Energy and Economy

SEE Countries Sign Azeri Gas Agreement

Romania, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovakia will sign a new agreement on the import of Azeri gas at the April 25-26 conference in Sofia said Bulgarian Minister of Energy, Rosen Hristov. Plans will be implemented to expand gas infrastructure from Azerbaijan through Bulgaria to Central Europe. Source: Energynomics

Azerbaijani Gas Surpassed Russian Gas in the Greek Market for the First Time

During the first quarter of 2023, the Greek gas transmission system DESFA reported that the Azerbaijani gas transported via the TAP pipeline covered 21.6% of Greek gas imports, followed by Russian gas imports at 19%. This comes after Greece reduced Russian gas imports by 56% during the first quarter of 2023. Source: Caspian Barrel

Kashagan Oil Field’s Operator Comments on the Disagreements with the Ministry of Ecology

The managing director of the North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC), the operator of Kashagan oil field in Kazakhstan, stated that the consortium currently has some disagreements with the Kazakh Ministry of Ecology. In 2022, the Ministry sued NCOC regarding violations of its rules for sulfur storage. Commenting on the ongoing dispute, NCOC claimed that they adhere to the strictest environmental approaches in their activities. Source: Caspian Barrel

Azerbaijan and China Sign Contract on the Transport of Cargo through Azerbaijan

On April 17, Azerbaijan’s Port of Baku and the Chinese Port of Qingdao signed a contract to enable cargo to be transported through Azerbaijan. Cooperation between the two is expected to attract cargo from China, South Korea, and other countries to the East of Azerbaijan. The General Director of the Port of Qingdao noted that the Port of Baku is in a great strategic location, and moving forward, most of its Westward cargo will travel through Baku. Source: AzerNews

Kazakhstan’s Astrakhan-Mangyshlak Water Pipeline to be Upgraded

Kazakhstan’s Main Water Pipeline LLP, owned by KazTransOil JSC will receive 50 billion tenge, or a little over US$100 million, from KazMunayGaz JSC to finance the investment project “reconstruction and expansion of the main water pipeline Astrakhan - Mangyshlak 1st stage.” Source: KazTransOil

Security and Politics

Kazakhstan and China Discuss Visa-Free Regime

On April 19, China and Kazakhstan will begin discussing a potential visa-free regime, which will be implemented during a meeting on May 18-19 in Xi’an. This will enable Kazakh passport holders to visit China for personal and business purposes, including tourism, medical treatment, and international transportation needs. This will also enable visa-free travel for Chinese passport holders visiting Kazakhstan. Source: Silk Road Briefing

USAID Holds First Venture Capital Forum in Turkmenistan

On April 13, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), with the Rysgal bank, the joint stock bank of Ashgabat, held a conference on venture capital investments in Ashgabat. The forum included private-sector investors, financial institutions, private companies, government regulators, and regional experts. The forum aimed to increase understanding of investment strategies and practical steps related to the establishment of the first venture capital fund in Turkmenistan. Source: USAID

Turkmenistan and China Discuss Strengthening their Relations

On April 14, Turkmenistan's Ambassador to China Parakhat Durdiyev met with representatives of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) to discuss areas of bilateral cooperation. During the meeting, they discussed the new administrative center of the Akhal region of the city of Arkadag, which will potentially be a “smart city.” They additionally discussed the potential of increased investment in Turkmenistan from China. Source: AzerNews

Kazakhstan Drafts Legislation to Enhance Development of the Kazakh Language

On April 16, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education came up with draft legislation for Kazakh language policy development for 2023-2029. The proposed draft, available for public discussion until April 25, addresses priorities, prospects, and measures to enhance the development of the Kazakh language. “A harmonious language policy should be implemented and aimed at modernizing the Kazakh language on the basis of the Latin script,” the draft outlines. Source: Astana Time

Sources: Astana Times, Azernews, Caspian Barrel, Energynomics, KazTransOil, USAID, Silk Road Briefin