@diora_u / Instagram

08 May 2024
Central Asia, Justice, Uzbekistan, Life & Culture, Uzbekistan Home, Uzbekistan Life & Culture, Uzbekistan Local Politics

Uzbek Businesswoman Diora Usmanova Recounts Own History of Marital Violence

Diora Usmanova, the owner of two restaurants and some clothing brands in Uzbekistan, has spoken on her Instagram page about the beatings she suffered from her first husband, Babur Usmanov, who was the nephew of the billionaire Alisher Usmanov. Usmanova herself is related to Ziroatkhon Mirziyoyeva, the wife of Uzbek president Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Usmanova wrote that the story could cause her harm, but that she believes the benefits will “outweigh the risks a hundredfold” and will “change perceptions or somehow affect women who endure domestic violence and abuse,” Gazeta.uz reported.

“We loved each other and fought very hard for our marriage. Subsequently, when he started to raise his hand against me and when these beatings went on, and the beatings continued for four years, there were concussions, and a lot of blood, and bruises, and [my] whole body in bruises, and a lot of broken furniture, doors, everything,” she said.

Domestic violence is not only the man’s fault, but also the woman’s, Usmanova said. “We don’t value ourselves enough, we’re not brave enough, we’re not strong enough, we’re afraid to give a backhand, we’re afraid to tell our parents, we’re afraid to go back to our parents, we’re afraid to start everything again. For the fact that we hope that it will change, that it will [bear] some good fruits in the future, that it will survive — this is all our problem,” Usmanova said.

In her opinion, women should terminate harmful relationships and find the strength to leave — and most importantly, learn to respect themselves.

“You have to leave such relationships. [That’s] because of the fact that you forgive once, forgive the second time, and then it becomes a habit, a person realizes that it is forgiven, it can end very badly, [a] whole life just poisoned. I did not find the strength then, and now after 10 years, I look back and realize how many mistakes were made on my part and how much is my fault. Just like [it was] his,” she stated.

On May 8, 2013, Babur Usmanov was involved in a fatal car accident in Tashkent. In 2016, Usmanova married businessman Batyr Rakhimov.

Avatar

Times of Central Asia

Photo: president.uz

08 May 2024
Central Asia, Home, Uzbekistan, Life & Culture, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan Local Politics, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan Local Politics, Local Politics, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan Local Politics, Features, Uzbekistan Local Politics

Central Asian Countries Allocate Various Sums to WWII Veterans

According to the news publication Centralasia.media, countries in the region will be awarding funds to veterans, survivors, and those affected by World War II in honor of Victory Day (May 9). The payments will range from $10 to $6,825.

The government of Turkmenistan allocated the smallest amount for gifts to veterans. On behalf of the President of the Republic, 200 manat ($57 at the state exchange rate or $10 at the black-market exchange rate) will be given to the participants in the war. It’s not clear how many people will receive the payments.

According to the report, Kazakhstan’s one-time payment to soldiers who served at the front is 1.5 million tenge ($3,412). A total of 3 billion tenge (more than $ 6.8 million) has been allocated from the country’s budget for the so-called bonuses for veterans. This money will be distributed to more than 50,000 people who are related to the Great Patriotic War in one way or another. Among them are front-line workers, residents of besieged Leningrad, and the widows of soldiers. There are 148 veterans of WWII front-line combat in Kazakhstan. Those veterans can also expect payments, the amount of which will be determined by local authorities. However, it has been confirmed that a total of 3 million tenge ($6,825) was allocated to six veterans from Kazakhstan‘s Akmola region on the occasion of the May 9 holiday.

In Tajikistan, 24 front-line combat veterans will receive 40,000 somoni ($,3662) as part of the national campaign recognizing contributions to the Great Patriotic War. In Kyrgyzstan, meanwhile, 100,000 som ($1,113) will be allocated from the fund of the President of the Republic to each participant in the conflict before May 9. According to the press service of the President of Uzbekistan, a one-time monetary award of 20 million som ($1, 578) will be given to every participant and disabled person affected by World War II.

On May 9, Uzbekistan marks the Day of Memory and Honor, and the 79th anniversary of the victory in World War II.

On May 8, President Mirziyoyev attended a memorial ceremony and laid a wreath at the Ode to Fortitude monument in Tashkent’s Victory Park.

In a statement, Mirziyoyev congratulated veterans and the entire people of Uzbekistan on “the glorious holiday of May 9 – the Day of Memory and Honor and the 79th anniversary of the Great Victory in World War II. Today, commemoration events are being held in all our cities and villages, where we again remember how much grief and incalculable losses the cruel war brought to our people,” the president said.

During the Second World War, almost two million soldiers were mobilized from Uzbekistan to the front. More than 538,000 died, more than 158,000 went missing, and 870,000 were injured, with 60,000 returning from the front disabled.

Over 170 plants and factories were relocated to Uzbekistan from western regions of the Soviet Union occupied by the Nazi Germany. “Our people sent a huge amount of military equipment, weapons, medicine, clothing, and food to the front. Our people gave shelter to almost 1.5 million people evacuated from war zones, and took in 250,000 children who lost their parents, sharing their last piece of bread with them,” Mirziyoyev said.

Avatar

Times of Central Asia

president.uz

08 May 2024
Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan Business & Economy, Uzbekistan Life & Culture, Uzbekistan International Affairs

Uzbekistan and Hungary Expand Economic Cooperation

On May 7, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, Peter Szijjártó at the 9th meeting of the Uzbek-Hungarian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation in Taskent.

Focus was placed on cooperation on projects in industry, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, fish farming, logistics, and real estate construction, with added emphasis on the importance of accelerating the launch of a special economic zone for projects conducted by Hungarian and European companies in the Tashkent region.

Co-chaired by Peter Szijjártó and the Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan Laziz Kudratov, the meeting also addressed the further development of cooperation in investment, industrial, trade and economic, banking, cultural and humanitarian sectors.

It was stated that over the past 5 years, Uzbek-Hungarian trade turnover has doubled and in the first quarter of 2024 alone, bilateral trade grew six-fold compared to the same period in 2023.

Measures to increase bilateral trade include the launch of “Meet Uzbekistan” programs to promote Uzbek products in Budapest’s large retail chains, as well as the organization of roadshows for Uzbek manufacturers in Hungary’s largest cities.

Both sides stressed the importance of diversifying transport routes, liberalizing permits for bilateral and transit transportation, resuming direct flights between Tashkent and Budapest, and organizing a logistics hub for Uzbek products in Hungary.

Note was made of Hungarian companies’ implementation of projects worth almost $500 million in Uzbekistan, and thanks expressed for Hungary’s provision of a state scholarship ‘Stipendium Hungaricum’ which enables some 300 Uzbek students to study at its universities.

 

 

Avatar

Times of Central Asia

@aljazeera.com

08 May 2024
Central Asia, Home, International Affairs, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan International Affairs, Kazakhstan Business & Economy, Features

Why Kazakhstan’s Deepening Ties With Afghanistan Are Significant

At the end of April a Kazakh delegation made an official visit to Kabul, where a meeting of the Kazakh-Afghan Business Forum and an exhibition of Kazakh products were held.

This was the third bilateral event aimed at expanding trade and economic ties between Kazakhstan and Afghanistan. The visit to Kabul indicates Astana’s intention to enhance Kazakhstan’s relations with the new Afghan authorities, and not only through trade. This is evidenced by a number of details that differed from previous official contact.

First, an unannounced trilateral government meeting took place between Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan in Kabul. The result was the announcement that a new logistics route to Afghanistan through Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan would be developed.

There is nothing earthshaking about this – Turkmenistan is set to become a transportation hub for international corridors passing through Kazakhstan, primarily the North-South and the Middle corridors, as well as the Lapis Lazuli Corridor (Turkey-Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan-Afghanistan).

What is significant is that the sides are striving to create favorable conditions for logistics, especially more competitive transport tariffs so trains can pass through faster. This is particularly important given congestion in Uzbekistan, where bottlenecks occur. The announcement in Kabul also means a direct route to economically attractive western Afghanistan and further south.

What else made the Kabul visit notable was the meeting between Kazakh deputy prime minister Serik Zhumangarin, who oversees trade, and Abdul Kabir, the Taliban’s deputy prime minister for political affairs. Given the reputation of the Taliban, it is not in the interests of Astana to simply stage a conversation for the cameras.

Unfortunately, details about the Zhumangarin-Kabir meeting are few. According to the available information, the deputy prime ministers discussed security issues in Afghanistan, apparently in the context of how to grow the Afghan economy. Following the meeting, Kabir stated that Afghanistan does not want to be a threat to the region, and intends to improve relations with its neighbors through the progressive development of trade and economic relations.

The Zhumangarin-Kabir meeting is said to have taken place on the initiative of the Afghan side. Considering Kabir’s closeness to the emir of the Taliban, it is likely that the initiative came from him.

Other notable outcomes of the visit of the Kazakh delegation to Kabul included: discussion of joint projects for geological exploration, mining and processing of solid minerals in Afghanistan, as well as in the IT sector; discussion of the possibilities for supplying Kazakh-made cars and subsequent localization of service centers in Afghanistan; a rise in the quota for Afghan students at Kazakh universities from 30 to 60, as well as a 10-day trip to children’s camps in Kazakhstan for 30 Afghan children in the summer of 2024; and discussion of the possibility of establishing direct flights between the two countries.

Aidar Borangaziev is a Kazakhstani diplomat. He has worked in the diplomatic service in Iran and Afghanistan. He is a founder of the Open World Center for Analysis and Forecasting Foundation (Astana). He is an expert in regional security.

 

 

Avatar

Times of Central Asia

@mfa.tj

08 May 2024
Central Asia, Tajikistan International Affairs, International Affairs, Tajikistan

Tajikistan Warns Its Citizens to Be Ready for Additional Checks at Kazakhstan’s Airports

Tajikistan’s Foreign Ministry has reminded its citizens in a statement on its website to have all necessary documents with them before leaving for Kazakhstan due to increased security measures at all airports in the neighboring country.

“In case of checks when passing border and customs control upon arrival in Kazakhstan, citizens of Tajikistan should be ready to answer questions related to the purpose and timing of their trip, place of residence, the presence of acquaintances or relatives in Kazakhstan, providing, if necessary, their residential address and contact numbers,” the Foreign Ministry said. The Ministry noted that in case of difficulties it is necessary to apply to the Embassy of Tajikistan in Kazakhstan or the Consulate General in Almaty.

Fom May 1, aviation security measures have been strengthened in all of Kazakhstan’s airports. Additional measures have been introduced at security check areas, parking lots and passenger terminals.

As reported by the press service of Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Committee (CAC) at the Ministry of Industry, the first line of inspection at the entrance to passenger terminals has been introduced to help preclude the movement of prohibited items and substances. “Strengthening of measures on aviation security is associated with the implementation of preventive measures and assessment of the state of aviation security of civil aviation air transport infrastructure,” stated the CAC.

Avatar

Times of Central Asia

Image: TCA, Aleksandr Potolitsyn

07 May 2024
Central Asia, Lead Story, Home

Central Asia as an Emerging Economic Region

Central Asia, spanning an area from the Caspian Sea in the west to China in the east and from Afghanistan in the south to Russia in the north, is rapidly emerging as a significant economic block. Comprising five post-Soviet states — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan — this region is distinguished by its rich natural resources and strategic geographic position, as well as its natural beauty and cultural heritage. With a combined population of around 75 million people, Central Asia has emerged as a dynamically developing market that is increasingly attracting global interest.

The transformation unfolding in Central Asia holds both promise and significant challenges for its residents and foreign investors alike. This shift is driven by increasing calls for political reform, the dynamism of a youthful population, and an imperative for sustainable development alongside the pressing need to diversify economic bases.

 

Structural changes following independence in 1991 set the stage for robust growth from 2000s onward

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Central Asian countries faced the challenge of transitioning from centrally-planned to market-oriented economies. This period was marked by significant economic difficulties across the region including negative GDP growth and hyperinflation, compounded by the complexities of privatization, legal reforms, and both social and political instability. The nations responded with different development strategies aimed at market liberalization, infrastructure improvement, and the utilization of natural resources.

By 2000, Central Asia experienced a noticeable economic resurgence, marking a striking contrast to the conditions in 1991. In that year, Uzbekistan’s GDP growth was at -0.5%, Kyrgyzstan at -7.9%, and Kazakhstan at -11%. A decade later, these countries reported positive growth rates of 4.2%, 5.3%, and 13.5%, respectively. This remarkable turnaround can be attributed to the “low base effect,” where the initially low economic indicators set the stage for significant improvements over time.

The total GDP of Central Asian countries has grown seven times since the beginning of the 2000s. In comparison with the global economic growth rate of +2.6% annually, the Central Asian region grew by an average of 6.2% between 2000 and 2023 according to IMF data.

All Central Asian states are forecasted to outpace the IMF’s projected growth rate for emerging markets and developing economies 2024 which stands at 4.2%; however, actual growth will depend on reforms and foreign investment. Kazakhstan has set the highest growth goal with a five-year target GDP increase to $450 billion, which would require an achievable but challenging 6% annual growth.

As illustrated below, Kazakhstan stands out as the economic powerhouse of Central Asia with a GDP almost 1.5 times that of all the other countries combined.

 

 

Labor markets: Optimal demographics for growth and innovation

According to United Nations data, approximately 75 million people live in Central Asia, representing 1% of the world’s population. Relative to the global median age, all of Central Asia boasts a young population.

A youthful population fuels economic growth by replenishing the workforce, driving innovation, and expanding consumer markets. It supports older demographics through social systems and can significantly boost a country’s economy if coupled with investments in education, healthcare, and job creation.

Among the five republics, Tajikistan has the youngest median age at 21.5 years. Kazakhstan has the highest at 29.5; however, it is the only state trending towards a younger median age.

 

 

With such an age distribution, Central Asian societies’ demands for qualitative changes in the social sphere and the labor market are both expected and justified. The younger generation strives to improve their well-being through access to quality education and promising jobs, and, as a result, decent wages.

Central Asia’s young population is at risk of being underutilized or getting caught in the “middle income trap,” where a country reaches a certain income level but can’t advance to a high-income status, typically because of stagnant productivity, lack of innovation, and insufficient competitiveness. Escaping this trap for Central Asia entails a strategic investment in advanced education and innovation, the building blocks of high-value industries that can drive a sustainable economic expansion.

In Kazakhstan, for example, more than 54,500 students are currently enrolled in various studies of emerging technologies, including 31,400 officials undergoing professional training. In 2023, more than 13,000 graduates of higher and postgraduate education had a 78.7% employment rate, according to data provided by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Science and Education.

All five states face the dual challenge of ensuring that their workforce remains competitive on a global scale while also providing fair wages to their employees. Kazakhstan offers the highest wages in the region at $863 per month.

 

 

Over the past five years, despite the Covid-19 crisis, the average salaries in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have almost doubled. At the same time, the epidemic had a strong impact on their level of employment. Between 2020 and 2022, there was a sensitive increase in the unemployment rate (the number of people actively seeking work but are unable to find employment). Economies are still recovering from the pandemic.

The labor markets of these countries responded to the above challenges by adjusting the conditions for their workers, such as through switching to remote work, providing free retraining opportunities to acquire new skills and successful employment, and giving support to self-employed individuals and small and medium-sized businesses.

However, according to data for 2023, not all countries in the region managed to stabilize the situation in the same manner. In Kyrgyzstan, the unemployment rate remains at 9% (a value unchanged for three years) and Uzbekistan is at 8.4%, while in Kazakhstan, the unemployment rate has returned to the pre-crisis level of 4.8%. There is no publicly available data for Turkmenistan and Tajikistan for 2023.

 

 

The pandemic required restrictions to economic activity which exacerbated social inequality in the Central Asia region. According to the World Bank World Development Indicators, Kyrgyzstan suffered the most. In 2019, a fifth of the republic’s population (20.1%) was below the poverty line; in 2022, a third of the country was in this category (33.3%). In Uzbekistan, poverty level remains at 14.1% from a high of 17% in 2021. In Tajikistan, it stands at 22.5%. Relatively speaking, Kazakhstan has prevented social inequalities brought on by the pandemic period with poverty rate rising just 1% from 4.3% to 5.3% and falling to 5.2% in 2022, the lowest among Central Asian countries providing statistics.

 

 

Retooling the economy for sustainable development

Central Asian countries are signatories to key environmental multilateral initiatives, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Ramsar Convention, Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and the Vienna Convention for the Ozone Layer along with its Montreal Protocol. These agreements address a wide range of environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity conservation, desertification, wetland protection, persistent organic pollutants, and ozone layer preservation. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan have committed to the UN-led Global Methane Pledge, which aims to reduce methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030 compared to 2020 levels.

Each country has taken proactive sustainability measures considering their natural resources. Kazakhstan, for example, has initiated a Joint Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) to bolster its contribution of essential minerals for wind turbines, batteries and other renewable energy systems and supply the global shift towards renewable energy technologies. Kazakhstan is set to increase its uranium production as the world’s largest supplier and is a burgeoning producer of green hydrogen. It has also planned to launch the so-called Fast Track, or “green corridor,” which will simplify and significantly speed up the entire process – from registration to commissioning of facilities – for new projects worth $15 million or more.

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have focused on preserving their rich biodiversity and water resources. Tajikistan’s efforts to promote the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development” (2018–2028) highlight its commitment to this cause. Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have focused on combating desertification and deforestation through ambitious tree-planting campaigns.

 

Economic diversification as a key goal for the region

For Central Asian countries, traditionally reliant on natural resources and agriculture, diversification is crucial to mitigate the risks of volatile commodity prices and to transition towards more stable and sustainable economic models that can support development and reduce poverty.

Uzbekistan, for instance, is reducing its dependency on cotton by increasing the production of fruits, vegetables, and grains, while also tapping into its rich cultural heritage to boost the tourism sector.

Kazakhstan has already launched some 300 projects in non-resource sectors, with plans to commission another 400 projects in 2024. The country is creating favorable conditions for small and medium-sized businesses and is incentivizing businesses to produce and export goods with high added values, such as steel, machinery, and equipment.

Turkmenistan, for its part, is enhancing natural gas exports with new gas chemical products while modernizing its agricultural industry. The country is also promoting its textile sector.

Tajikistan is concentrating on exploiting its hydropower potential for electricity exports, modernizing agriculture to enhance food security and export capacity, expanding its mining sector beyond traditional outputs, and developing tourism by capitalizing on its natural and cultural heritage.

And finally, Kyrgyzstan is developing its services sector, creative economy, and agricultural exports with the support of USAID and Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Central Asian nations are boosting their global competitiveness and diversifying their economies by creating specialized economic zones tailored to their unique strategies and capabilities. For instance, Kazakhstan has 14 special economic zones (SEZs) strategically designed to enhance the country’s position as a key trade and logistics hub, especially considering its pivotal location along the Belt and Road Initiative. This initiative aims to improve connectivity and cooperation between East Asia, Europe, and East Africa through trade and infrastructure projects. To date, 354 projects have been implemented in the territory of 14 SEZs, totaling over 7.5 trillion tenge (around $16.9 billion) and employing more than 25,500 people. Some 2.9 trillion tenge (around $6.5 billion) were attracted in investments, according to Kazakhstan’s Minister of Industry and Construction, Kanat Sharlapayev.

Uzbekistan has likewise established 23 Free Economic Zones (FEZs) and approximately 502 specialized small industrial zones (SIZs) across the nation’s various regions to enhance foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction. General Motors Uzbekistan (now known as UzAuto Motors), for example, operates in the special economic zone “Jizzakh.”

Kyrgyzstan’s Maimak Free Economic Zone, located near the border with China, aims to facilitate trade and logistics. China has become the main source of Kyrgyz imports while Russia has emerged as the primary destination for exports, including re-exports.

Tajikistan has four Free Economic Zones with “Dangara” zone slated to domicile a joint oil refinery with Azerbaijan. For its part, Turkmenistan has created the Awaza Tourist Zone as part of its efforts to tap into the tourism industry.

 

Conclusion

The Central Asian states have largely overcome the many pressing economic challenges following their independence in 1991 – albeit at their own pace and with varying degrees of sustainable success as demonstrated by the growth, income and unemployment data provided above.

With strong forecasted growth rates outpacing many other emerging economies in the world, and with a young and robust population excited about the global era of innovation, the region remains well-poised to attract global attention and investments.

To realize their full potential, the Central Asian countries should continue to focus on creating productive employment for their youth, revising their economies to achieve sustainable development goals, and diversify away from traditional sectors towards higher value-added industries. It is an exciting time for a region that holds the promise of ultimately achieving a safer and greener world.

Avatar

Times of Central Asia