Eurasia News Digest (16-30 April, 2024)

Russia & Central Asia

Kazakhstan Commits $448.2 Million to Boost Recycling Infrastructure

The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources will allocate 200 billion tenge ($448.2 million) to finance the construction and modernization of solid waste processing plants, said Vice Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Zhomart Aliyev during an April 18 hybrid-format international conference focused on problems and prospects of the recycling industry in Kazakhstan, reported the press service of the country’s Association of Secondary Raw Material Recyclers. According to Aliyev, 94 projects have already been selected, 37 of which are new factories. Last year, Kazakhstan achieved a 24% share of sorting and processing solid household waste. According to the green economy transition concept, the share of recycling should reach 40% by 2030. Click here to read... [2]

Cameron seeks ‘new era’ in UK-Central Asia relations on a trip to the region

Lord David Cameron has heralded a “new era” in relations between Britain and Central Asia on a visit to the region amid concerns about trade sanctions on Russia being side-stepped in neighbouring countries. The Foreign Secretary is travelling across Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia in a diplomatic bid to boost trade, security and environmental ties with the UK. In talks with leaders from across the region, Lord Cameron will seek to “advance discussions on sanctions circumvention, human rights and reform,” the Foreign Office said. Click here to read... [3]

Lavrov Calls Tajik Counterpart to Smooth Over Cracks

Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov has called his Tajik counterpart to explain Russia´s anti-terrorism measures at border points, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, following Tajikistan’s complaints that its citizens are being singled out for tough treatment on arrival at Moscow airports. The telephone call to Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin of Tajikistan was initiated by the Russian side, indicating that Moscow is seeking to ease tension between the two countries in the aftermath of the killing of more than 140 people by gunmen who stormed the Crocus City Hall on the outskirts of Moscow on March 22. Several Tajik suspects were arrested, leading to increased scrutiny and harassment of the large population of Tajik migrants in Russia. Click here to read... [4]

Russia doesn’t like taking a back seat to China in Central Asia trade

It seems that the Kremlin is having a hard time accepting that Russia is playing second fiddle to China when it comes to trade in Central Asia. The reluctance of Russian officials to acknowledge trade reality was on display at a late April trade fair, held in the Uzbek capital Tashkent. In a speech at the exhibition, Igor Kamynin, Russia’s deputy trade representative, claimed, at least in the case of Uzbekistan, that Russia and China were "equal partners with an equal share in trade turnover" in the eyes of Uzbek leaders, according to a TASS news agency report. Click here to read... [5]

Climate Change and Anomalous Floods: Is Kazakhstan Prepared for New Cataclysms?

Over six thousand flooded houses, over 117 thousand evacuated residents, the emergency regime in ten regions of the country, seven deaths – these are the results of the unprecedented flood in Kazakhstan. Ecologists and climatologists relate it to the global climate change and warn that floods, droughts, and other natural disasters could become permanent in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan has not seen such massive and destructive floods as in 2024 in the last 80 years. Specialists in water resources tend to believe that the reason of anomalous floods is a large amount of winter precipitation and unusually warm March, which caused rapid snowmelt. The saturated and scattered frozen soil could not absorb a large amount of thawing water and all the water flew into rivers causing them to burst their banks. Click here to read... [6]

Kazakhstan, China to Launch Xian-Almaty Passenger Train

According to KTZ, the management of the national railway company and Passenger Transportation JSC discussed relevant topics with the Xian administration during a working meeting. “The tourist train will run through the Khorgos-Altynkol border crossing according to the schedule of passenger train No. 103/104 on the Urumqi-Almaty-2 route,” reads the statement. For a few days, the train will stay at Almaty-2 station. During this time, the Kazakh side will offer security and help with planning cultural events at the railway station for passengers. Click here to read... [7]

Kazakhstan, Afghanistan Sign Agreements on Agricultural Product Supply

Kazakhstan and Afghanistan reached an agreement worth over $ 12 million on the supply of sunflower oil, cereal products, and flour at the Kazakh-Afghan business forum in Kabul, the Prime Minister’s press service reported on April 26. Alongside the forum, 35 Kazakh companies presented their products and services at a thematic exhibition during the delegation’s official visit to Afghanistan. Afghan companies expressed interest in motor oil, planning to sign the first contract with Kazakh suppliers. Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin recalled the task of increasing bilateral trade turnover to $3 billion, which was set during the Afghan delegation’s last visit to Kazakhstan. Click here to read... [8]

Water shortage in Central Asia to increase by 30 percent by 2050

By 2050, water shortage in Central Asian countries will increase by 25-30 percent, including due to the fact that the region’s population will increase to 90 million people. Secretary of the Security Council of Kyrgyzstan Marat Imankulov announced with reference to World Bank data at the international conference “Hydro resource deficit in Central Asia: Ways to solve water problems at the regional and international levels.” Click here to read... [9]

Iran and the South Caucasus

In January 2024, Azerbaijan increased imports of Turkmen gas by 2.5 times

In January of this year, Azerbaijan continued to import Turkmen gas, the data published in the trade bulletin of the State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan. According to the document, in January 2024, Azerbaijan imported 161 million 309.35 thousand cubic meters of gas from Turkmenistan in the amount of $24 million 196.4 thousand (1,000 cubic meters of gas were imported for $149.99) In January last year, the volume of imports of Turkmen gas amounted to 64 million 396.34 thousand cubic meters worth $9 million 15.49 thousand (the cost of 1000 cubic meters is $140). Based on statistical data, the Turan agency estimated that in January, Azerbaijan increased imports of Turkmen gas by 2.5 times, despite an increase in the cost of imported gas by 7.1%. Click here to read... [10]

Agents' Law Protesters Give Georgian Government Ultimatum to Pull Controversial 'Foreign

Thousands of Georgians rallied in front of parliament demanding the government immediately withdraw a controversial "foreign agents" bill being pushed through the legislature after lawmakers approved the first reading of it despite warnings from civil society groups and several Western governments that the bill is a replica of Russia's law on "foreign agents," which Moscow has used for years to muzzle dissent. Poet Rati Amaglobeli, one of the speakers at the rally on April 17, said the government had one hour to revoke the bill or face "the unbreakable will of the Georgian people." Just hours earlier, 83 lawmakers supported the legislation in its first reading while no votes were cast against. Click here to read... [11]

Armenia accepts returning 4 villages under occupation to Azerbaijan

Armenia agreed to return four villages that have been under its occupation for three decades to Azerbaijan. It agreed during the eighth meeting of border demarcation commissions, chaired by Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev and Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan, gathering along the countries' frontier. According to a written statement by Azerbaijan, the commissions reached an agreement on certain issues during the meeting, including determining the border along Azerbaijan's Gazakh province in line with the border that existed when the Soviet Union collapsed. Click here to read... [12]

"Historic event for Azerbaijan": Analysts on the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from Karabakh

The withdrawal of the Russian peacekeeping contingent from Karabakh remains the number one topic in Azerbaijan’s expert community and local social media segment. “The withdrawal of Russian troops from Karabakh is a historic event for Azerbaijan,” according to a publication by the Azerbaijani analytical group “Şərqə Baxış” (“View to the East”). The withdrawal of the Russian peacekeeping mission from Karabakh has commenced, with a significant portion of military personnel and equipment already leaving Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, it has been announced today that the joint Turkish-Russian monitoring centre, located in the Agdam district, is also concluding its mission. Click here to read... [13]

Tajikistan keen to invest at Iran’s Chabahar strategic port

In a meeting with Iran’s Deputy Minister of Transport and Urban Development Ali Akbar Safaei, Shayesta Moradzadeh emphasized the interest of her country in making investments at the port in logistics affairs. She also hailed the good level of the bilateral trade and economic relations between Tehran and Dushanbe. Moradzadeh pointed to the common historical and cultural backgrounds between Iran and Tajikistan and added that the trade and economic relations between the two countries have been on a growth trajectory, especially over the past two years. Head of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO), for his part, pointed to the resolve of the current administration for the development of trade and economic cooperation with neighbouring countries, especially with Persian-speaking states, and emphasized that Iran attaches great importance to enhancing transit and transport cooperation with the neighbours. Click here to read... [14]

Iran, Tajikistan ink MOU on road transport cooperation

The Iran-Tajikistan Joint Road Transport Committee held a meeting on Wednesday, April 26, in Tehran and an MOU was signed between the Head of Iran Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization (RMTO) Dariush Amani and the deputy transport minister of Tajikistan for promoting road and transport ties. During the meeting, Iran’s deputy roads minister pointed to the policy taken by the administration of President Ebrahim Raisi for developing relations with its neighbouring countries in the region and called this possibility not only the beginning of a new era for strengthening road transport ties but also the beginning of deepening relations in other fields. Amani also highlighted the strategic location of Iran as a bridge connecting China and Central Asia with Western Asia and Europe, the website of Iran’s Ministry of Roads and Urban Development reported. Click here to read... [15]