@dreamstime

25 Apr 2024
Central Asia, Uzbekistan, Business & Economy, Uzbekistan Business & Economy

Uzbekistan’s First Quarter 2024 Gold Exports Rise to $2.66 Billion

Uzbekistan exported gold worth $2.66 billion in the first quarter (January-March) of 2024.

In 1Q 2024, Uzbekistan’s total foreign trade turnover amounted to $15.8 billion, which is almost $1 billion (6.2%) more than in the same period in 2023. Exports increased by 10% to $6.38 billion, and imports increased to $9.44 billion. The foreign trade deficit decreased slightly and amounted to $3.05 billion, which is $232.2 million less than in 2023.

In 1Q 2024, gold exports increased by 10.5% annually and amounted to $2.66 billion — in 1Q 2023, the figure was $2.41 billion. Revenues from gold exports comprised 41.7% of the country’s total exports. More than $1.35 billion worth of gold was exported in March, or nearly the same amount as in February ($1.32 billion).

Looking at the total annual figures, in 2023 Uzbekistan’s total export volume was $24.4 billion. Of that sum, 33.4%, or $8.1 billion, was accounted for by gold exports.

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Times of Central Asia

@iStock

25 Apr 2024
Central Asia, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan

Group of Central Asians Charged in Germany on Terrorism Offenses

Germany’s justice system has charged seven Central Asians, aged 20 to 46, with preparing terrorist attacks on behalf of the Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISIS-K).

The suspects were arrested back in July 2023 in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in western Germany. The citizens of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are accused of creating a terrorist organization. According to the German prosecutor’s office, they intended to carry out terrorist attacks in Western Europe, but at the time of their arrest they did not have any specific plan.

In March of this year, ISIS-K took responsibility for the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall near Moscow, which killed 145 people.

German law enforcement authorities believe that some of the attackers entered Germany via Ukraine after Russia’s February 2022 invasion, while others came from the Netherlands.

Before their arrest, the suspects are alleged to have periodically met to discuss potential locations for a terrorist attack. According to police information, they were also engaged in fundraising for terrorist activities.

German law enforcement agencies have been on constant alert since the terrorist attack in December 2016, when radical Islamist Anis Amri drove a truck into a crowd of people in Berlin’s Breitscheidplatz Square.

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Times of Central Asia

@iStock

25 Apr 2024
Central Asia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Business & Economy

Central Asians Not Bananas About Bananas

According to the agricultural trade publication East Fruit, Central Asians have little taste for bananas.

Kazakhstan has the highest consumption rate but with an average of  4.5 kg of fresh bananas eaten per person, per year, comes nowhere near Uganda where each year, individuals enjoy a whopping 270 kg of bananas.

Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are  fast catching up with Kazakhstan whilst in Tajikistan, the annual banana consumption per head  is only 2.3 kg. In Turkmenistan, it appears that many citizens never touch the fruit.  Lagging far behind its neighbours, a very modest  160 grams  are consumed per head, per year; a figure which according to East Fruit analysts is even lower than that recorded for North Korea.

Not surprisingly,  countries with the highest banana consumption tend to be those  where the fruit is grown and exported and by way of explaining the above data, Andriy Yarmak, an economist in the investment department of the Unites Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stated,  “Such a low consumption of bananas in Central Asian countries is due to the distance of the countries from the port infrastructure, which makes logistics very expensive. In addition, many countries in the region have high tariff and non-tariff barriers that prevent the import of exotic fruits into these regions. The third factor is the relatively low prices of local fruits, especially in the season of their mass production.”

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Times of Central Asia

@digital.gov.kg

25 Apr 2024
Central Asia, Local Politics, Kyrgyzstan, Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Local Politics, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

Starlink Close to Providing Internet Access in Remote Parts of Kyrgyzstan

Representatives of Kyrgyzstan’s ministry of digital development have met again with the American company Starlink, with a view to bringing satellite internet access to the country.

However, there are still regulatory hurdles in Kyrgyzstan that hinder the development of Starlink technology. Elon Musk’s aerospace company SpaceX first entered the Kyrgyz market in 2021, and a subsidiary company named Starlink KG was registered. However, the first attempts at cooperation were unsuccessful, as the Kyrgyz authorities refused to allocate the necessary radio frequencies without a tender process. Starlink KG received a license for its operations only at the end of last year.

Nevertheless, Starlink remains willing to work with Kyrgyzstan, one of its directors Rebecca Hunter meeting recently with the Kyrgyz ambassador to the U.S. and Canada Baktybek Amanbaev to discuss this issue.

Last year, deputy chairman of the cabinet Edil Baisalov also spoke with representatives from Starlink. They discussed the possibility of using this company’s technology to deploy satellite internet in Kyrgyzstan’s mountainous regions, particularly in remote schools.

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Times of Central Asia

KB22

25 Apr 2024
Central Asia, Kazakhstan Lead Story, Lead Story, Home, Justice, Kazakhstan Justice, Kazakhstan

Kuandyk Bishimbayev Pleads Guilty to Negligent Homicide

 

The judicial inquiry into the case of Kuandyk Bishimbayev concluded on April 24 in Astana. Aitbek Amangeldy, the brother of Saltanat Nukenova, announced that further court dates are scheduled for April 29, 30, and May 2-4. Bishimbayev, who formerly served as Kazakhstan’s National Economy Minister, faces allegations of murdering his partner Saltanat Nukenova in November 2023, at the Bau restaurant in Astana. He was detained on the day of the incident.

The trial commenced towards the end of March. Bishimbayev could receive a sentence ranging from 15 to 20 years to life imprisonment, depending on the severity of the crime as determined by the court. A jury will be instructed to reach a verdict regarding his culpability.

 

At the end of the session, Judge Aizhan Kulbaeva sought to clarify whether Bishimbayev has changed his position via-a-vis the charges – “In the main trial, when the prosecutor read out the indictment, brought charges and clarified your position on those charges, at that time your position was that you do not fully admit guilt on two episodes of the charges brought against you… Does your position remain the same?” the judge inquired.

“I do not plead guilty to the charge of torture. In the part of the charge of premeditated murder with particular cruelty, I admit that I inflicted beatings that led to the death of Nukenova. But I do not admit that I did it deliberately, that I wanted her dead and acted with particular cruelty,” replied Bishimbayev.

“Do you plead guilty to having inflicted grievous bodily harm, which caused Nukenova’s death through negligence?” the judge sought to clarify.

“Yes,” the ex-minister replied.

Photo screenshot from the broadcast of the trial; text reads “she is covered in blood and bruises.”

 

Meanwhile, the second defendant, Bykhytzhan Bayzhanov, stated before the court that he pleads not guilty to charges of under-reporting and concealment.

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Times of Central Asia

akorda.kz

25 Apr 2024
Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan International Affairs, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

Britain’s Cameron Signs Strategic Partnership Agreement in Astana

A strategic partnership and cooperation agreement between Kazakhstan and Great Britain was signed by the two countries’ foreign ministers, Murat Nurtleu and David Cameron, in Astana on 24 April.

The Kazakh Foreign Ministry has commented that the document aims to strengthen bilateral relations in a wide range of sectors including foreign policy and security, trade and investment, protection of intellectual property, partnerships in energy and raw materials, transportation, protection of the environment and climate change, banking and financial services, employment and social policy, science, and education.

Nurtleu added: “This comprehensive agreement will be a significant step in taking political, trade and investment relations between Astana and London to new horizons… We believe our strong and mutually beneficial strategic partnership will continue to strengthen all areas, from energy to rare metals, ecology to education.”

Cameron recalled that strategic dialogue between the countries had begun eleven years ago during his first visit to Kazakhstan as Britain’s prime minister and confirmed the UK’s commitment to developing cooperation with Kazakhstan as its key partner in Central Asia.

Memoranda of understanding on opening a branch of Queen’s University Belfast in Almaty and launching Kazakh language courses at Oxford University were also concluded during Cameron’s visit.

At a meeting with Cameron later that day, Kazakh president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reiterated the importance of collaboration between the two countries and commending the strategic partnership and cooperation agreement, announced, “I am confident that this comprehensive document will definitely give a fresh boost to our multifaceted bilateral agenda.”

Great Britain is among the highest ten foreign investors in Kazakhstan. Since 2005, Kazakhstan’s economy has received $17 billion in FDI from the UK and last year alone, over $795 million .

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