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Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Azerbaijan Green Energy EU Energy export business and economy Caspian Sea

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to Export Green Power to Europe

On 1 May , Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan’s ministers of energy gathered in Tashkent to sign a memorandum of cooperation aimed at connecting their countries’ energy systems. The focus of the initiative is to explore means of connecting energy systems via a high-voltage cable embedded in the Caspian Sea to enable further export of green energy from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan to European Union countries. Referencing the parties’ earlier draft technical specification for the deep-sea cable, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Energy Almasadam Satkaliev stated, “A proposed business model will be prepared for the development of international transmission corridors - financing, revenue, ownership - and the sale of green energy to European Union countries.” Meanwhile, Asiaplustj.info reports that Tajikistan is still not being envisioned as a part of the system. As that publication notes, Uzbekistan's energy system currently operates in parallel with the energy systems of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan within the framework of the United Energy System of Central Asia (UES CA), which was created under the Soviet Union. This system was abandoned by Turkmenistan in 2003 because Uzbekistan refused to allow transit of Turkmen-produced electricity through its infrastructure. "In November 2009, after a major accident in Tajikistan's energy system, Uzbekistan unilaterally left the UES CA, which automatically left Tajikistan out of this system as well. In 2018, Uzbekistan restored parallel operation within the regional system. Since 2019, with financial support from the Asian Development Bank, work has been underway to bring Tajikistan back into the unified energy ring of Central Asia. The Ministry of Energy of Tajikistan last summer reported on its intentions... to join the regional system by the end of 2023. but this has not happened so far," the report noted.

Tajikistan Transport EBRD Environment Women-owned Enterprises business and economy

EBRD Helps Improve Dushanbe’s Environment and Support Tajikistan’s Banking Sector

During a visit by Odile Renaud-Basso, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to Tajikistan, on 29-30 April, the EBRD committed funds to upgrade Dushanbe's infrastructure, develop sustainable transportation solutions , and support for women’s entrepreneurship. The EBRD’s loan of up to €28.45 million will help improve transportation in the city’s riverside area through the reconstruction of roads and a bridge across the Varzob River, as well as the construction of dedicated bus and trolleybus lanes, and purpose-built routes for walking, cycling, electric wheelchairs etc. “We are very pleased to sign this project with the authorities of Dushanbe,” commented EBRD's president. “They have been committed to the green agenda ever since the city joined the EBRD Green Cities programme in 2019.” The Dushanbe Green City Action Plan was developed in collaboration with the EBRD to address environmental and development issues affecting the 800, 000 residents of Tajikistan’s largest municipality. Investment to promote a strategic shift from carbon-intensive, traditional transportation towards more eco-friendly, sustainable alternatives, aims to reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 37 percent. Joined by the Chairman of the National Bank of Tajikistan, Firdavs Nazrimad Tolibzoda, Renaud-Basso then signed a memorandum of understanding to support the country’s development of the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Code. Representing providers of financial services, regulators, development banks and other stakeholders, the WE Financial Code was formed to increase financial assistance to women-led micro, small and medium enterprises, and as a globally accepted multi-stakeholder approach, help eliminate constraints and gaps in financing women entrepreneurs in Tajikistan. The EBRD has now provided fresh funds and created new growth opportunities for women-owned and managed businesses in Tajikistan. Under the auspices of its Women in Business (WiB) programme for Central Asia, a loan of US$ 5 million (€4.6 million) has been granted to one of the country’s largest lenders, Bank Arvand, alongside technical assistance to help the bank promote women’s entrepreneurship and business activity. In addition, and under the EBRD’s Trade Facilitation Programme, a limited loan of US$ 1 million (€0.9 million) was offered to country’s leading microlenders, MDO HUMO, to help local clients both import goods, services, and equipment, and export their products.

business and economy Turkmenistan Kazakhstan China Afghanistan Freight transit

Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan to Cooperate in Freight Transit

On April 27, Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Serik Zhumangarin, Director General of the Agency of Transport and Communications of Turkmenistan Mammetkhan Chakiyev, and Minister of Trade and Industry of the Afghan Taliban government Nuriddin Azizi met in Kabul. During negotiations, an agreement was made to develop more favourable and competitive tariffs for the passage of container trains from China through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, and further afield to Pakistan, India, and Middle Eastern countries. To support the initiative, Afghan businesses have been invited to use the Kazakh terminal in China’s Xi'an Dry Port to consolidate goods for transport by rail. According to preliminary calculations, the delivery time for goods via the accelerated, uninterrupted route from Xi'an/Urumqi in China to Turgundi and Andkhoy in Afghanistan will be reduced to just 10-12 days, at a cost significantly cheaper than alternative modes of transport. Since the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Afghanistan route could also be used for transporting goods from Russia and Belarus to India and the Middle East, it provides added impetus for the development of the North-South transport corridor.

Pharmaceuticals Kazakh-UK ties business and economy travel Kazakhstan

British Companies Enter Commercial Agreements with Kazakhstan

Two new Kazakh-British business agreements were signed off during UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron’s visit to Kazakhstan on 24 April. The first, between AstraZeneca, a British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Healthcare, Almaty City Administration and Kazakh Invest, aims to implement an investment project for contract manufacturing of biotechnological products in Kazakhstan. According to Kazakh Invest, the agreement represents a significant step towards Kazakhstan’s goal to increase its share of domestically- produced medicines in the local market to 50%. The second deal, signed by the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan and British company Car Park Transformer, makes provision for the construction of roadside service facilities on Kazakhstan’s national and international highways. Comprising 250 service stations equipped with restrooms, retail spaces, as well as electric vehicle charging points, the project aims to provide essential services and enhance the comfort of motorists.

Kazakhstan Turkey business and economy

Kazakhstan Welcomes Turkish Investors

On 25 April, Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov visited Ankara where he met President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, discussed investment cooperation with leading Turkish companies, and attended a Kazakh-Turkish business forum. Turkey is one of Kazakhstan’s five largest trading partners and one of the top 20 investors in the Kazakh economy. The two countries’ governments are currently engaged in maintaining bilateral trade worth $10 billion. Looking ahead, Kazakhstan plans to increase its export of 34 products, primarily from metallurgical, petrochemical, food, and engineering industries, valued at over $630 million. Over the past year, the volume of freight transported by rail and road increased by 40%. Kazakhstan and Turkey have now set a target for a further threefold increase by developing the potential of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR). At the business forum, over 500 representatives of the Turkish business community were informed of Kazakhstan’s investment climate and government support for investors. It was stated that Kazakhstan and Turkey are currently implementing some 100 joint investment projects costing about $3.8 billion. Addressing Turkish businesses, Bektenov emphasized Kazakhstan’s enormous investment potential and interest in furthering mutually beneficial cooperation with Turkey, stating, “Kazakhstan’s key aims are transferring advanced technologies, localizing production and creating advanced processing clusters to produce high-quality products with high added value. Investors who are ready to cooperate in this direction will be provided with the necessary resources, infrastructure, and support.” At the close of the business forum, 10 commercial contracts were signed and totalling over $180 million, included a memorandum on the export of finished products, as well as the construction of a logistics hub and factories producing soda ash, sprinkler equipment, nonwoven materials, and assembly of irrigation equipment.

Kyrgyzstan Education Bilateral Trade business and economy Azerbaijan Transport

Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan Expand Economic and Transport Cooperation

During a state visit to Azerbaijan on 24 April, Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov joined President Ilham Aliyev in bilateral talks at the 2nd gathering of the Interstate Council of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan. As a result of the meeting in Baku and in support of a joint declaration to deepen relations, the leaders signed a strategic partnership agreement between Azerbaijan and the Kyrgyz Republic. In a statement to journalists, President Aliyev referred to centuries-old ties of cooperation, friendship and interaction enjoyed by Azerbaijan and Central Asia, and announced, “Today, the regions of Central Asia, the Caspian Sea and Azerbaijan are of great importance in terms of energy resources, transportation routes and trade. We are seeing great potential here and are strengthening interaction with our traditional partners from brotherly countries. Among them, cooperation with Kyrgyzstan is of particular importance.” During the meeting, the two governments signed an addendum to the agreement on the authorized capital of the Azerbaijani-Kyrgyz Development Fund, to quadruple it from $25 million to $100 million. To date, the Fund has received over 40 applications for investment projects in Kyrgyzstan and according to Aliyev, the construction of a five-star hotel financed by Azerbaijan already begun at Kyrgyzstan’s Lake Issyk-Kul, is due for completion by the end of next year. The president commended the significant increase and potential for growth in trade between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan and reported Azerbaijan’s interest in investing in renewable energy projects in Kyrgyzstan. With reference to transport, he recommended that consultations proceed on coordination of transport routes in terms of digitalization and tariff policy, to make the route via the Caspian Sea and Central Asia to Europe both faster and more commercially viable. President Japarov, in turn, referenced Kyrgyzstan’s construction of a secondary school in the Aghdam district of Azerbaijan, saying, “The construction of this school is Kyrgyzstan's contribution to the restoration of peace in the regions affected by the [Azeri-Armenian] conflict.”