Energy and Economy

 

Kazakhstan Releases Investment Figures for First Half of 2024

During a July 15 meeting, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Nurlan Baibazarov reported that the first half of 2024 saw a total of $318.3 million worth of new projects break ground in Kazakhstan. Of this sum, $258.7 million is reportedly foreign direct investment. Key growth sectors include communications, construction, transportation, and manufacturing. 

Source: Astana Times

Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan Plan to Switch to a Full Free Trade Regime

Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan intend to move to a full free trade regime following the 21st session of the Intergovernmental Joint Commission for the Bilateral Cooperation chaired by both countries' prime ministers, according to a statement from the Uzbekistan Prime Minister’s press service. The countries intend to increase trade turnover to $10 billion annually in the coming years, up from current levels of $4.5 billion a year. 

Source: Eurasianet, Kazinform 

U.S. Acting Special Coordinator for the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment to Travel to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan

U.S. Acting Special Coordinator for the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) Helaina Matza will travel July 14-19 to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Matza will meet with government officials and private-sector representatives in an effort to advance strategic infrastructure investments in the region based on commitments made at the 2023 C5+1 Summit.

Source: U.S. Department of State 

Kazakhstan Forms Committee Dedicated to Fight the “Black Market” of Water Resources

The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan has established a new department within the ministry called the Committee for the Regulation, Protection, and Use of Water Resources. The purpose of this committee is to stop illegal economic activities related to water resources, as well as the stop of illegal distorting of accounting data. Last year, the “black market” of water resources in Kazakhstan was estimated to be worth around 5 billion tenge (~$11 million).

Source: AVESTA

Politics and Security

 

Russia Attempts to Ease Migrant Concerns 

After several months of slowed Central Asian labor migration to Russia following Moscow’s increased xenophobic sentiment, Russia has put forth several new labor policies. Some of the newly proposed policies include tightened labor restrictions and increased penalties for illegal migrants. Labor officials in Central Asia speculate that the increased scrutiny, along with improving wages in their home countries, are stemming the flow of migrants to Russia. On July 15, Russia has released a new program to help “assimilate” migrants and ease legal concerns. The course will be required for all new migrants and will attempt to educate newcomers to Russian labor laws and cultural norms.

Source: Times of Central Asia

Azerbaijan Reopens Embassy in Iran

Azerbaijan has reopened its embassy in Tehran after over a year of closure. Following a gunmen attack on the embassy in January 2023, the historically tense relations between the two nations worsened and led to the closure of the embassy, a consulate, and the expulsions of several diplomats on both sides. On July 15, the embassy reopens at a new address.

Source: AP News

Azerbaijan-Armenia Meeting on Sidelines of NATO Summit

U.S. Secretary of state Antony Blinken held peace talks with Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers on the sidelines of the July NATO summit in Washington. According to a statement released by the spokesman of Armenia’s foreign minister, no progress was made during the discussions. During the meeting, Secretary Blinken stressed the “importance of peace in promoting regional connectivity.” Armenia and Azerbaijan have been engaged in a peace process since September 2023 and have recently reported making progress in border delimitation. 

Source: RFE/RL, Eurasianet

First Russian Naval Ship Spotted at Planned Abkhazia Base

Satellite imagery has shown what appears to be a Russian naval ship off the coast of the still-under-construction Russian naval base at Ochamchire, within Russian-occupied Georgia. The Russian Project 22870 ship would be the first Russian naval vessel spotted at Ochamchire, which has so far only hosted small boats from Russia’s Federal Security Service. The ship appeared at Ochamchire on July 4-5, shortly after a successful Ukrainian drone boat attack on the Novorossiysk port on July 3. 

Source: RFE/RL, Naval News

EU Halting Funds to Georgian Military

The European Union has announced it will halt the annual $32 million worth of military aid to the Republic of Georgia. On July 16, EU Ambassador Paweł Herczyński announced the cuts and also stated that the EU planned to instead funnel funds to Georgian civil-society organizations. The shift in policy comes in response to the passage of a controversial foreign agents bill by Tbilisi. The United States halted annual military exercises with Georgia in response to what the U.S. Department of Defense described as “the Georgian government’s false accusations against the United States and other Western entities.”

Source: OC Media, U.S. Department of Defense 

Georgia's President Contests 'Foreign Agent' Law in Constitutional Court

Georgia’s president, Salome Zurabishvili, filed a challenge in Georgia's Constitutional Court over the recently passed “Foreign Agent Law.” The law requires that NGOs receiving over 20% of their funding from abroad be classified as foreign agents. It has been characterized as a so-called Russian law, sparking protests in the streets of Tbilisi since it was passed in May and receiving condemnation from the United States and Europe. President Zurabishvili attempted to veto the law in May but was overridden by Georgia’s Parliament. Her office now argues that the law is “unconstitutional” because it violates Article 78 of the Georgian constitution requiring the government to “take all measures within the scope of its competences to ensure the full integration of Georgia into the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.”

Source: RFE/RL