Energy and Economy

 

Azerbaijan and China Sign Agreement to Study Electric Power Transmission Network

Azerbaijan's Energy Minister, Parviz Shahbazov, met with the Vice President of China Energy Engineering Corporation, Xu Lu, to discuss future steps for the strategic partnership in the field of renewable energy. During the meeting, the sides signed an agreement on the study of the electric power transmission network of Azerbaijan. This agreement is an important step towards adapting the Azerbaijani energy infrastructure to the usage of renewable energy resources. 

Source: Trend.az

Kazakhstan Ramps Up Critical Mineral Push with New Rare Earth Projects

On June 19, Kaz Resources LLC and Cove Kaz Capital LLC, portfolio companies of Cove Capital, announced their 2025 work programs to advance critical mineral projects in Kazakhstan. Kaz Resources will expand exploration efforts in East Kazakhstan through drilling, geochemical sampling, and geophysical surveys targeting lithium and polymetallic zones, while also launching a pilot program to recover lithium, tantalum-niobium, and other minerals from historical tailings. Cove Kaz Capital, through its joint venture Akbulak REE Ltd., with Kazakhstan’s Qazgeology JSC, will begin exploration at the Akbulak Rare Earth Project in the Kostanay region, which hosts a historical resource of 380,000 tons of rare earth oxides.

Source: Cove Capital

TIF Hopes to Co-Finance the Middle Corridor Infrastructure

Baghdad Amreyev, the president of Turkic Investment Fund, took part in the Global Transport Connectivity Forum, which took place in Istanbul from June 27 to June 29. During his speech at the event, Amreyev expressed his hopes to contribute to the “hard infrastructure” development across the Middle Corridor. He stated that a main objective of the fund is to ensure connectivity between Turkic states. The fund is planning to cooperate with both private and public actors to first establish soft connectivity, which will be followed by hard-infrastructure projects.

Source: Trend.az

Uzbekistan Increasing Hydropower Capabilities with World Bank Support

The World Bank has approved a $150 million concessional credit to Uzbekistan to support the development of the small hydropower sector. This project will be conducted by the private sector, specifically small hydropower developers and banks. Taking place between 2025 and 2030, the objective of the project is to increase capacity for small hydropower plants up to 150 megawatts and generate over 520 gigawatt-hours of green energy annually.

Source: World Bank Group

President of Uzbekistan Mirziyoyev took part in the EAEU summit in Minsk

On June 27 in Minsk, Belarus, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in his status as the current head of the observer state at the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The meeting, chaired by the President of the Republic of Belarus, was also attended by the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia. At the beginning of his speech, the Mirziyoywv noted that further expansion and deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation with the EAEU countries is one of the priority areas of Uzbekistan’s country's foreign economic policy.

Source: UZ Daily

Uzbekistan’s Senate Approves Adoption of International Nuclear Damage Treaty 

On June 26, Uzbekistan’s Senate approved the country’s accession to the 1963 Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage. By signing on to this convention, the Uzbekistani government would enforce an internationally recognized legal framework for managing nuclear incidents that ensures some degree of victim compensation, defines the legal obligations of nuclear operators in the event of an accident, and opens the door for greater cooperation between Tashkent and the International Atomic Energy Agency.  As the only Central Asian country other than Kazakhstan to join this international treaty, Tashkent’s action marks a significant step forward in Central Asia’s nuclear energy management, in both the international and domestic arenas.

Source: The Times of Central Asia

Kazakhstan Approves IBRD Loan to Boost Rural Digitalization

Kazakhstan’s Senate has ratified a loan agreement with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) worth 46 billion tenge to support the “Accelerated Digitalization for an Inclusive Economy” project. The initiative aims to expand sustainable digital infrastructure, particularly by providing high-speed internet access to rural communities. It will also support small and medium enterprises, remote services, and regional development through telecom upgrades and public-private partnerships. The project is expected to drive technological growth without requiring additional national budget spending or causing socio-economic harm.

Source: Tengrinews.kz

Tajikistan Launches Central Asia’s First National AI Cluster and Technopark

Area AI, artificial intelligence (AI) cluster and national technopark, was launched during a ceremony in the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region on June 25 attended by President Emomali Rahmon. This milestone marks a key step in implementing the country's National AI Strategy, which aims for AI to contribute 5% of GDP by 2040. Developed by domestic firm darya.ai, the AI cluster will focus on language models, applied research, and digital infrastructure – particularly in the Tajik language. Area AI is set to serve as a hub for research, pilot programs, and international cooperation, with applications across sectors such as energy, healthcare, education, and public services. The event featured strategic partnership agreements with ATRC (UAE), Presight AI (UAE), and Scale AI (USA). Representatives from major global tech and investment players – iincluding OpenAI, NVIDIA, Mistral AI, and Qatar National Bank – also attended, signaling growing international interest in Tajikistan’s AI ambitions.

Source: ASIA-Plus 

Politics and Security

 

Azerbaijan Cancels Russian Events over “Extrajudicial Killings” of Two Nationals

On June 27, police in Yekaterinburg, Russia, carried out mass arrests of members of the city’s Azerbaijani community, detaining about 50 individuals for questioning in connection with a series of murders and attempted murders committed between 2001 and 2011. The two primary suspects, brothers Guseyn and Ziyaddin Safarov, died during the course of their arrests. In a statement released by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the killings were described as "ethnically motivated public and deliberate unlawful actions," and that Russia's actions have "recently taken on a systematic nature." Following this, the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan cancelled all planned cultural events hosted with Russian state and private organizations. Azerbaijani state media also noted that Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk’s visit to Azerbaijan was also reportedly cancelled, stating that Azerbaijan "does not consider it appropriate under the current circumstances for Overchuk or any other official representative of Russia to visit." 

Source: Meduza, Kyiv Independent, Reuters

Armenia Launches Major Arrests of Church Officials, Alleges Coup

Armenian security forces have arrested over a dozen individuals in Armenia on allegations of plotting to overthrow the Armenian government. The arrested individuals include Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, who rose to prominence in spring 2024 leading the “Tavush for the Homeland” protests against the government of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, as well as another Armenian Apostolic Church bishop and at least 13 members of Galstanyan’s “Holy Struggle” political movement. To prove their case, which the Church and opposition have described as politically motivated, Armenian officials released photographs of firearms and secret recordings of conversations they claim prove the intent to overthrow the state. The arrests come following the detention of Samvel Karapetyan, the prominent businessman who had likewise become critical of Pashinyan’s government and after weeks of Pashinyan and his allies alleging malpractice by church officials.

Source: Jam News

Armenian FM Makes First Visit to China

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan visited Beijing, China, for an official trip, June 24-27. During his visit, Mirzoyan held discussions with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi. The two leaders appeared to focus on the development of trade and transit between Armenia and China. The Armenian Foreign Ministry’s statement on the visit reads, “The visit was marked by productive discussions and agreements, opening new important prospects for deepening the partnership between Armenia and China.” However, minimal details on the visit appear to have been released.

Source: Armenpress

Kazakhstan Moves to Ban Face-Coverings 

On June 25, Kazakhstan’s lower house of parliament moved to amend legislation aimed at banning face coverings by women in public. Most controversially, the measure would include religious face-coverings for Muslim women. Officials have said that the bill excludes face coverings for medical, professional, or weather protection. In recent years as Islamic adherence has grown in Kazakhstan, niqabs – women's face coverings that only expose the eyes – have increased in public visibility. Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have passed similar measures in recent years.

Source: Times of Central Asia

Kyrgyz Parliament Approves New State Controls on Media Outlets

On June 26, Kyrgyzstan’s Parliament approved legislation that requires all new websites to register with a state-authorized body. The legislation also allows the government to grant or revoke licenses without cause or reason. President Japarov has signaled that he will sign the Bill into Law. 

Source: Reuters