arid region.

More than 30 years have passed since the collapse of USSR, and the parties still have not agreed on the disputed territories. This has caused periodic conflicts between the citizens of border villages and residents of enclaves and border guards of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, including the use of heavy weapons. The last such conflict took place on the territory of Batken oblast of Kyrgyzstan and Sughd oblast of Tajikistan in September 2022, where hundreds died deaths on both sides and civilian infrastructure was destroyed. Since May 2021, land and air communication between the countries remains closed.

The presidents of the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan have repeatedly discussed the delimitation and demarcation of the state border, and have decided to put an end to this ongoing issue after the above-mentioned most recent conflict. Since then, meetings of topographic groups have been held on a regular basis. The situation on the disputed territories is also monitored by the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Both countries are members of the CSTO.

16 Jan 2024

Justice, Kazakhstan Justice, Kazakhstan, Features, Kazakhstan Featurees

Nephew of ex-President Nazarbayev to be Tried

June 17, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

The criminal case against Samat Abish, nephew of the former President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, is set to proceed to trial in Astana. The investigation conducted by the General Prosecutor’s Office has concluded, and the case has been transferred to the courts. This will be the first time a relative of Nazarbayev has been tried on charges related to the violent events of January 2022. Details of the pre-trial investigation will not be made available to the public, as the case involves state secrets.

Abish is being charged under Article 362 (Part 4) of the Criminal Code, “Exceeding official powers,” which could result in up to five years imprisonment and the confiscation of property if he is convicted. Abish, aged 45, is the son of Satybaldy Abishevich Nazarbayev, the younger brother of the former president who died in a car accident in 1981. Abish took his surname in honor of his grandfather.

Abish lost his position as the First Deputy Chairman of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan on January 5^th 2022, amidst riots across the country. Alongside him, the head of the KNB, Karim Massimov, and the Prime Minister, Askar Mamin, were also dismissed. Two days later, Abish was detained in Almaty and charged in connection with the January events. Investigators attributed primary responsibility for the tumultuous events of early 2022 to Karim Massimov, Abish’s direct supervisor, and his three deputies.

President Tokayev stated during an extraordinary session of the CSTO Collective Security Council on January 10^th 2023, that the events were an attempt to seize power by high-ranking officials. Abish’s sibling, Kairat Satybaldy, was convicted on corruption charges last year for embezzling tens of millions of U.S. dollars.

16 Jan 2024

Kazakhstan, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

Kazakhstan’s Foreign Debt Inches Upwards

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

The external debt of Kazakhstan has reached $161.9 billion, an increase of $1.3 billion over the past year to October 2023, according to the National Bank of Kazakhstan. The main creditors of Kazakhstan are the Netherlands ($42.5 billion), Great Britain ($14 billion), international organizations ($13 billion), Russia ($12.5 billion), the USA ($11.3 billion), France ($11.2 billion), Bermuda ($9.4 billion), and China ($9.2 billion).

Considering the structure of Kazakhstan’s external debt as a whole, the bulk of loans is occupied by inter-company debt ($92.2 billion), obligations of other sectors ($44.4 billion), Government bodies ($12.5 billion), the banking sector ($10.6 billion), and the National Bank ($2.1 billion).

According to the latest data, the volume of total external debt of all countries in the world by the end of 2022 reached a record $92 trillion. As of April of last year, the countries with the highest national debt in the world were considered to be the U.S.A. ($29.46 trillion), Japan ($13.05 trillion), China ($10.12 trillion), France ($3.3 trillion), and Italy ($3.17 trillion). In terms of its debt to GDP ratio, Kazakhstan ranks in a respectable 148^th position with a debt to GDP ratio of 27.4% as compares to first place Japan, which has a debt to GDP ratio of 262%.

Earlier, the Ministry of the National Economy of Kazakhstan proposed setting a limit on the external debt for 2024 for Samruk-Kazyna and the national holding, Baiterek – the two companies which most often borrow from other countries. This limit would be in the amount of almost $12.5 billion for Samruk-Kazyna, and just over $5 billion for Baiterek.

In spring of the last year, President Tokayev declared that for Kazakhstan to reach the category of countries with high level incomes, the economy of the country would need to grow 6% annually. As of November of last year, this indicator was at 4.9%.

16 Jan 2024

Kyrgyzstan, Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

Kyrgyzstan Budget Surplus for 2024

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

The President of the Kyrgyz Republic has signed a law “On the Republican Budget of the Kyrgyz Republic for 2024 and the planning period of 2025-2026.” According to the data, this year the budget had a surplus with revenues amounting to $4,242,215,000, against expenditures of $4,120,000,000. The authorities want to use the surplus towards operations with financial assets and to cover state debt.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the national debt of the republic as of September 2023 amounted to $5,987,000,000, Approximately $60 million dollars was spent on its servicing debt last year. In 2024, the authorities plan to allocate $74 million dollars from the state budget for the servicing and payment of debt.

“To confidently pass the stage of peak payments on the state debt, we have projected the budget policy in terms of the formation of surpluses. This gives us the opportunity to service the debt without borrowing,” Finance Minister Almaz Baketayev stated.

The Kyrgyz state budget is so stable today that there are no doubts about servicing the national debt, he said. In Kyrgyzstan, Baketaev emphasized, all payments are made on time and in full, and external debt is decreasing

The Ministry of Finance said that part of the surplus will be used to increase the state’s share in local joint stock companies and to provide budget loans to domestic companies.

Almost 40% of the nation’s external debt is owed to the Export-Import Bank of China. The authorities took these loans mainly for construction projects, the repair of roads, and rehabilitation of the electricity network.

16 Jan 2024

Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan International Affairs, Features, Kyrgyzstan Features

EU Ready to Deepen Cooperation with Kyrgyzstan

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

On January 15^th, the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sadyr Japarov received the Vice-President of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas in Bishkek. During the meeting, President Japarov noted the dynamically developing level of cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and the EU both at the inter-regional and bilateral levels, the presidential press service reported.

The head of state and the vice-president of the European Commission discussed a wide range of issues, including priority projects for the Kyrgyz Republic, investment, financing, prospects for banking relations, and regional security issues. Japarov paid particularly attention to the importance for Kyrgyzstan of the upcoming Investors Forum for EU-Central Asia Transport Connectivity, which will be held in Brussels on January 29^th and 30^th.

Discussing human rights in Kyrgyzstan, Japarov spoke of an active civil society, media freedom and unrestricted access to the internet, emphasizing the importance of reliable information in online space. In turn, Schinas spoke about the importance of positive changes in Central Asia and expressed the EU’s readiness to deepen cooperation with the Kyrgyz Republic.

Schinas expressed confidence that cooperation will be strengthened in the field of financial and economic partnerships, adding that his visit was focused on climate projects, digitization issues, and the development of transport corridors.

In June 2023, the first official visit of the President of the European Council, Charles Michel to the Kyrgyz Republic took place, and the first Summit of the leaders of Central Asian countries and the EU was held in the Kyrgyz resort city of Cholpon-Ata.

16 Jan 2024

Kyrgyzstan Life & Culture, Kyrgyzstan

U.S. Peace Corps to Help Develop Sustainable Tourism

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

Seven U.S. Peace Corps Response Eco-Tourism Volunteers arrived in Bishkek on January 15^th to help promote sustainable tourism in partnership with the local non-profit Kyrgyz Community Based Tourism Association (KCBTA). After completing their training, the volunteers will work with CBT partners to develop nature-based tours, assist in creating effective marketing strategies to attract domestic and international tourists, establish guidelines and best practices to minimize the impact of tourism on local ecosystems, and help local partners improve their English language skills, the U.S. Embassy in Kyrgyzstan said.

The Volunteers will undergo two weeks of intensive training, which includes Kyrgyz language classes and cross-cultural competence training before deploying for twelve months to KCBTA offices in Kochkor, Toktogul, Arslanbob, Naryn, Karakol, Osh, and Bishkek as eco-tourism marketing specialists.

“Community Based Tourism Associations throughout the country are glad to welcome response volunteers. We hope that these volunteers will support us in improving our ecotourism offerings to attract a wide range of tourists to Kyrgyzstan,” Asylbek Rajiev, the Executive Director of the Kyrgyz Community Based Tourism Association said.

The response volunteers will complement the 35 English language education volunteers currently serving in Kyrgyzstan.