Tag Archives: Tajikistan

Kazakhstan’s Kazmunaigas stands aside India’s oil deal

NOV. 26 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – Touted as an emerging superpower, India has still appeared sluggish in exerting its influence over Central Asia.

India’s moves in the region had been either incremental, such as talks with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on military cooperation, or long term, such as the TAPI pipeline which will, if everything goes to plan, pump gas from Turkmenistan across Afghanistan and Pakistan to India.

This week, though, India took a giant leap forward in cementing real influence in the region. US energy company ConocoPhillips said it intended to sell its 8.4% stake in the Kashagan oil field development project not to Kazakh state energy company KazMunaiGas but to India’s state-run ONGC.

This is significant as KazMunaiGas would have had the first option to buy the stake. Instead, KazMunaiGas appears to have stood aside to allow ONGC in, although this could still change. It’s going to cost ONGC a reported $5b but with it comes significant influence. Kashagan is Kazakhstan’s most high-profile and prestigious energy project.

Websites have also reported that India wants to invest directly into Turkmenistan’s gas fields. If confirmed, this would be more evidence of India’s stirring ambition in the region.

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(News report from Issue No. 115, published on Nov. 30 2012)

Ashton visits Georgia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan

NOV. 26-30 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – Catherine Ashton, the EU’s foreign policy representative, completed a whirlwind tour of Georgia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. On her travels she met with opposition leaders as well as the heads of states. Her office said she discussed bilateral cooperation as well as human rights.

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(News report from Issue No. 115, published on Nov. 30 2012)

Tajikistan bans Facebook

NOV. 29 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – Media in Tajikistan reported that the government had blocked access to Facebook, the social networking website, and the website of US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The Tajik authorities have previously temporarily blocked media websites, including Facebook, on fears they could spread unrest.

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(News report from Issue No. 115, published on Nov. 30 2012)

Coca-Cola invests in Tajikistan’s economy

NOV. 23 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – In a boost to Tajikistan’s economy, its government said that a subsidiary of Coca-Cola planned to build a $30m bottling plant in the country, AP news agency reported. AP’s report said that Coca-Cola Icecek was potentially prepared to double its investment within a decade.

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(News report from Issue No. 115, published on Nov. 30 2012)

Tajikistan ranks first among remittance-dependent countries

NOV. 22 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – World Bank data showed, again, that Tajikistan’s economy is the most reliant in the world on remittances, media reported. In 2011, remittances, mainly from Russia, accounted for 47% of Tajikistan’s GDP. Second on the list was Liberia with a 31% share. Remittances made up 29% of Kyrgyzstan’s GDP last year.

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(News report from Issue No. 114, published on Nov. 23 2012)

Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to receive military aid

NOV. 8 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – Russia is preparing to give millions of dollars to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to both modernise their armed forces and bolster its own position in Central Asia, Kommersant, a Russian business newspaper, reported by quoting sources. According to the report Kyrgyzstan will receive $1.1b and Tajikistan will receive $200m.

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(News report from Issue No. 112, published on Nov. 9 2012)

Uzbekistan jails Tajik spies

NOV. 3 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – The Uzbek authorities sentenced three women to jail for spying for neighbouring Tajikistan, local media reported. Relations between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan have been increasingly strained over the past few years, most recently because of Tajik plans to build a dam to generate electricity.

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(News report from Issue No. 112, published on Nov. 9 2012)

Tajik Pres. phones Uzbek Pres.

OCT. 29 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – It may seem routine between neighbours but a phone call by Tajik president Emmomali Rakhmon to his Uzbek counterpart, Islam Karimov, is significant. The two leaders barely talk and tension between the countries has been rising. Quoting the Tajik presidential press service, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported the telephone call on Oct. 29.

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(News report from Issue No. 111, published on Nov. 2 2012)

China builds a new tunnel in Tajikistan

OCT. 27 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – It may have been grand-standing, but it was still clear that Tajik president Emomali Rakhmon was pleased.

Mr Rakhmon was opening a new tunnel under a treacherous mountain road that links the north of Tajikistan to the south, when, according to the Russian news agency RIA-Novosti, he said that this was now the shortest route between Asia and Europe.

He was wrong, of course, but the Shakhristan Tunnel is still important. Not only does it improve journey times between Dushanbe, the capital, and Khujand, the second city, but this 5km-long tunnel under the Pamir mountains also underlines China’s commitment to the region.

With funds from Beijing, a Chinese company built the tunnel under a pass which is often closed by snow in the heavy winter months.

Tunnel projects in Tajikistan form just one part of China’s regional strategy. It is investing heavily in Central Asia, building relations by improving transport links, handing out cheap loans and buying up resources.

Across the border from where Mr Rakhmon was admiring his new tunnel, the Uzbek government was also thanking Beijing. It had just borrowed $220m to modernise a heating plant in Tashkent.

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(News report from Issue No. 111, published on Nov. 2 2012)

Tajikistan to become WTO member

OCT. 31 2012 (The Conway Bulletin) – World Trade Organisation (WTO) members are ready to vote Tajikistan into their club later this year after the Tajik government agreed to move its trade policies in line with international standards, media reported. Kyrgyzstan is currently the only state from Central Asia with WTO membership.

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(News report from Issue No. 111, published on Nov. 2 2012)