Energy and Economy

$2.5 Billion in New Chinese Investments in Kazakhstan

During a November 4 visit to Shanghai, China, Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov signed eight agreements with Chinese President Xi Jinping worth a total of $2.5 billion in investments directed toward Kazakhstan. The investments will focus primarily on energy, infrastructure, and automative production. The investments are part of a plan to double Kazakh-Chinese trade turnover that reached $41 billion in 2023.

Source: RFE/RL

COP29 Kicks-Off

The United Nations’ annual Climate Change Conference for this year (COP29) commenced on November 11 in Baku, Azerbaijan and will run until November 22. The conference will likely focus on financing the transition away from carbon-based energy, a multi-trillion-dollar project. On November 12, the two-day World Leaders Action Summit at COP29 got under way, with about 100 leaders taking part, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom, European Council President Charles Michel, and high-level representatives from the United States, China, Russia, and other countries. 

Source: Time Magazine

France and Kazakhstan Look Toward Greater Energy Cooperation

During a November 6 visit by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to France, the Kazakh President and French President Emmanual Macron issued a joint declaration on nuclear energy and critical mineral cooperation. Kazatomprom and Framatone, a French nuclear reactor producing firm, also signed an agreement. Kazakhstan is currently growing its domestic nuclear power sector, and France is on the short list of possible sources of technology for the planned Lake Balkhash nuclear power plant.

Source: Power Technology

U.S. Facilitating Armenia-Azerbaijan Cooperation on Shared Rivers

On November 12, seemingly on the sidelines of the COP 29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mark Libby released a statement that “A group of hydrologists and engineers from Azerbaijan and Armenia are working together—with our active support—on an integrated water management scheme for trans-boundary rivers.” 

Source: U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, China, U.S. Convene Summit at COP 29

As part of the COP 29 climate conference, the United States, Chain, and Azerbaijan convened a joint summit on accelerating actions to cut emissions of methane and other non-CO2 greenhouse gases, major contributors to raising temperatures. At the summit, which featured a number of different countries and multilateral institutions, officials showcased and announced new initiatives. The summit defined three action areas: mobilizing climate finance, new policy, and new scientific mechanisms to measure and study climate change.

Source: U.S. Department of State

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China Announce New Cargo Terminal

On the sidelines of the COP 29 conference, Azerbaijani, Chinese, and Kazakh officials signed an agreement on the establishment of a new joint cargo terminal located at the port of Baku at Alat. The terminal will include a universal cargo yard, a 5,000 square kilo-meter covered warehouse complex, and a container yard with a capacity of over 1,000 containers.

Source: Times of Central Asia

Politics and Security

Caspian Leaders Attend World Leaders Action Summit at COP29

On November 12, leaders of the greater Caspian region attended the World Leaders Action Summit and the opening ceremony for COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Türkiye and Uzbekistan, as well as prime minister of Georgia participated in the ceremony.

Source: The Times of Central Asia, Agenda.ge, Daily Sabah

European Parliamentary Delegation Visits Tbilisi in Solidarity with Opposition

On November 11, a delegation of members of parliament from various European governments visited Tbilisi, Georgia. The trip, which included high-ranking MPs from Germany, Poland, France, and the three Baltic countries, was done in solidarity with Georgia’s political opposition, who argue that October 26’s national elections were rigged in favor of the governing Georgian Dream party. The parliamentarians greeted protesters and spoke at a large opposition rally on November 11.

Source: POLITICO

Russia and North Korea Sign Mutual Defense Agreement

On November 12, North Korean state media reported that Kim Jun Un had ratified a mutual defense treaty with Russia, meaning that each country would assist the other if it came under attack. North Korea has recently committed thousands of troops to Russia, reportedly to be deployed into Ukraine. Already, there are reports of clashes between North Korean and Ukrainian troops in Russia’s Kursk oblast.

Source: Kyiv Independent