Energy and Economy

 

ExxonMobil and SOCAR Sign Memorandum of Cooperation

As a part of a President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Washington, DC, ExxonMobil and Azerbaijan’s state-run oil company, SOCAR, signed a “Memorandum of Cooperation.” This memorandum could “result in a substantial project” due to an expected oil discovery in Azerbaijan, Aliyev said. This became the second memorandum between ExxonMobil and SOCAR, following their first one signed in June of this year. 

Source: Trend.az, AZERTAC

Record Kazakhstan Investments in Kyrgyzstan

According to Kyrgyzstan’s National Investment Agency, Kazakhstan’s foreign direct investment (FDI) reached a historic high of $113.5 million (nearly 11.35% of total FDI) in 2024. By comparison, Kazakhstan had previously invested $33.6 million in 2020. A substantial portion of these investments supported Kyrgyzstan’s industrial and raw-material processing, transport and logistics, agriculture, trade, and service economic sectors. The growth of Kazakhstan’s investments is also expected to increase again this year, with nearly $50 million already invested between January and March 2025. 

Source: The Times of Central Asia

Kazakhstan Launched the Development of its First Nuclear Power Plant

Kazakhstan held an opening ceremony that marked the beginning of its first nuclear power plant construction. The ceremony took place on Friday, August 8, near Ulken village in the Almaty region and featured Kazakhstani government officials and the Russian company, Rosatom, director general. The event signaled the start of engineering and survey work and included gathering soil samples for analysis. The nuclear power plant is expected to be built by 2035 and requires around $15 billion in investments. 

Source: Kazinform, The Diplomat

Kazakhstan’s New Strategic Priority – Artificial Intelligence 

During a meeting with fellow government officials on August 11, Kazakhstan’s President Tokayev called national efforts to develop and employ artificial intelligence (AI) within Kazakhstan a strategic priority for Kazakhstan’s future. Alongside his announcement that his office would directly oversee Kazakhstan’s national AI development, he instructed the government to bolster federal efforts to support domestic AI startups and AI expertise among Kazakh youth, as well as for officials to study AI national strategies of other countries so as to implement best protocols for the country’s larger AI and digitalization efforts. 

Source: The Astana Times

Kyrgyzstan signs a $6.3 billion deal with Turkish Company

Orta Asya Yatırım Holding, a subsidiary of Turkish conglomerate, Ihlas Holding, has signed two agreements worth $6.3 billion with the government Kyrgyzstan to build six hydroelectric power plants. With an installed capacity of 2,217 megawatts (MWs), it is believed that the Kazarman and Kokomeren hydroelectric power plant projects will also meet the energy needs of the Middle Corridor. Ihlas Holding, one of the major groups in Türkiye, operates in a range of fields, including media, energy, construction, marketing, education, and health care.

Sources: DailySabah

Politics and Security  

 

Armenia – Azerbaijan – United States Trilateral Peace Summit 

On August 8, the UnitedStates hosted Armenia and Azerbaijan for a peace summit at the White House. During this summit, U.S. President Donald Trump held bilateral meetings with both Armenia Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, where each country signed a bilateral agreement to develop strategic partnerships with the United States. Potential areas of cooperation include defense, energy, trade, connectivity, and technology, including artificial intelligence. During the trilateral portion of the meetings, all three leaders signed a trilateral declaration stating their commitment to peace and unblocking commerce transport and communication links.  The summit also made way for the construction of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), which will provide Azerbaijan with full access to its exclave of Nakhchivan across Armenian territory while fully respecting Armenia’s sovereignty. It is still unclear which U.S. company would be involved in the TRIPP. Azerbaijan also received a U.S. waiver for Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, allowing for direct military cooperation. Finally, both Armenia and Azerbaijan withdrew as members of the OSCE Minsk group that was originally established to mediate Armenia’s former occupation of Azerbaijani territory in Nagorno Karabakh. 

Source: Caspian Policy Center

Pashinyan and Erdoğan Discuss Peace Talks with Azerbaijan 

On August 11, President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke on the phone with Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan to discuss the recent peace talks with Azerbaijan. Erdoğan congratulated Pashinyan on the success of the peace talks, stating that it constitutes a vital step toward regional peace. Pashinyan informed Erdoğan about the initialing of the “Agreement on Peace and Interstate Relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” the joint application of Armenia and Azerbaijan to the OSCE on the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group mechanisms, and the unblocking of regional communications, as well as the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity project. The sides also discussed issues on the Armenian-Turkish bilateral agenda, in particular, the implementation of previously reached agreements.

Source: Daily Sabah, Armenpress

Aliyev Holds Phone Call with Heads of States of Kazakhstan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan

On August 9-10, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held separate phone calls with President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. During the conversations, Aliyev addressed the importance of documents signed during his visit to the United States, which he described as “critical for ensuring lasting peace and stability in the region.” Aliyev expressed confidence that the establishment of unimpeded transport links between Azerbaijan’s mainland and its Nakhchivan region would contribute to the prosperity of the entire region. In return, the mentioned leaders congratulated Aliyev for his leadership in advancing the regional peace agenda, reaffirming their countries’ unwavering support for peace and stability in the region. Aliyev also thanked Erdoğan and Tokayev for their contributions to the peace process.

Source: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Zelenskyy and Aliyev Discuss Bilateral Relations, Condemn Russia’s Attack on Oil Storage Facilities in Ukraine

On August 10, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a phone call to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. Zelenskyy congratulated Aliyev on the achievements in the peace agenda between Armenia and Azerbaijan. During the conversation, the two leaders also discussed bilateral relations between Ukraine and Azerbaijan. Notably, Zelenskyy and Aliyev condemned the “deliberate airstrikes by Russia on an oil storage facility owned by Azerbaijan’s SOCAR in Ukraine, as well as other Azerbaijani facilities and a gas compressor station transporting Azerbaijani gas to Ukraine.” It was emphasized that these attacks would not hinder energy cooperation between the two countries.

Source: Caspian Policy Center, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Uzbekistan and Tajikistan Strengthen Ties with New Border Checkpoints

Uzbekistan and Tajikistan have opened two new border checkpoints - Bekabad Auto in the Tashkent region and Khavastabad in the Syrdarya region – to handle vehicles and third-country nationals. This move aims to improve customs operations, security, and regional economic integration. Both countries now have 17 official checkpoints under a 2002 intergovernmental agreement. 

Source: Trend

Tajikistan and Turkmenistan to Strengthen Their Cooperation

Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon and Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov met on August 5 in Awaza, Turkmenistan. The meeting took place as a part of the third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries. The presidents discussed the questions of bilateral cooperation, especially in the sphere of trade and investment. The creation of a “roadmap 2026-2028" was suggested in the meeting, which would aim at increasing the trade turnover between the two countries. The parties also discussed deepening cooperation in agriculture, manufacturing, and transport, as well as other topics.

Source: Asiaplustj.info