ASTANA – The Astana Times has curated a selection of articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest includes topics such as the importance of repealing the Jackson-Vanik amendment, the country’s transition to clean energy in response to climate change and more.
Shymbulak Mountain Resort. Photo credit: olympic.kz
How Trump can unlock new strategic economic opportunities in Central Asia
Atlantic Council published an article on Feb. 10 highlighting the importance of repealing the Jackson-Vanik Amendment as a first step in enhancing U.S. relations with Central Asia.
“Central Asia has been far from U.S. policymakers’ top priority in recent years. So it was significant on Jan. 15 to see U.S. Senator Steve Daines press the then-designate U.S. secretary of state, Marco Rubio, on Central Asia policy during his Senate confirmation hearing. Daines said to Rubio that the new administration should support congressional efforts to finally end the Jackson-Vanik Amendment, which prevents the United States from establishing permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with the Central Asian states. What’s more, Rubio appeared to agree on the need for a repeal of Jackson-Vanik—which he called ‘an absurd relic of the past,’” the article states.
According to the author, repealing the outdated amendment is the best first step the Trump administration can take in its Central Asia policy. Doing so would provide the administration with an opportunity to increase U.S. cooperation with Central Asian states in several domains beyond simply trade and investment. In the longer term, the United States could build on this opening to Central Asia to deepen collaboration on infrastructure investment, rare earths extraction, and counterterrorism, all while providing a counterweight to Russian and Chinese influence in the region.
Kazakhstan bolsters UN-led peacekeeping missions
Kazakhstan and the United Nations (UN) have signed a new agreement on funding a peacekeeping mission, Trend reported on Feb. 12.
Deputies of Kazakhstan’s Mazhilis (the lower house of Parliament) have ratified international agreements between the Government of Kazakhstan and the UN. These agreements provide for the participation of a peacekeeping contingent of the Kazakh Armed Forces in the Golan Heights mission.
Can Kazakhstan succeed in its transition toward clean energy?
The Diplomat published an article on Feb. 11 discussing Kazakhstan’s urgent transition to clean energy in response to climate change, highlighting the country’s efforts to develop renewable energy, attract international investment, and secure global partnerships to address environmental challenges and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
“Central Asia has been particularly vulnerable to climate change, grappling with water scarcity and extreme weather patterns. Farmers in Kazakhstan are faced with challenges as once-reliable water sources dwindle, their crops withering under frequent droughts in the summer. In April 2024, entire villages in northern Kazakhstan were submerged as unprecedented floods swept across the region,” the article notes.
According to the author, Kazakhstan has begun reshaping its energy landscape, making investments in clean energy to mitigate environmental risks. By the end of 2024, Kazakhstan had built a network of 148 renewable energy facilities, generating nearly 3,000 megawatts of clean power. Wind turbines now dot the skyline across 59 wind farms, while 46 solar plants utilize the region’s abundant sunlight. Hydroelectric stations and biomass plants further diversify the mix.
Specialized vehicles for wildlife monitoring transferred to Kazakhstan’s protected natural areas
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Forestry and Wildlife Committee of the Kazakh Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources have provided specialized heavy-duty trucks to Ulytau National Park and the Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve. These vehicles will support biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and the reintroduction of the Turan tiger as part of a broader project focused on protected areas and ecotourism development, the UNDP press service reported on Feb. 13.
“The provision of equipment to the specially protected natural areas is part of UNDP’s broader efforts to conserve biodiversity and restore ecosystems. These efforts include initiatives to develop a network of protected areas in Kazakhstan, increase human capacity in the environment sector, restore forests, and support local communities in remote regions of the country. The implementation of these measures will help Kazakhstan to fulfil its international commitments in the area of biodiversity conservation and climate change and contribute to the country’s development,” said Katarzyna Wawiernia, UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan, Tajikistan strengthen ties with focus on regional stability
Tajikistan and Kazakhstan reaffirmed their commitment to deepening their comprehensive partnership with a focus on regional stability, during a meeting between Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Trend reported on Feb. 12.
Tokayev met with Muhriddin, who arrived in Astana for an official visit. During the meeting, the Kazakh President highlighted the positive trajectory of relations between Kazakhstan and Tajikistan across various sectors, stressing the need to further strengthen their strategic partnership.
In this context, Tokayev underscored the significance of the Treaty on Allied Relations, signed last year, which marked a new milestone in the multifaceted and productive cooperation between Astana and Dushanbe.
