Karakalpakstan - The Times Of Central Asia

Viewing results 1 - 6 of 3

Asylum Karakalpakstan

Karakalpak Activist Loses Asylum Bid in Kazakhstan

An Uzbek activist who has campaigned for the rights of people in the Uzbek region of Karakalpakstan faces possible extradition after Kazakhstan denied his asylum request, according to the activist´s supporters. Aqylbek Muratbai, who has lived in Kazakhstan for years, was arrested in February at the request of Uzbek authorities and a Kazakh commission ruled against his asylum request on Friday, his supporters said. New Kazakh regulations allow Muratbai to be moved to Uzbekistan “at any time,” according to Muratbai’s account on the X platform. His lawyer plans to appeal. Karakalpakstan is an arid, semi-autonomous area in the northwest of Uzbekistan that was the scene of deadly violence in 2022. Protesters marched in opposition to planned constitutional changes that would have removed that autonomous status, and security units used force to disperse the demonstrations. At least 21 people were killed, including 4 law enforcement officers, according to Human Rights Watch. Uzbek authorities have since prosecuted Karakalpak activists for crimes including the instigation of riots and sentenced some to long prison terms. At the same time, the government has launched an investment program to develop the long-neglected region. The Karakalpakstan question is particularly sensitive for Uzbekistan because the national constitution allows the region’s people to choose secession through a referendum. Muratbai’s camp had said that he would likely face unfair prosecution if he is extradited to Uzbekistan and that the Kazakh asylum process should take that possibility into account, even if maintaining good relations with the Uzbek leadership is also important.

UNICEF Climate Change Adaptation Strategy FAO Healthcare UN Aral Sea Karakalpakstan UNDP

UN Launches Projects to Improve Health and Environment in the Aral Sea Region

The UN has launched two new projects to address environmental and health issues in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan. These projects are “Enhancing Climate-Resilient and Safe Water, Sanitation, Hygiene, and Health Services for the Most Affected Communities in Four Districts of Karakalpakstan,” and the joint project between its development programme (UNDP) and its food and agriculture organization (FAO), "Building Knowledge and Skills of Local Partners and Communities to Address Environmental Insecurities through Innovative Air, Land, and Water Management Solutions in the Aral Sea Region.” “The launch of these projects marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts to address the Aral Sea Region's profound environmental and health challenges," said Sabine Machl, the UN's Resident Coordinator in Uzbekistan. "By fostering resilience through innovative solutions in water management, health services, and community empowerment, we are laying the groundwork for a sustainable future in Karakalpakstan.” The project between the UNDP and FAO aims to increase the knowledge and skills needed by local partners and communities to solve environmental security problems. It also aims to develop practical solutions for managing air, land and water, enabling communities to adapt to and mitigate climate change. In addition, within the project's framework, special attention will be paid to introducing new approaches to water treatment, forest restoration, and soil stabilization in the region. These activities have the potential to directly benefit over 376,000 residents of the three northern districts of Moynaq, Kungrad, and Takhtakupir in Karakalpakstan, particularly women in at-risk communities. The indirect impact will extend to 200,000 more people and build on the results of the previous projects. On 16 August, the UN programme “Laying the Foundations for People-Centered, Climate-Resilient Primary Health Care and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Practices at Healthcare Facilities and Schools” was officially completed. During his visit to Karakalpakstan on August 19, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced the establishment of the Aral Sea Region International Innovation Center to improve the ecosystem and create new varieties and seeds in a saline, water-less environment. $80 million will be allocated to mitigate the consequences of climate change in the Aral Sea region. The Times of Central Asia has published several articles about the problems arising from the drying up the Aral Sea and the work being done to combat this.

Karakalpakstan

Uzbekistan to Boost Development in Karakalpakstan

On January 10th, the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a government meeting on the socioeconomic development of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, an impoverished autonomous region in the northwest of the country. In recent years, Karakalpakstan has made headlines as a politically volatile area which saw deadly unrest break out in July 2022. The region has also suffered acutely from the consequences of the Aral Sea ecological disaster.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image="13622" img_size="full" el_class="scond-image" parallax_scroll="no" woodmart_inline="no"][vc_column_text woodmart_inline="no" text_larger="no"]At the meeting, it was stated that over the past seven years, Karakalpakstan has undergone unprecedented changes. Twelve of the autonomous republic’s fifteen districts were formerly subsidized by the central government, but now they have begun to bring in revenues to the state budget. More than 5,300 projects have been implemented through investment. Forest plantations covering 1.8 million hectares have been sown on the desiccated bed of the former Aral Sea, and living conditions for 51,000 families have been improved. In Karakalpakstan, there are incentives and opportunities for doing business which are not available in any other parts of Uzbekistan - taxes on profit, turnover, land and property have all been lowered twofold, and social tax has been set at 1%.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image="13623" img_size="full" el_class="scond-image" parallax_scroll="no" woodmart_inline="no"][vc_column_text woodmart_inline="no" text_larger="no"]Over the past two years, seven decrees and resolutions have been adopted on the development of industry, agriculture, entrepreneurship, and the improvement of the infrastructure in mahallas (local neighborhoods) in Karakalpakstan, with a total of $400 million and 250 billion Uzbek som have been allocated for these purposes. Today, the population of Karakalpakstan exceeds two million, and every year 50,000 citizens enter the region’s labor market. At the meeting, the President emphasized the need to train them in modern professions, and provide them with gainful employment and decent conditions.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image="13611" img_size="full" el_class="scond-image" parallax_scroll="no" woodmart_inline="no"][vc_column_text woodmart_inline="no" text_larger="no"]In 2024, the government plans to attract $2.1 billion in foreign investment to the region. This injection of funds will help implement 206 projects in industry, 240 in the services sector, and 34 in agriculture, creating 13,000 jobs. The head of state pointed out that tourism can become a driver of economic growth in Karakalpakstan, and set the task of developing a program to kick-start tourism in the region, with a focus on environmental, ethnographic, and pilgrimage destinations. The establishment of a tourism cluster and attracting foreign experts to the local tourist industry were also discussed.