Energy and Economy

 

Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan Agree to Joint Ferry Production

Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan have agreed to allocate $150 million for a joint venture aimed at Caspian Sea transit ferry production. The ferries will be used to meet Uzbek needs relating to trans-Caspian commerce. Reportedly, the two countries are also preparing a joint venture to develop transportation along the Middle Corridor and warehouse infrastructure development. 

Source: Daryo

USAID Doubles Aid Package to Armenia

USAID has doubled its five-year aid package from $120 million to $240 million. Armenia approved the amendment to the USAID-in-Armenia charter on September 5. The investment’s stated aim is to improve governance, civil participation in democracy, and the management of natural resources. It also includes support for “increasing the competitiveness of targeted sectors.” Armenia remains economically reliant on Russia even as their bilateral relations have soured in recent years.

Source: OC-Media

Correction: Statistics Agency of Uzbekistan Revises GDP Statistics

On August 26, CPC reported that the IMF had uncovered a mistake made in Uzbekistan’s GDP’s calculation. This was a mischaracterization. In actuality, Uzbekistan's Statistics Agency had updated its GDP calculations with minor assistance from the IMF. In light of a recent study conducted by the Statistics Agency of Uzbekistan that was designed to capture informal aspects of the economy often underreported, Uzbekistan revised its estimation of actual GDP between 2017-2023 by an average of 11 additional percentage points.

Source: Internatioal Monetary Fund

Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary Establish a Joint Venture on the Green Energy Corridor

On September 3, ministers from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary launched a joint venture to install a power line under the Black Sea aimed at increasing renewable energy supply to the European Union from the South Caucasus. The leaders of the four countries approved the project in 2022 in an effort to help strengthen energy security and drive down electricity prices for consumers. The cable will connect Azerbaijan, with significant potential for wind-power generation at Caspian Sea farms, to EU members Romania and Hungary through Georgia.

Source: AP News

 

Kyrgyzstan Increases Fuel Trade with Neighbors

Commodity analyst Argus reported that Kyrgyzstan had more than doubled its gasoline exports in the first half of 2024 to 5,800 tons. Nearly 70% went to Afghanistan, with the next largest importer being Uzbekistan. However, according to the International Energy Agency, Kyrgyzstan's oil-products industry is still dependent on Russian raw inputs, with over 80% of crude oil imports coming from there.

Source: Trend

Politics and Security 

 

Aliyev Says Azerbaijan and Armenia Close to Final Agreement

Speaking on September 6 at the 50th International Cernobbio Forum in Italy, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed to 80% of a final peace and normalization agreement. The comments come after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Baku and Yerevan had agreed to 13 out of 17 articles contained within the draft treaty.

Source: RFE/RL

Russia Preparing to Host Second C5 Russia Summit

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has announced that Russia is preparing to host a second summit of Russia and the five Central Asian heads of state. This “C5+” format has been regularly used by Central Asians in recent years, with the five Central Asian heads of state meeting with leaders from Japan, the European Union, and the United States. Commenting on Western relations with Central Asia, Lavrov remarked, "When our Central Asian partners and allies engage with the West, it is clear that while the West may have legitimate goals, it also seeks to diminish Russian influence.”

Source: Daryo

German Chancellor to Visit Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan for the First Time

German Chancellor Olaf Schultz is scheduled to visit Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan September 15-17. On September 17 in Kazakhstan, Schultz will attend a Central Asia - Germany summit with all five Central Asian heads of state. The first C5+1 summit to feature Germany was held in September 2023 in Berlin. 

Source: Trend

Kyrgyzstan Removes Taliban from Terror List

On September 6, Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs removed the Taliban from a list of prohibited terrorist extremist organizations. The move comes following Kazakhstan accepting a charge d'affaires from the Taliban government of Afghanistan, while simultaneously stating that Astana was not recognizing the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. Kyrgyzstan’s foreign minister stated the decision was made “to secure regional stability and further develop the ongoing dialogue.”

Source: RFE/RL

Armenia to Attend BRICS Summit and 2025 CIS Summit

On September 3, Armenia’s deputy minister of foreign affairs announced that Armenia would attend the October summit of BRICS, the intergovernmental organization named for its five founding members – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – in Kazan, Russia, as well as the 2025 meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States in Moscow. In recent years, Yerevan has abstained from much activity with Russian-backed organizations as relations with Moscow soured. 

Source: OC-Media