ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest includes articles on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, green economy investments, and more.
Photo credit: The Astana Times
Shanghai Cooperation Organization takes another giant step
The SCO held its 24th summit of heads of state on July 4 in Astana, Kazakhstan, reported the Asia Times on July 9.
The article notes that the event brought together in a single room the leadership of countries representing 80% of the Eurasian landmass, 40% of the global population and nearly 30% of global GDP. The fruit of more than two decades of inter-Eurasian diplomacy, the SCO has ten full members (Belarus joined on July 4) and 14 dialogue partners from Asia and the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia.
“The SCO’s aim of creating a new Eurasia-centric collective security framework that recognizes the sovereign autonomy of independent nations in a multipolar world and the principle that peace is best served by a foreign policy that pursues the common good is the real story from the Astana 2024 SCO Summit,” the article reads.
How Kazakhstan’s SCO chairmanship has navigated East-West tensions
According to an article published in The Diplomat on July 11, Kazakhstan has chaired the SCO over the past year, championing an initiative titled on World Unity for Just Peace, Harmony, and Development, which was unanimously adopted at last week’s summit.
In attendance were the heads of state and government of Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“Kazakhstan’s chairmanship over the past year and its attempts to reinvigorate the SCO at a time of East-West confrontation are commendable efforts considering the institutional limitations that exist. Expanding membership risks a loss of focus for the organization, but Kazakhstan has left a vision worth revisiting for fellow Central Asian governments to continue. China has taken the rotating chairmanship of the SCO for the next year, which could herald a grander agenda integrating Beijing’s Global Security Initiative and the consolidation of a multipolar world order,” the article notes.
Kazakhstan leverages middle power status with West, China, Russia
Nikkei Asia published an expert article on July 8, arguing that Kazakhstan is leveraging its potential as a supplier of energy and transit hub for Euro-Asian trade. As geopolitical upheaval across Eurasia continues unabated, Western countries need stable and trusted partners in the region. They should now use the opportunity to deepen engagement with Kazakhstan.
The author notes that Central to Kazakhstan’s position is its emergence as a middle power. Capitalizing on its strategic location, growing economy, and abundant natural resources, Kazakhstan has increasingly become a significant player on the Eurasian stage.
The article concludes that “Kazakhstan’s role as a middle power, combined with its political reforms, make it a constructive and evolving player in Eurasian affairs.”
KazMunayGas, CNPC seal deal to enhance oil and gas cooperation
KazMunayGas, Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company, and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) have signed a framework agreement to deepen cooperation in the oil and gas industry, reported Trend on July 10.
The signing took place on the sidelines of the seventh meeting of the Kazakh-Chinese Business Council.
The framework agreement stipulates that the parties will explore the possibilities for processing hydrocarbons from the Central Urikhtau field at the Zhanazhol oil and gas processing complex (CNPC-Aktobemunaigas).
In addition, the parties intend to explore the prospects for cooperation in petrochemical projects, as well as the exploration and production of oil and gas in the Caspian sedimentary basin, and the geological exploration of new subsoil areas.
Kazakhstan’s green economy investments skyrocket
The volume of investments in fixed capital in the green economy sector of Kazakhstan amounted to 201 billion tenge ($418 million) in 2023, reported Trend on July 12.
According to the data from the Bureau of National Statistics, the volume of investments increased by 365% year-on-year.
Thus, 199.8 billion tenge ($415 million) were allocated for activities in the field of renewable energy sources, and 186 million tenge ($386,000) for activities in the field of energy-saving technologies and increasing energy efficiency.
In addition, 1 billion tenge ($2.08 million) was allocated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
