Tag Archives: Uzbekistan

Energy ministers agree to build hydropower plant in Kyrgyzstan

JAN. 6 2023 (The Bulletin) — The energy ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan signed a deal to develop a major hydropower station in Kyrgyzstan which they hope will help to ease pressure on the region’s power production capacity. Plans to build Kambarata HPP-1 in Kyrgyzstan’s Jalalabad region have been on the drawing board for years and signing the deal is considered a major regional diplomatic success. Construction is scheduled to take up to 10 years. Central Asia’s power grid systems are interconnected.

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— This story was published in issue 532 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Jan. 16 2023

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2023

Poisonous cough medicine kills 19 children in Uzbekistan

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JAN. 2 2023 (The Bulletin) — Poisonous cough medicine has killed at least 19 children in Uzbekistan, officials said. The Doc-1 Max cough medicine, produced by Indian manufacturer Marion Biotech, reportedly contained excessive levels of toxins used to make antifreeze. All Doc-1 Max products have now been withdrawn from Uzbekistan and reports said that Uzbek police had arrested several officials who had approved the cough medicine. Campaigners say the authorities need to tighten up their oversight of drugs sold in Uzbekistan.

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— This story was published in issue 532 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Jan. 16 2023

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2023

Mirziyoyev promises to slash civil service

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DEC. 28 2022 (The Bulletin) — Uzbekistan’s Pres. Shavkat Mirziyoyev pledged to slash the size of the country’s bureaucracy by 30% to save up to $250m. His detractors have called the pledge a gimmick designed to deflect negative headlines, mainly around corruption and a lack of gas and power for households.

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— This story was published in issue 532 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Jan. 16 2023

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2023

Chodiyev nephew buys Uzbek bank

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DEC. 28 2022 (The Bulletin) — The nephew of Patokh Chodiyev, one of the owners of Kazakhstan’s Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation, has agreed to buy Uzbekistan’s state-owned UzAgroExportBank for $85b, the Uzbek government reported. Alimzhan Chodiyev is buying the bank through his company, Support Level. Critics of the Uzbek government’s privatisation scheme say it is set up for well-connected Uzbek businessmen to buy the best state assets.

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— This story was published in issue 532 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Jan. 16 2023

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2023

New Mercure hotel opens in Bukhara old town

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DEC. 27 2022 (The Bulletin) — Accor, the French hospitality group, opened a Mercure hotel in the old town of Bukhara. Bukhara, and nearby Samarkand, have been the focus of a major tourism drive by the Uzbek government which wants tens of thousands more people to visit the sites each year. Culture campaigners have warned that Bukhara is too small and fragile to cope with a massive growth in tourist numbers.

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— This story was published in issue 532 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Jan. 16 2023

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2023

Uzbek airports cut landing rates for foreign airlines

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OCT. 21 2021 (The Bulletin) — Uzbekistan’s airports cut their landing rates for foreign airlines by around 15% and divided service options into ‘pick-and-mix’ packages (Oct. 21). Central Asia’s airports and airlines are competing for the lucrative Asia-Europe passenger and freight trade. Rano Juraeva, chairman of Uzbekistan Airports, said in a statement that the rate cut was designed to “attract foreign airlines”. As well as investing in airports and logistics hubs, governments in Central Asia have been investing in upgrades to their state-run national airlines.

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— This story was published in issue 505 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Oct. 28 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Diary: Returning to Central Asia

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>> After all the restrictions it is a relief to be travelling once again to Central Asia and where better to get in the mood than wonderful Istanbul, writes Caroline Eden

OCT. 28 2021 (The Bulletin) — Istanbul’s cultural distractions are infinite. As I write, the Jewish Museum of Turkey is just finishing a month of events and throughout the city stages are set up for concerts and screenings linked to Beyoglu’s Kultur Yolu Festival (until 14 November).

I am stopping for a short while, desperately trying to see and eat as much as possible, and catching up with old friends. This has only just become possible again. Turkey was on the UK’s red list until mid-September, which meant not only no Turkey, but no transiting through Istanbul’s superbly well-connected airport to cities such as Almaty and Samarkand either.

Central Asia was off-limits.

This all brings to mind a formidable traveller from the past, Ella Christie. Born in 1861, close to Edinburgh, she travelled twice to Central Asia, in 1910 and 1912, publishing her adventures in 1925 in ‘Through Khiva to Golden Samarkand’, a book I cherish.

Before setting off the Foreign Office issued her with a personal warning: should she contract plague in Central Asia she ought to hang a red cloth over the window. But Christie knew such government advice was iffy. No thought was given as to where red cloth was to be obtained, if there would be any windows over which to hang it. Christie made a note of this guidance, and went anyway.

I am relieved to be back on the road myself, double-vaccinated and with relevant paperwork in hand. In my suitcase are hardback copies of my latest book ‘Red Sands: Reportage and Recipes Through Central Asia from Hinterland to Heartland’. Almost a year on from publication, I want to give copies to those who helped me. There has been little in-person celebrating and so this feels important.

I also want to return simply because I miss Central Asia like a friend. I want to eat Uzbekistan’s superlative winter melons and to walk Almaty’s tree-lined streets. It will, I suspect, after all that we have been through, and are still enduring, feel like a revisiting, a rebound, a retreat. A homecoming of sorts, even.

>> Caroline Eden is a food and travel writer. In December she is giving a three-part online course entitled ‘The Taste of Place: Central Asia through its Landscape, Culture and Food’. Sign up here: www.92y.org/class/the-taste-of-place

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— This story was published in issue 505 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Oct. 28 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Swiss double Karimova cash to return to Uzbekistan

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OCT. 27 2021 (The Bulletin) — The authorities in Switzerland more than doubled the amount of cash to 340m francs ($371m) that they will return to Uzbekistan from accounts linked to Gulnara Karimova, the imprisoned daughter of former Uzbek leader Islam Karimov, Swiss media reported. The extra cash was found in a BVI account linked to Karimova. She has been in prison in Uzbekistan since 2014 for various financial crime convictions.

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— This story was published in issue 505 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Oct. 28 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Mirziyoyev wins Uzbek presidential elections

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TASHKENT/OCT. 24/25 2021 (The Bulletin) — Shavkat Mirziyoyev won a presidential election in Uzbekistan with 80% of the vote in a process that Western observers said lacked genuine competition.

Speaking at a carefully stage-managed victory rally at the headquarters of his Uzbekistan Liberal Democratic Party, the usually somnolent Mr Mirziyoyev pushed a triumphant and upbeat message.

“I promise to make every effort and potential to justify the high trust of our people, to fulfil their dreams and aspirations, to ensure a prosperous life. We will all build a new Uzbekistan together,” he said.

In front of him dozens of teenagers wearing blue baseball caps and white t-shirts emblazoned with ‘Mirziyoyev’ waved and cheered.

This is Mr Mirziyoyev’s second term in office. He took over in 2016 from the reclusive and cankerous Islam Karimov. He has since opened up the economy, scrapped complicated dual currency rules and allowed foreign companies to invest and upgrade the country’s infrastructure.

Observers have generally applauded his efforts, although human rights and media activists have said that more needs to be done. Mr Mirziyoyev was PM under Karimov.

Under Uzbekistan’s constitution, the 64-year-old Mr Mirziyoyev is allowed to serve two consecutive terms as president, although this provision was ignored by Karimov.

After the vote on Oct. 24, Western election observers said that although democratic progress had been made, the election fell short of being genuinely competitive.

“The campaign was low-key in all regions as well as online. Although there were five candidates, the campaign was not truly competitive as there was no direct meaningful or genuine engagement between them, and with the citizens,” the OSCE’s vote monitoring unit ODHIR said.

It has never judged an election in Uzbekistan to be free or fair, unlike its CIS counterparts who approved the vote.

Mr Mirziyoyev’s 80% win was down from 2016 when he won with 90%.

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— This story was published in issue 505 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Oct. 28 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Britain reduces tariffs on Uzbek goods

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OCT. 25 2021 (The Bulletin) — Britain agreed to admit Uzbekistan into its Enhanced Framework system which will reduce tariffs. Starting from Nov. 1, British importers and Uzbek exporters will pay less tax. Britain’s Enhanced Framework system is part of its post-Brexit global trade negotiations.

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— This story was published in issue 505 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Oct. 28 2021