Energy and Economy

 

Astana and Kabul Pledge to Deepen Bilateral Engagement, $500 Million Towards Railway

Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu and Afghanistan’s Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Abdul Ghani Baradar, met in Kabul on July 10 to discuss the expansion of bilateral engagement in trade, transportation, infrastructure, education, communications, mining, energy, and regional security. Most notably, the two representatives signed a memorandum of understanding pledging to invest $500 million towards the construction of the 115-kilometer Torghundi-Herat railway that will link western Afghanistan to Turkmenistan. 

Sources: The Times of Central Asia, Bakhtar News Agency

Trump Hits Kazakhstan with 25% Tariffs on “Any and All” Goods

Amid a series of similar letters sent to the world’s heads of state, President Donald Trump released his letter to Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on July 7 stating that the United States would impose a 25% tariff on "any and all” goods originating from Kazakhstan. While the letter stated that the tariff would come into effect on August 1, few other details were given. Trump has announced other such tariffs over the course of his second term but has routinely delayed or walked them back.

Source: Daryo

Russia Blocks Imported Produce from Azerbaijan

On July 10, Russian officials claimed to have discovered an “agriculture pest” within shipments of Azerbaijani peaches and nectarines. The supposed discovery resulted in the destruction of 18 tons of Azerbaijani produce stored in a warehouse in Russia’s Krasnodar region. Russia is one of Azerbaijan’s largest trading partners, with agricultural goods making up the largest share of trade. Russian officials routinely block food imports from neighboring countries during periods of diplomatic tension. This comes amidst ongoing anti-Azerbaijan campaign that includes beatings and arrests of Azerbaijanis living in Russia.

Source: OC Media

Chinese Firm to Modernize Tashkent Roads

According to a television interview with the mayor of Tashkent, Shavkat Umurzakov, the China State Construction Engineering Corporation is set to invest $300 million into over 200km worth of road improvements in Tashkent. Both the investments and the construction will be doled out in phases over time, with the first phase of construction involving a $50 million dollar investment in refurbishing several roads and the construction of a new transit hub. 

Source: Daryo

Kazakhstan to Supply Slovakia with Uranium

Kazakhstan’s national atomic company, “Kazatomprom,” and one of the largest electricity producers in Slovakia, Slovenské elektrárne a.s. (SEAS), signed a memorandum of understanding on long-term cooperation in the nuclear energy field. As a part of the memorandum, Kazatomprom will export natural uranium concentrate and, potentially, uranium dioxide (UO₂). The sides also agreed to explore opportunities for future cooperation. 

Source: Kazinform

Politics and Security

 

Aliyev and Pashinyan Meet in UAE without Mediators 

On July 10, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev met for discussions in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and focused on ongoing peace and normalization efforts between the two countries. While the summit resulted in minimal concrete details and no apparent breakthroughs, the joint read-outs produced by both parties reported a positive working environment and that border demarcation and bi-lateral negotiations would continue. 

Source: Associated Press

Kazakhstan Bans Face Coverings in Public

On June 30, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a law banning face coverings in public that hinder facial recognition, with exceptions for medical, weather-related, and cultural or sporting purposes. While the law does not directly interfere with religion, it aligns with similar measures in other Central Asian countries. Tokayev previously supported the legislation as a means of promoting Kazakhstan’s ethnic identity, encouraging traditional attire over face-concealing garments. Comparable policies exist in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, where governments have cited the preservation of national culture to justify bans on clothing such as the niqab.

Source: Reuters

Japarov Travels to Tajikistan, Meets with Rahmon

Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov traveled to Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on July 8 for a two-day visit aimed at establishing a new period of friendly relations following the resolution of longstanding border disputes and fighting between the two countries. While in Dushanbe, Japarov was greeted with a public reception and held discussions with Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon. In March, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan announced that the two countries had reached an agreement on their long-standing border dispute, which had resulted in over 200 deaths in recent years. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan representatives signed a reported 14 separate agreements during Japarov’s July trip. 

Source: Times of Central Asia

Ambassador Barrack: United States Proposes to Take Over Zangezur Corridor

At a press briefing on July 11 in New York, U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack stated that the U.S. administration has offered to take over the proposed Zangezur Corridor between Armenia and Azerbaijan in an effort to advance diplomatic negotiations between the two Caucasus nations. Although the two sides announced in March that they had reached consensus on a draft peace agreement, unblocking transport routes, the Zangezur Corridor has been one of the few remaining topics of discussion. "So what happens is that America steps in and says: Okay, we’ll take it over. Give us the 32 kilometers of road on a hundred-year lease, and you can all share it," said Ambassador Barrack, marking the first official confirmation of the Trump administration’s offer to manage the corridor through a private U.S. operator.

Source: U.S. Department of State, Middle East Eye

Kazakhstan FM Visits Afghanistan, Meets with Taliban Official

Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister visited Kabul, Afghanistan, on July 10 and held a working meeting with a Taliban officials described by Kazakh government websites as “Acting Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar.” The meeting reportedly focused on deepening trade and infrastructure ties and concluded with that singing of a “Memorandum of Understanding on the Fundamental Principles of Construction and Operation of the Connectivity of Central Asia and South Asia Railway” by the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan and the Taliban Ministry of Public Works of Afghanistan. The meeting came after Russia’s July 3 decision to recognize the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan.

Source: gov.kz

Transitional President of Syria Visits Azerbaijan

Ahmad Al-Sharaa, Transitional President of the Syrian Arab Republic, arrived in Baku on July 12 for a working visit during which a memorandum of understanding was signed between the government of Syria and Azerbaijan’s SOCAR oil company for supplying natural gas to Syria via Türkiye. Al-Sharaa also visited the tomb of Azerbaijan’s former President, Heydar Aliyev.

Source: AZERTAC, Middle East Monitor