Page 910 – The Times Of Central Asia

12 Jan 2024

Environment, Home, Kazakhstan Environment, Kazakhstan, Features, Kazakhstan Featurees

Mass Die-Out of Swans in Mangystau: What are the Causes?

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

On December 27^th, inspectors discovered a tragic picture on the shores of Lake Karakol in the Ustyurt State Nature Reserve, with the lifeless bodies of thirty swans lying on the ground. The Department of Ecology, which analyzed water from the lake, reported that at the time of sampling the maximum permissible concentration of harmful substances had been exceeded. However, the true extent of the situation has since become clearer, and according to updated information 826 dead swans have been recorded in Mangystau, with this figure continuing to rise daily.

In the process of monitoring water sources associated with Lake Karakol, having found that permissible pollution levels had been exceeded, an unscheduled inspection of the Rixos Aktau hotel took place. This information was provided by Nurken Sharbiev, Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Zhomart Aliyev, head of the Committee for Environmental Regulation and Control of the Ministry. Rixos currently operates 34 hotels and resorts, the majority of which are located in Turkey, Kazakhstan, the UAE and Egypt, and seven of which were developed in partnership with the infamous Bayrock Group.

Rixos Water World Aktau, Photo: Rixos website

The Rixos Water World Aktau Hotel is located on the coast of the Caspian Sea, 20 kilometers from the city of Aktau, whilst the protected territory of Lake Karakol is located within the boundaries of the Karagi-Karakol Zoological Reserve, which has republican significance. More than 20 species of birds listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan and the international list of protected species inhabit this land, including the dalmatian pelican, pink flamingos, and the Savka.

At this juncture, the extent of the involvement of Rixos Aktau is yet to be revealed, though the Department of Ecology of Mangystau is probing the hotel’s discharge into the lake. Specialists are currently analyzing samples, and if the results show contaminants the hotel may be fined up to an amount which would depend on the volume and composition of the discharged wastewater.

However, a representative of the public commission tasked with investigating the cause of the mass die-out, Adilbek Kozybakov, posted a different supposition about the reason for the death of the birds on Facebook. “The cause of death is avian influenza, as confirmed by laboratory tests. Viruses of some forms of bird flu can be dangerous to both humans and poultry, but for some reason they still have not declared a quarantine and closed Lake Karakol to visitors. Due to the wide resonance around this topic, different groups of journalists, bloggers, activists and ordinary citizens passing by the lake come to Karakol every day. They walk along the shore, stepping on bird droppings, and can then carry the bird flu virus home,” Kozybakov wrote.

Kozybakov has suggested that experts from various fields – veterinarians and ornithologists, virologists and bacteriologists, specialists in epizootiology and epidemiology, and local independent biologists and ecologists – should form a commission. “Only through such a body will it be possible to develop sound and objective recommendations for the resolution of the current situation and to prevent future episodes,” he stated.

12 Jan 2024

Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan Features, Features, Uzbekistan Local Politics

Uzbekistan Modernizing Defense Industry

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev on January 11^th visited the production cluster of the Defense Industry Agency located in the Tashkent region.

At the initiative and under the supervision of Mirziyoyev, Uzbekistan is reforming and modernizing its armed forces to fully meets modern requirements and guarantee the nation’s independence and sovereignty, the presidential press service stated. For this purpose, in January 2023 the President transferred the Defense Industry Agency to the Ministry of Defense. The Agency has since launched the production of several types of military-technical products, supplied modern equipment to troops, and updated existing models of weapons.

An equipment repair plant and the central storage base for automotive equipment of the Ministry of Defense have been transferred to a cluster territory. Enterprises located in the new cluster repair and modernize weapons and military equipment, radars, optical devices, and artillery.

During his visit, Mirziyoyev was shown samples of upgraded equipment and weapons, and devices that are part of the “Soldier of the Future” complex, which was developed by specialists to meet global standards. The President also launched an enterprise producing a new range of military hardware.

Established in 1992 following the collapse of the Soviet Union, January 14^th will mark the 32^nd anniversary of the founding of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Twelve months military conscription is compulsory for males at the age of 18, with the option of paying for a shorter service of one month whilst remaining in the reserves until the age of 27. Upon completion of their service, privileges in employment and admission to higher educational institutions are granted. The armed forces constitute an acting personnel of 48,000, with 20,000 in reserve.

In the 2024 Military Strength Ranking released by the Global Firepower, Uzbekistan ranked 65^th among the 145 countries listed. Elsewhere in Central Asia, Kazakhstan ranked in 58^th place, Turkmenistan 83^rd, Kyrgyzstan 100^th, and Tajikistan 107^th. Despite the modernization drive, however, this position marked a decline in Uzbekistan’s ranking, down from 62^nd place in the previous year.

12 Jan 2024

Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

Chinese Company to Supply Equipment to Businesses via Local Bank

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

On January 12^th, a ceremony was held to sign a framework agreement between the Chairman of the Board of Kyrgyzstan’s state-run RSK Bank, Ulanbek Nogaev, and the President of China National Heavy Machinery Corporation, Xiao Ping. As part of the partnership, RSK Bank and China National Heavy Machinery Corporation (CHMC) will begin supplying equipment and machinery for small and medium-sized businesses in Kyrgyzstan worth a total of $15 million, RSK Bank said. The bank will then lease this equipment to local entrepreneurs.

Xiao Ping emphasized that the signing of the agreement between CHMC and RSK Bank will be a boon for the development of the economy in the Kyrgyz Republic. Ulanbek Nogaev, meanwhile, stated that this agreement is strategically important, and will enable the bank to provide small and medium-sized businesses with special equipment without intermediaries, which will mean a significant price reduction.

China National Heavy Machinery Corporation specializes in the production of road construction and agricultural machinery, commercial vehicles, and industrial equipment.

12 Jan 2024

Kazakhstan, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

U.S. Interested in Kazakhstan’s Critical Minerals

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

The Minister of Industry and Construction of Kazakhstan, Kanat Sharlapaev met with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources, Geoffrey Ross Pyatt to deepen the dialogue between the two countries on the development of sustainable mineral value chains, the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Construction said on January 11^th. The meeting took place on the fringes of The Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The two officials discussed key aspects of cooperation in the field of mineral resources, energy, and the prospects for the two nations long-term partnership, taking into account more than thirty years of strong strategic cooperation. The meeting highlighted Kazakhstan’s potential to supply more than sixteen critical minerals identified by a U.S. Geological Survey. Among them are bismuth, gallium, vanadium, tungsten, tin, tantalum, niobium, magnesium, lithium, indium, graphite, and cobalt.

The parties noted the interest of large American companies, such as Rio Tinto, Cove Capital, and Relativity Space in Kazakhstan’s mining industry. Both sides confirmed their intention to continue their joint efforts to develop sustainable approaches to minerals, stating that this line of work contributes to a sustainable energy transition and creates the conditions for long-term economic sustainability in Kazakhstan and the United States.

12 Jan 2024

Kazakhstan International Affairs, Kazakhstan

U.S. Ambassador Addresses Relations with Kazakhstan

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

The United States has prioritized two areas in its relationship with Kazakhstan, “stability and sovereignty,” said the U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan,Daniel Rosenblum during a roundtable discussion at the Caspian Policy Center’s DC office on January 4^th. The Caspian Policy Center (CPC) is an independent, nonprofit think tank based in Washington D.C., with its central research focus on economic, political, energy and security issues in the Caspian region.

Ambassador Rosenblum highlighted the “tremendous progress” made between the United States and Kazakhstan in recent years, and addressed the future direction of the U.S.-Kazakhstan bilateral partnership, as reported in the CPC’s press release.

Rosenblum said he sees the United States heading in two directions: “One is maintaining that level of engagement. Having another leader-level meeting … And I know that because Kazakhstan is quite interested and pushing us to commit the same thing at the next UNGA …. hopefully, that can happen and then it becomes a sort of a tradition.” The second direction, Rosenblum added, is to see that “substantive commitments… get realized, and then grow into other things.” Specifically, the Ambassador highlighted the proposed B5+1 meeting, “which is sort of a private sector parallel structure [to the C5] of business associations and U.S. businesses.”

The Trans-Caspian trade corridor, or so-called “Middle Corridor,” is an “economic priority for the government [of Kazakhstan] and for us as well,” the Ambassador noted. “The key challenge to developing the Middle Corridor and making it a viable alternative is to increase the speed of goods moving and to lower costs,” he specified, adding that such coordination, “will require the countries of the region to cooperate and harmonize their standards and their procedures for the movement of goods.”

Ambassador Rosenblum added that the United States has remained committed to financing these strategic infrastructure projects in Kazakhstan. “Our foreign direct investment (FDI) numbers were healthy as there was another $5 billion of new FDI [invested in Kazakhstan] in 2023,” said the Ambassador. “We are still the number two source of FDI [in Kazakhstan] after the Netherlands.”

The Ambassador also said that Kazakhstan has made a visible effort to comply with U.S. and international sanctions on its traditional trade partner, Russia. “Since the sanctions were first imposed, back in 2022, Kazakhstan’s record is a good one, both in terms of their ability to prevent sanctions evasion and, also, making sure that they’re complying with all the sanctions when it comes to their domestic companies, relationships with Russian companies, Russian banks, and so on,” Rosenblum said.

12 Jan 2024

Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Features, Kyrgyzstan Home

Job Creation Main Task of Government in 2024, Says PM

June 27, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

The creation of at least 250,000 jobs is one of the most important tasks of the Cabinet of Ministers for 2024, the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Head of the Administration of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Akylbek Japarov stated at a cabinet meeting on January 11^th.

“This year should be a breakthrough in all respects,” the minister said. “Yesterday marked three years since Sadyr Japarov became president. During this time, we have managed to do a lot, and we are already seeing the results of this work.”

Japarov went on saying that the creation of new industries, the development of the agricultural sector, the opening of new mining projects, the launch of railway construction and building large hydropower facilities will speed up the implementation of the goals planned for 2024. “In the near future, a list of a hundred large industrial facilities that should be launched this year will be approved,” said Japarov.

Addressing an acute shortage of qualified labor in the construction and clothing industries, Japarov said that “many clothing enterprises have to attract foreign labor, while our citizens are in labor migration outside the country. Therefore, this whole range of issues should be a priority for all government bodies.”