International Cooperation - The Times Of Central Asia

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Foreign Affairs

Sri Lanka Explores Deepening Ties with Central Asia

The Diplomat writes that on August 21, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sri Lanka and The Geopolitical Cartographer, a Colombo-based think tank, organized a forum on Central Asia. Colombo has been eyeing Central Asia for quite some time and between 2011 and 2021, sent delegations to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Apart from helping strengthen diplomatic ties, little else followed. The recent consultations mark a new phase in Sri Lanka’s relations with the region. Amid the war in Ukraine and rising tensions in the Middle East and Eurasia, both Sri Lanka and Central Asia are adjusting their foreign policies, and all five Central Asian states are balancing their positions, avoiding outright support for Russia while trying not to upset Moscow. “Given the many parallels in the foreign policies of Central Asia and South Asia, particularly India, does Sri Lanka’s Central Asia gambit make sense? Sri Lanka and Central Asia - seem to be placed in a positive conjuncture, a crossroads in their histories, that has made a strategic alliance both feasible and plausible,” reported Uditha Devapriya, author of the article. At the August meeting, Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry official Sashikala Premawardhane drew attention to critical issues in relations with Central Asia, particularly trade. Sri Lanka’s trade with the region is modest. Between 2011 and 2020, exports to Central Asia only twice exceeded $20 million and surpassed $10 million with a single country just once, in 2014 with Uzbekistan . In contrast, Sri Lanka imported $21 million of goods from Uzbekistan in 2015 alone. P. K. Balachandran, an Indian foreign policy analyst based in Colombo, contends that Sri Lanka needs to stabilize its relations with neighboring South Asian countries, particularly India, before it can consider Central Asia. Rathindra Kuruwita, a Sri Lankan foreign policy commentator and a regular contributor to The Diplomat, voiced his agreement, stating, “India is engaging more constructively with the [Central Asia] region. Whether Sri Lanka can match Delhi’s clout and influence is a big question and at best, highly debatable.” So, how can this island strengthen its relations with the region? Bilateral trade and diplomatic ties are important, but should be complemented by other strategies. One potential avenue could be sport. Central Asia and Sri Lanka share a platform for volleyball, Sri Lanka’s national sport and February 2022, Sri Lanka hosted the Central Asian Volleyball Association. While cultural exchanges can’t replace economic ties, sports like volleyball and Elle (similar to baseball) attract young, open-minded people and according to Pasindu Nimsara Thennakoon, a school volleyball player from Ratnapura, offer a cost-effective way to connect with other regions. Another obvious, if challenging, route to strengthening ties is through Central Asia’s outreach to South Asia: India. Multilateral platforms like the SCO also offer opportunities, albeit dominated by China, Russia, and India, but Sri Lanka’s relationship with India, which has had its share of controversies, entered a new phase after the 2022 crisis. Central Asia is considering energy connections with India. Still, given the backlash, such as the lawsuit against Adani Group’s...

International Cooperation

Kazakh-German Business Council Meets to Expand Economic Cooperation

The 15th meeting of the Kazakh-German Business Council for Strategic Cooperation, co-chaired by First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Roman Sklyar and Director of the Eastern Committee of the German Economy Michael Harms, was held in Berlin on August 28. The meeting gathered Kazakh government and business representatives and heads of leading German companies such as Siemens, Svevind Energy, CT Agro, CLAAS KGaA, Flight Design General Aviation, Deutsche Bahn, KfW Banken Gruppe, and Deutsche Bank. The co-chairs emphasized that the event was taking place ahead of Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz's visit to Kazakhstan in September. The meeting focused on expanding Kazakh-German trade and economic cooperation, attracting investments, and implementing joint projects in the agro-industrial sector and processing industry. It was noted that Germany is Kazakhstan's largest trading partner in the European Union, and that Kazakhstan is among Germany's top 50 foreign trade partners. The lion's share of German investments in Kazakhstan go to the country’s non-raw materials sector — the processing industry, chemical industry, production of building materials, transport, and agro-industrial sector. Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Kazakhstan Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alibek Kuantyrov urged further to intensify cooperation between the Kazakh and German business communities. Noting the critical role of German companies in Kazakhstan’s industrialization, Kuantyrov stated that German companies are implementing 66 projects in Kazakhstan for a total of $54 billion, creating about 15,000 jobs. Kuantyrov added that since 2005, German companies have invested about $7.8 billion in Kazakhstan’s economy, with a significant increase in the past year, reaching $770 million. He expressed confidence that the upcoming visit of Scholz to Kazakhstan will bring bilateral relations to a new level and give an additional impetus to strengthening existing and creating new economic ties. Kuantyrov emphasized the significance of cooperation in the context of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor. He noted that cargo traffic through the Middle Corridor to Germany and the EU has increased almost threefold since the beginning of 2022 — to 1.5 million tons and 2.6 million tons, respectively, during the first seven months of this year, adding that the potential of TITR is estimated at 10 million tons of cargo a year. In this regard, Kuantyrov invited German partners to participate in developing Kazakhstan’s Caspian Sea ports of Aktau and Kuryk.

Fashion

Ashgabat Promotes Turkmen and Iranian Fashion and Textiles

A Turkmen-Iranian exhibition showcasing the two countries' fashion and textile industries has newly opened at the Turkmenistan Academy of Arts. Speaking at the event, Navid Rasouli, Cultural Counselor at the Iranian Embassy in Ashgabat, announced, “The fashion industry is rapidly developing and knows no stagnation as new generations always need updated clothes and stylish images. Iran and Turkmenistan have an opportunity to establish close cooperation in this field. The first joint fashion show and professional skills training can become a basis for demonstrating the international capabilities of both countries and contribute to the expansion of economic ties." Textile companies and famous brands represented in the exhibition, include seven from Iran alongside the Ashgabat Model House of the Ministry of Textile Industry and several other enterprises from Turkmenistan. Comprehensive in its remit, the event brings together designers, embroiderers, needle workers, and weavers allowing visitors to discover a wide range of fabrics, fashion and accessories currently being created with traditional and modern techniques in both countries. In addition to providing information on courses, the exhibition also offers visitors classes on various types of needlework by Iranian master craftspeople.

International Cooperation

U.S. Think Tank Calls on American Politicians to Make Uzbekistan a Valued Partner

Daniel Runde, a senior vice-president at the Washington, D.C.-based think tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), has called on American politicians to strengthen the U.S.'s relations with Uzbekistan. He believes that Uzbekistan, a key partner for the United States in Central Asia, deserves more attention from the West. With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and growing competition with China, the U.S. could strengthen ties with Uzbekistan to promote regional stability and counterbalance Russian and Chinese influence. “Uzbekistan seeks more engagement with the United States through bilateral efforts and the “C5+1” (the five Central Asian countries plus the United States) diplomatic platform. We might never become Uzbekistan’s best friend. However, we could become better and more reliable friends. Uzbekistan has five bordering countries, and at one point in the early 2000s, it considered the United States its ‘sixth neighbor,’” Runde mentioned. “When the U.S. government was active in Afghanistan, we supported Uzbekistan’s efforts to develop its economy and invest in its security. With our disengagement from Afghanistan, we need to look at Uzbekistan as the valued partner that it could be and re-engage. We should work towards the day that Uzbekistan considers the United States its ‘sixth neighbor’ again.” According to Runde, there are several goals that the US could assist Uzbekistan in achieving. While some are significantly more difficult to handle, others are relatively straightforward: 1) Uzbekistan wants U.S. support to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), a goal it has pursued for almost 30 years. The U.S. has provided some technical help, and during a recent visit, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai reaffirmed America’s support. For further progress, Uzbekistan could benefit from greater involvement from U.S. institutions like the Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Export-Import Bank (EXIM), and U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to strengthen trade ties with the U.S. 2) Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries want the U.S. to repeal the Jackson-Vanik Amendment, which restricts regular trade with them. This amendment, initially targeting Soviet-era policies, is now outdated and seen as disrespectful, as it treats these nations as if they are still part of the Soviet Union. Repealing it would show that the U.S. respects their independence and is ready to treat them as equal partners. “Jackson-Vanik now restricts normal trade relations with several existing and former nonmarket economies, including Uzbekistan. For countries like Uzbekistan, Jackson-Vanik is a sign of disrespect that encourages them to take their business to China, Russia, Turkey, or the Gulf,” Runde argues. 3) He notes that many developing countries, including Uzbekistan, would like to see Congress successfully renew the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), a trade preference program. “The GSP benefited many developing countries by providing duty-free treatment for their products. With the absence of this program, trade volumes between Uzbekistan and the United States have not been as impressive as they might have been. Compare U.S. trade with Uzbekistan and Uzbekistan’s trade with China, Russia, or the EU. The lapse of the U.S. GSP has had a real impact on our influence...

International Relations

Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan Seal Lucrative Deals

On August 22, at the invitation of Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, arrived in Uzbekistan on a state visit. The event, covered by the presidential text service, included a report on a meeting between the presidents, and the first sitting of the Interstate Supreme Council on August 23, at which Mirziyoyev announced: “Today, we will sign the Treaty on Union Relations. For several years, we have raised Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan relations to the highest level of interstate cooperation." The Uzbek president then referred to the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, to be celebrated next year and in turn, Mirziyoyev proposed commemorating the date and declaring 2025, 'Year of Economic Cooperation between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan'. As a result of the meeting, an agreement was made to adopt a comprehensive program covering 20 prioritized sectors. Cooperation on a portfolio of projects, worth over 2 billion dollars, in energy, chemistry, mining, textile, agriculture, urban development, and other areas was established, and agreement met on increasing the number of air flights, easing surface and air transport procedures, and digital solutions. Mirziyoyev proposed establishing a mechanism for regular meetings between rectors of the two countries' leading universities and holding a joint media forum. Prospects of building tourism and business complexes in the capitals were also discussed to increase the flow of tourists, humanitarians, and business exchanges. In addition, the presidents signed an Agreement on Union Relations, adopted at the first meeting of the Interstate Supreme Council. The meeting closed with a ceremonial signing of bilateral documents comprising: ¾ Intergovernmental agreement on labor activity and protection of citizens’ rights; ¾ Practical action plan for further expansion of trade, economic, and investment cooperation; ¾ Memorandum on cooperation in the fields of preschool education, vocational education, secondary special education, higher education, and science; ¾ Action plan in the field of tourism for 2024-2026; ¾ Cooperation program for 2024-2026 between the Ministry of Justice of Uzbekistan and the State Agency for Citizen Services and Social Innovation under the President of Azerbaijan; ¾ Memorandum on cooperation between the Center for Professional Development of Lawyers under the Ministry of Justice of Uzbekistan and the Academy of Justice of the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan; ¾ Agreement on cooperation between the National Guard of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, and ¾ Memorandum on cooperation between centers of forensic expertise. During the event, the presidents also met with representatives of companies from both countries including Azerbaijan’s PASHA Holding, SOCAR, SOFAZ, Agalarov Development, Silk Way Group, Matanat, Sarda Group, AzerGold, Azermash, Azerbaijan Investment Holding, Azerbaijan Railways, and Alyat Free Economic Zone. The meeting concluded with the launch of various cooperative projects ranging from the construction of hotel and residential complexes in Tashkent and building material production in the Kashkadarya region (Uzbekistan), to the establishment of textile clusters and a sewing factory in Azerbaijan. To mark the end of the state visit, the two presidents and their wives attended in a concert featuring artists from the two countries.

International Relations

Kazakhstan Accredits Chargé D’Affaires of Afghanistan

The Kazakh Foreign Ministry has announced that the country has accredited a chargé d'affaires of Taliban-led Afghanistan to expand trade, economic, and humanitarian cooperation between the two countries. On August 21 in Astana, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alibek Bakayev met with Muhammad Ur Rehman Rahmani, head of Afghanistan’s diplomatic mission in Kazakhstan. Bakayev stated that Kazakhstan had accredited Mr. Muhammad Rahmani as chargé d'affaires. Early in June, Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced that his country had removed the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations, stressing that the move was made to develop trade and economic ties with Taliban-led Afghanistan. In recent years, Kazakhstan has made efforts to increase trade with Afghanistan and participate in Afghan transport and connectivity projects in cooperation with Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Kazakhstan has also advocated for consolidating international efforts to provide assistance to Afghanistan and resolve its complex humanitarian problems. To this end, Kazakhstan proposed establishing the UN Regional Centre for Sustainable Development for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.