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From 1 June, Uzbekistan Airways will begin operating regular flights between Almaty in Kazakhstan and Nukus, the main city of Uzbekistan’s north-western Karakalpak Autonomous Region. Flights on a 174-seat A320 aircraft, will operate twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. In welcoming the move, the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan said that the new air route would greatly enhance the development of trade, economic and business cooperation between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The introduction of the flights will also benefit tourism, making it easier and quicker to visit the region’s renowned Savitsky Museum, home to one of the world’s best collections of Soviet art; the Muynak Ship Cemetery on the fast-disappearing Aral Sea, and the ancient city of Mizdakhan. The total number of international flights from Kazakhstan now stands at 567 per week on 121 air routes, including direct flights to 28 countries.
On 13 May, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reported on government plans to increase the country’s coal production. The country’s coal reserves currently amount to almost 2 billion tons, and production continues to grow. In 2023, Uzbekistan produced 6.550 million tons of coal compared to less than 4 million tons in 2016. The target this year, is to increase coal production to 8 million tons, and by 2025, up to 10 million tons. As a result of an earlier drive by the government to attract investment in the industry from the private sector, 369 thousand tons of coal were produced in 2023 and this year, is expected to rise to 900 thousand tons. Geological exploration is currently underway at new coal deposits in the regions of Surkhandarya, Kashkadarya and Tashkent, and according to the report, coal production in these areas should begin next year.
On May 13, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev conducted a government meeting on measures to develop digital technologies and expand IT training for young people across the country. In recent years, Uzbekistan’s IT sector has undergone rapid growth and compared to the 147 companies registered in 2017, the country now has close to 2,000. The number of specialist employees has likewise increased and today some 30,000 people work in high-paid company jobs and a further 70,000 young people are independently engaged in the sector. During the first quarter of this year alone, services in the sector increased by 20 percent, exports amounted to $200 million, and 5,000 new jobs were created. Home to 80 percent of the country’s IT specialists, Tashkent represents the hub of Uzbekistan’s IT services and exports. To redress the balance through the development of the IT sector further afield, the government now plans to create IT towns in fifteen of the country’s regions and in the city of Khanabad. Once established, the IT towns will enable some 10,000 young people per year to study, free of charge, information technologies, foreign languages, and other professions in high demand. Hailing the initiative, the president emphasized that the key aim of the IT towns is to “give young people wings and train them in professions fit for the modern world.”
On 13 May, Satbayev University (Kazakhstan), EOS GmbH (Germany), and NORM Additive (Turkey) signed a framework agreement on the creation of a consortium for the establishment of a Center for Additive Technologies at Kazakhstan’s Institute of Physics and Technology. Reporting from the meeting in Almaty, Kazakh Invest outlined proposals for a pilot project comprising a scientific and innovative competence center for working with materials such as polyamide and metal powders to produce various components on 3D printers. At the first stage, the group plans to create an innovation center for technology transfer and the creation of competencies. During the next stage, a research and innovation center (R&D) will be established to manufacture and test the first batch of products. The third stage involves the commercial production of specific components to meet the demands of automotive, aerospace, engineering, oil and gas industry, and medicine companies. Developments thereafter, include facilities to study materials such as polymers and their components, for use in the production of industrial-scale 3D printers. Looking to the future, the project has the potential to create a niche industry which will increase Kazakhstan’s ability to compete in the global market with high-value-added products.
Akplas, a leading Turkish manufacturer, has announced plans to produce modern irrigation systems for agriculture in Kazakhstan’s Kyzylorda region. According to a report issued by Kazakh Invest, agreement on the project was reached during the Turkish company’s visit to Kazakhstan on 11 May. During their meeting, organized with assistance from Kazakh Invest, representatives of Akplas discussed the implementation of the project with Kyzylorda’s executive bodies and inspected the site earmarked for the build of the factory. Expected to be commissioned in early 2025, the first stage of the project will cost around $10 million, followed by a further investment of some $50 million. The facility will initially manufacture sprinkler irrigation systems to serve 80 thousand hectares per year and within five years, increase its production capacity for the irrigation of 400 thousand hectares.
On May 11, Ministers of Transport of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Marat Karabaev and Ilkhom Makhkamov signed a Road Map for strategic cooperation in transport and logistics for 2024-2025. During the meeting in Astana, the ministers discussed the development of international transport corridors, rail and road transportation, and joint projects relating to the construction of a transport infrastructure. High on the agenda, were the joint implementation of the construction of the Uzbekistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan railway and the collaborative development of the multimodal transport corridor Belarus – Russia – Kazakhstan – Uzbekistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan. With reference to accelerating transportation through the digitalization of cargo documentation, the parties lauded the introduction of the ‘E-permit’ system of electronic exchange of permit forms between the two countries. The Kazakh side welcomed Uzbekistan’s plans to build the Termez – Mazar-i-Sharif – Kabul - Peshawar railway and confirming his country’s readiness to participate in the project, Marat Karabaev stated, “The implementation of the project will contribute to the development of regional connectivity and trade for the countries of Central Asia, giving them access to the major sea ports of the South Asian region.” The parties also reported that work is now underway on a new railway line between Darbaza and Maktaaral, which will increase the throughput capacity between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan by a further 10 million tons. The Kazakh minister noted that the volume of export-import transportation between the two countries by road increased by 6% over the past year and amounted to 1.8 million tons.
