Energy and Economy

 

China, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan Officiate Agreement on New Railway Project

On June 6^th, Chinese, Uzbek, and Kyrgyz leaders signed an agreement on a new railway infrastructure project that will better connect the three countries. President Xi Jinping described the plan as “strategic” for China, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, and important in furthering the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The project is estimated to cost up to $8 billion. 

Source: RFE/RL, EurasiaNet

Chinese Construction Firms to Build New Georgian Black Sea Deep-Water Port

A new deep-water port will be constructed along Georgia’s Black Sea coastline, in Anaklia. The Georgian Government decided to give this massive infrastructure project to certain Chinese state-owned enterprises, despite some of these companies’ ties to cases of corruption and fraud. The port is part of a larger connectivity project—the Middle Corridor. China’s hand in the construction and operation of this new port will give it strategic influence over the port’s function.

Source: RFE/RL

Kazakhstan Considers Construction of Nuclear Power Plant and Re-evaluates Energy Strategy

The Energy Ministry of Kazakhstan is proposing a new energy strategy—a legislative push to include nuclear power as an alternative resource in its greater national energy strategy. The proposal includes plans to construct a nuclear power plant by the year 2035. The construction of this plant is estimated to cost $10-12 billion. 

Source: Daryo

U.S. Trade Representative to Visit Central Asia this Month

United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai will travel to Central Asia from June 11 to June 15, 2024. Tai will participate in high-level meetings and engagements with government officials and stakeholders in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

Source: Daryo

Russia to Supply Natural Gas to Kyrgyzstan

On June 7, Russian state-owned energy company Gazprom announced that Russia intends to deliver natural gas to Kyrgyzstan. The company has not disclosed the volume of gas that it intends to send to Kyrgyzstan.

Source: Upstream Online

Security and Politics

 

Uzbekistan Officials Report Significant Drop in Labor Migrants to Russia

Tashkent has reported that the annual number of labor migrants leaving to find work in Russia has dropped to 1 million, compared to over 4 million annually over the last decade. Kyrgyzstan has reported a similar trend in decreasing numbers of migrants to Russia. Labor remittances have been a significant contributor to Central Asian economies. While the Uzbek government cites effective domestic economic forms as the reason for the decline in workers leaving to go to Russia, the wave of xenophobia in Russia following the Crocus City Hall attack and Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine may also be factors in shifting migration trends. 

Source: EurasiaNet

Azerbaijani President Pays an Official Visit to Türkiye

On June 10, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Ankara, Türkiye, for an official visit. Aliyev’s visit was planned at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Aliyev held a one-on-one meeting with his Turkish counterpart, discussing the expansion of energy, transportation, economic, and trade relations between the two countries, as well as cooperation in defense, military industry, and other fields. The two sides also discussed the expansion of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway's capabilities as part of the Middle Corridor.

Source: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Russia and Kazakhstan to Establish an “Information Exchange” to Review Influences from Foreign Organizations

On June 3, 2024, Kazakh and Russian officials discussed the planned establishment of an “information exchange” between the two nations. Vasily Piskarev, a Russian MP outlined the structure of the “information exchange” as a device to “exchange legal norms regarding the protection of sovereignty, in particular, countering foreign interference and countering the influence of foreign agents in internal politics.” There are concerns that this “information exchange” will lead to the introduction of a Kazakh “foreign agents” bill similar to that of Georgia. 

Source: EurasiaNet

Uzbekistan Hosted the 19^th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Meeting 

On June 5, Tashkent hosted the 19^th SCO forum. The program’s theme was “The Role of the SCO in New Conditions: Uniting Efforts for Universal Security, Stability, and Prosperity,” and included participants from ten countries. 

Source: Daryo

Sources:  Daryo, EurasiaNet,President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, RFE/RL