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On July 5, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, Akylbek Japarov visited the northern Chui region to inspect the Tulpar Motors assembly plant, a joint Kyrgyz-Uzbek enterprise for the manufacture of Chevrolet and Isuzu vehicles. Construction of the plant began in May 2023 and the first car rolled off its assembly line in May 2024. Already in operation, the plant will be officially opened in July-August by the president of Kyrgyzstan. According to plans, within five years, the number of employees at the plant will reach 1,400 and the total investment in the project, will amount to $110 million. During the first year, Uzbekistan’s UzAuto Motors will invest $50 million in the assembly of 10,000 cars, beginning with the Chevrolet Nexia R3. At the initial stage, components will be provided by Uzbekistan but thereafter, will be produced inhouse to enable the Kyrgyz plant's manufacture of some 20,000 vehicles per year. During his visit, the head of the Cabinet of Ministers noted that the cars, trucks, and buses produced by the plant will meet the demand in Kyrgyzstan and be available for export to other Central Asian countries.
At the Kazakh-Chinese Business Council meeting in Astana on July 2, the administration of Kostanay, Baiterek Venture Fund, KazFoodProducts, and the Chinese company Myande Group signed a Memorandum of cooperation for the construction of the Qostanay Grain Industry plant in Kostanay. As reported by Kazakh Invest, the plant for the deep processing of wheat into amino acids, bioethanol, gluten, animal feed, and wheat bran, when launched in 2027, will manufacture 430 thousand tons of products per year and create about 600 jobs. Hailing the agreement as an important step in strengthening bilateral relations, Rong Zhen, CEO of Myande Group, stated, “We see huge potential in the agro-industrial sector of Kazakhstan, and this cooperation will increase its efficiency and manufacturability and open up new opportunities for Kazakh products to enter the Chinese market." Alikhan Kairatbek, CEO of KazFoodProducts, added: "Based on the quadripartite agreement, it is planned to increase the production of starch molasses to 33 thousand tons per year for further use by domestic confectionery companies. New jobs will be created. Together with the Akimat (administration) of Kostanay region and Baiterek Venture Fund, we are launching large–scale projects in the field of agriculture and are very pleased to have a strategic partnership with Myande Group." Myande Group will also upgrade the AsiaGrowFood plant for deep processing of corn in the Almaty region to increase its production from 200 to 300 tons per day. Deep processing of grain is one of the most promising areas in the manufacturing industry regarding products with high added value. Kazakhstan annually harvests 16-17 million tons of grain, a third of which are exported. Over 260 different types of products with added value can be produced from grain.
On July 2, Chairman of the Board of Kazakh Invest Yerzhan Yelekeyev, met Abbas Sahin, Vice-President of the Turkish group Alarko, to discuss the construction of a greenhouse complex in Shymkent in South Kazakhstan. As reported by Kazakh Invest, Alarko signed a contract with the Investment Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, to invest $150 million in the country’s agro-industrial sector for the first stage of a project comprising the construction of greenhouses, spanning 200 hectares, and creating 1,750 jobs. Preparations by the Turkish company for construction are now underway, with completion scheduled for 2026. Once in operation, the greenhouses aim to produce up to 50,000 tons of tomatoes per year. “Our company has operated in your country for the last 32 years,” said Abbas Sahin. “Given the large land area and available export markets, Kazakhstan has everything necessary to develop the agro-industrial sector. We see the amount of work that has been done in creating the excellent investor protection mechanisms that are now available to investors. We trust the country and have already invested approximately $700 million into projects implemented in Kazakhstan.” In response, Yelekeyev thanked the Turkish investor for contributing to the development of Kazakhstan’s economy and announced, “Turkey is an important partner of Kazakhstan, having implemented more than 70 projects worth $2.8 billion over the years of independence. We highly appreciate that Turkish companies continue to trust Kazakhstan and actively support measures to implement their projects successfully.”
On June 27, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev launched the construction of the first project in the Technopark special industrial zone in the Zaamin district of Jizzakh. Chinese investors have allocated a total $1.2 billion towards the realization of 30 projects in the new Technopark. Located on 400 hectares of land, the Technopark will comprise facilities to produce goods with high added value and import-substituting products to meet demands from foreign markets, with particular focus on electrical and mechanical engineering, building materials, furniture, food, and services industries. The initiative will create over 5,000 jobs and produce $70 million worth of goods for export. The Technopark will also provide an International Center for the Exchange of Experience and Engineering, to provide training in specialized skills required by industrial enterprises. Other facilities include an office complex, residential buildings, an eco-park, a large exhibition hall and a shopping center. Apart from the Technopark, Zaamin has recently created a zone to develop its services to tourism which is fast becoming a major driver in the scenic region’s economy.
On June 27, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev joined his Chinese partners in witnessing the start of production of electric vehicles at the BYD Uzbekistan Factory in Jizzakh. The visit marked the completion of first phase of the project which will have the capacity to manufacture 50,000 electric vehicles per year. Costing $160 million, the plant is furnished with modern equipment and robotic systems from China, as well as a laboratory for high-precision testing of the geometric dimensions of electric vehicles. The plant currently manufactures the Chazor and Song Plus Champion and President Mirziyoyev left his signature on the first electric car that rolled off the assembly line. In the coming years, the range of models will expand. During the second phase, costing $300 million, manufacture will increase to up to 200 thousand electric vehicles per year, and in the third stage, at a further cost of $500 million, up to 500 thousand vehicles. In tandem with the rising volume of vehicles produced at the plant, local production of related parts will also increase. Starting with bumpers, glass, varnished and plastic parts, plans are in place to establish new enterprises to produce batteries, electric motors, aluminium parts, tires, and seats. The plant currently employs 1.2 thousand people and once all three stages are complete, the number of jobs will reach 10 thousand.
At a meeting on sustainable employment on June 25, Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov tasked his government to create employment for around a million citizens this year. Referencing the initiative, Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population Svetlana Zhakupova reported that in 2024, the government plans to ensure employment for 948 thousand Kazakhstan citizens. To date, about 353 thousand people, including 148 thousand youths, have found work, representing 37% of the target. Since the beginning of the year, 137 thousand people have secured state-subsidized jobs. Over 97 thousand have found employment under the Head of State's initiative "100 new jobs for every 10 thousand people"; over 103 thousand have filled employers' vacancies, and some 16 thousand have been employed by national project programs. Prime Minister Bektenov announced that the concept behind "Development of the Labour Market of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2024-2029" is to create a maximum number of permanent jobs, including those for young professionals. Today, up to 25 percent of graduates of technical and vocational educational institutions, work outside their professions. To address the issue, Bektenov stressed the importance of establishing interaction with employers through means such as digital monitoring of employment which tracks projects requiring new labour. In theory, the implementation of measures to ensure employment will create 3.8 million quality jobs by 2029. The meeting also addressed issues concerning the employment of Kazakhstan citizens abroad and the protection of their rights. Regarding the above, the Prime Minister warned, "We are aware of situations where their salaries were not paid, medical services were not provided, contracts were grossly violated. Work is therefore underway to conclude relevant intergovernmental agreements -and- to systematize the work of private agencies that employ our citizens abroad. Kazakh citizens should receive reliable guarantees under the contract."
