Kazakh Kyrgyz commerce

18 Apr 2024
Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan Sign Commercial Deals Worth $300 Million

On the side-lines of the Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan business forum on April 17 in Astana, businesses signed off commercial deals totalling $300 million.

Attended by Deputy Prime Ministers of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Serik Zhumangarin and Adylbek Kasymaliev, the forum attracted companies engaged in mechanical engineering, industry, metallurgy, construction, logistics, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, investment, and service industries.

According to a report by the Kazakh Ministry of Trade and Integration, lucrative joint projects include the construction of solar power plants, a ferroalloy plant, a distribution centre in Kyrgyzstan, and the exchange of supplies of agricultural and other products.

In 2023, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan rose by 26% compared to the previous year, reaching $1.6 billion. Kazakhstan’s exports accounted for $1.1 billion, an increase of 35.8%, and imports stood at $495.2 million, an increase of 9%.

Times of Central Asia

Times of Central Asia

@iStock

17 Apr 2024
Features

Uzbekistan’s Population Rises to Almost 37 Million

According to data produced by the Statistics Agency of Uzbekistan, the country’s permanent population reached 36,963,262 on 1 April this year; an increase of 2.1% or 163,500 residents, compared to the beginning of 2023.

Remarkably, records indicate that from January to April, an additional 54,500 people were either born or settled in the country each month and the number of permanent residents is increasing by 1,800 people per day.

Amongst the growing population, 56.3% are citizens of working age and as recorded on 1 January, men outnumber women by 250,266.

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Times of Central Asia

Kazakhstan Ministry of Energy

17 Apr 2024
Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan International Affairs, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

Russia to Aid Construction of Coal-Fired Thermal Power Plants in Kazakhstan

On April 17, the Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan Almasadam Satkaliev and the Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation Nikolay Shulginov signed an agreement on the construction of coal-fired thermal power plants in the Kazakh cities of Kokshetau, Semey, and Ust-Kamenogorsk.

In welcoming the joint initiative, Minister Satkaliev stated that the construction of new thermal power plants will give powerful impetus to the future exploitation of the three regions’ extensive coal reserves.

With plans already in place, the construction of the first thermal power plant is scheduled to begin later this year.

Times of Central Asia

Times of Central Asia

@podrobno.uz

17 Apr 2024
Central Asia, Uzbekistan, Local Politics, Uzbekistan Business & Economy, Uzbekistan Local Politics

Uzbekistan to Raise Energy Prices for First Time in Five Years

Electricity and natural gas tariffs in Uzbekistan will increase from May 1, and social consumption quotas will also be established. The price increase will be the first since August 2019.

The quota for electricity use was defined up to 200 kWh per month, for gas — from March to October — up to 100 cubic meters, and from November to February, up to 500 cubic meters.

The authorities attribute the price increase to inflation, which has cumulatively reached 66% over the past five years. At the same time, most energy companies are suffering severe losses, with state company JSC Thermal Power Plants reporting losses of 1.6 trillion sum ($125 million).

The Uzbek government has announced assistance to the vulnerable in the form of raising the official poverty line, pensions and allowances. “About $80 million has been allocated from the state budget to support low-income families. These funds have clear sources and will be allocated in a timely manner and without any delays,” Economy and Finance Ministry spokesman Khurshed Mustafayev said.

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Times of Central Asia

@ASIA-Plus

17 Apr 2024
Central Asia, Tajikistan International Affairs, Tajikistan

Tajik Citizens Now Banned From Entering Georgia

Citizens of Tajikistan have been banned from entering Georgia since the end of March, according to a report from Tajikistan’s Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty affiliate Radio Ozodi.

The reason for this ban has not been announced. There is a visa-free travel regime between the two countries.

On April 14, Radio Ozodi’s editors received a video of more than 10 Tajik citizens complaining about not being allowed into Georgia. “I came to Georgia to submit documents to the embassy, I showed all the documents, but they didn’t let me in,” one person said in the video. When asked about the reasons denying entry to citizens of Tajikistan, a Georgian border guard replied: “no explanation.”

After the terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall near Moscow on March 22, which several citizens of Tajikistan are accused of perpetrating, the attitude towards Tajik citizens has changed in many countries of Eurasia. Turkey recently canceled its visa-free regime with Tajikistan. In response, the Tajik government canceled the visa-free regime for Turkish citizens.

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Times of Central Asia

@SKlab

17 Apr 2024
Central Asia, Kazakhstan Environment, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan International Affairs

Seismologists From Japan to Study Earthquakes in Almaty

Japanese experts in the field of seismology will come to Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, to study the nature of recent earthquakes there.

According to the foreign ministry, a seminar on seismic safety will be organized by the Kazakh Agency for International Development (KazAID). “The co-organizers of the event are the Japanese International Development Agency (JICA), the Kazakh Research and Design and Experimental Institute of Earthquake Engineering (KazNIISA) and the Center for Emergency Situations and Disaster Risk Reduction,” a statement said.

Japanese seismologists will share their experience with Central Asian counterparts. They will present advanced technologies and standards of seismic isolation, as well as discuss possible cooperation in seismic construction practices. Japanese seismologists will also study the recent earthquakes in Almaty, to allow Kazakh specialists to develop strategies to prevent risks in the future.

As previously reported, on January 23 and March 4 in Almaty, sensors recorded tremors with magnitudes of more than five points on the Richter scale. Experts say that the fluctuations of the Earth’s crust had an unusual structure for the region.

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Times of Central Asia