Emel Akan

Congratulations to Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and his stealth team on the successful implementation of economic reforms that have improved the quality of life for its people, fueled domestic business growth, and created a productive and reliable ecosystem for foreign direct investments. Uzbekistan's commitment to digitalization and foreign investment is evident in the immense growth of the IT sector, with Saudi Arabian DataVolt investing $5 billion to build a green data center. It is a remarkable testament to trust in Uzbekistan and its legal and business infrastructure that such a massive FDI is committed without any government guarantee, PPP or PPA. At least in part, such hospitable climate for IT investments can be attributed to exemplary work and global outreach of Uzbekistan Ministry of Digital Technologies and IT Park Uzbekistan, which are efficiently transforming the country into a regional IT hub and powerful magnet for international collaboration in IT innovations, research and investments. #Invest_in_Uzbekistan #Green_Data_Center #DataVolt #Saudi_Arabia #IT_Park #Enterprise_Uzbekistan #Uzbekistan_President #digitalization

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Getting to know the ancient and beautiful Samarkand, the rich centuries-old history and traditions of our people became a bright conclusion to the Uzbek-Korean summit

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The recent decree signed by the President announcing the offering of shares of 12 sate enterprises in 2024, including notable names like JSC Almalyk Mining And Metallurgical Complex (AMMC), Uzbekhydroenergo, and others, through IPOs and SPOs on the local stock market, is a significant move. It will be interesting to see how these offerings unfold and the potential impact they have on the Uzbek economy and investment landscape. #uzbekistan #capitalmarkets #ipo #spo

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Exactly the sort of policies and priorities which Kazakhstan's President needs to pursue. As the WB recently assessed, this country has an incredable opportunity to grow rapidly over the coming five years. These policy objectives are example on how this can be achieved. Go Central Asian Snow Leopards 👍

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I am glad to share our new macroeconomic outlook for the Eurasian region! We upgraded the outlook for 2024 for EDB states: ✔ We believe that Kazakhstan's economy will maintain a high growth rate of around 5%, spurred by the government's efforts to attract FDI and diversify the economy. ✔ We expect Armenia to grow by 7.5%, Kyrgyzstan by 5.5% and Tajikistan by 8.0%. The forecasted growth rates have been raised due to strong domestic demand and increased exports of basic metals. ✔ Our new forecast for Belarus is 3.4%, supported by continued strong external demand from Russia and wage growth. ✔ We raised our economic growth forecast for Russia to 3%. The main driver of this growth is strong domestic demand, driven by high household incomes and fiscal stimulus. The full publication is available on the Eurasian Development Bank website https://lnkd.in/d7YHMGUK Stay tuned for more insights! #EDBForecast #CentralAsia #macroeconomicoutlook

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Turkey and Uzbekistan are the two largest countries in the Turkic world. As a result, the rela- tionship between them is a determining factor for the prospects of Turkic cooperation. For most of three decades, the difficulties in the bilateral relationship was a key impediment to Turkey’s influence in Central Asia. Since 2016, however, the arrival of a new leadership in Uzbekistan coincided with Turkey’s turn in a nationalist direction to provide a major boost toward a more fruitful and cooperative relationship. While Turkey’s relations with Uzbekistan have much ground to make up compared to its ties with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, the two states have made it priority to do just that. https://bit.ly/4dUdB60

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Top investors into Uzbek economy unveiled Investments in the fixed capital of Uzbekistan surged to UZS 107.1 trillion ($8.4bn) in 1Q24. 👉Details — https://lnkd.in/d4m6XvGA #Uzbekistan #InvestmentInflows #FixedCapitalInvestment #EconomicDevelopment #FinancialGrowth #InvestmentTrends #EconomicIndicators #BusinessExpansion #UzbekistanInvestmentClimate #EconomicProsperity

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Today, I was invited to Harvard Business Review Türkiye's office for a meeting with the Editor-In-Chief - Serdar Turan - in order to discuss the prospects of Azerbaijani market. I would like to thank Mr. Turan for the invitation and the journals! Looking forward to engaging in more discussions soon! #HarvardBusinessReview #SürdürülebilirlikZirvesi

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Once again, I emphasize the importance of cooperation in the region. There are several reasons why I am attending the Central Eurasia Venture Forum. It is a crucial event for the VC and startup ecosystem in the region, providing the opportunity to meet interesting people, potential partners, and old friends. Additionally, it is a process of co-creating a regional venture ecosystem, where all the main players should collaborate to increase the visibility of a region with tremendous potential. This potential is still largely undiscovered, but we hope that our task force and the Central Eurasian Startup and VC Mafia will have a similar impact on the venture future of the countries as ecosystem players have had in the Baltic countries and other rapidly growing startup ecosystems. All the best to my friends and partners at MOST Ventures Alim Khamitov PhD Pavel Koktyshev, and I wish them a successful event. During the Venture Meeting, I will speak about identifying prospective startups through the lens of behavioral science. www.futurelab.ge Future Laboratory Ventures

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In the framework of Tashkent International Investment Forum Minister Sherzod Shermatov gave interview on CNN for “Quest Means Business” live show. #tashkentinternationalinvestmentforum #digitalpushinUzbekistan

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Tashkent International Investment Forum concluded with $26.6 billion in signed agreements, an almost 2.5x increase from the previous year. The largest investments include Saudi Arabia's DataVolt pledging $4 billion in direct investments for urban infrastructure and a green data center in "New Tashkent", ACWA Power - Central Asia's commitment of $6.2 billion and UAE's AMEA Power $1.1 investments into renewable power generation in Karakalpakstan. As we wrote earlier, the entry of Middle East companies into the critical sectors of the Uzbek economy marks a new stage in relations between Central Asia and the Middle East, bringing much-needed investments and infrastructure to the country. https://lnkd.in/dfa8izx7 Our CEO Nazim Turdumambetov shared his views on the Forum with the national TV channel: https://lnkd.in/dQPthH5p #uzbekistan #tiif #investments

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I have long been fascinated by the Silk Road, the ancient trade route that connected the great civilizations of the east and west. In May, I had the opportunity to learn more about the new Silk Road, a promising rail, toad and sea route known as the Middle Corridor. At the 8th Caspian Forum gathering, I got the chance to hear a variety of experts assess the opportunities and challenges offered by the Corridor. At a time when nations are looking to trade goods and work cooperatively, without encountering conflict zones, the Middle Corridor will likely only grow in importance as a way of connecting Central Asia with European markets. Read below for my in-depth reporting on the conference organized by the Caspian Policy Center

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Kazakhstan continues its highly successful multi vector approach to global diplomacy. This policy clearly leads to increased global investment into Central Asia, including into vital infrastructure as well as closer cooperation in Agro Tech, Minerals & Mining, Green Energy and Bio tech.

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Yesterday, we had a fantastic meeting with a group of entrepreneurs from Kazakhstan, where we met with Stanford Professor Pedram Mokrian. We discussed the dynamics of Silicon Valley and what companies need to do to keep up with the rapid advancements in AI to remain competitive. Kazakhstan is an emerging market with a lot of talented individuals, and we aim to help our colleagues build bridges with Silicon Valley and make valuable connections. Plus, now Professor Mokrian and I have matching Kazakh outfits! There are four key components of the Silicon Valley ecosystem to consider: 1. Academia: Researchers who develop frameworks and methodologies. 2. Startup Community: Thousands of talented people from around the world building the next big companies. 3. VCs: Investors who provide resources, investments, and knowledge to support startup founders. 4. Corporations: Customers of these technologies that support the community by leveraging their expertise and reach, often becoming strategic acquirers of early-stage companies. All these elements combined make Silicon Valley a unique place. Together with the INNOVERA.AI team, we are helping companies navigate these opportunities and transform their approach to innovation management, venture mindset, and technological advancement.

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----- What happens when you mix the culture of nomads and 21st century progress. Kazakhstan is a country rich in history, culture, and natural resources. We stand, yes, as a young nation, but we have achieved a distinctive balance between our nomadic heritage and modern influences. You should come visit us, if you haven't done it yet. We are immensely fortunate to be the world's largest producer of uranium and a leading producer of other minerals such as cobalt, nickel, gas, chromite, magnesium metal, lead, zinc, gold, manganese, and others. Our mining industry is not only a major economic asset but also a major employment asset. It contributes more than 25% of the country's GDP, and more than one million Kazakhs work in the industry, especially in Atyrau and Mangistau, where mining accounts for a considerable share of total employment. The mining sector has experienced exponential growth in recent years. We have an essential role on the global stage, where we continue to implement significant reforms to attract foreign investment, improve the climate, and ensure responsible mining operations. Again, our efforts reflect many of our values. Not only do we want to exploit natural resources, but we seek a broader commitment to the economy and sustainability along with a better quality of life for Kazakhs. For the years to come, I see Kazakhstan as an international leader, a resource provider, and an engine of economic progress. We stand as a magnet for global investment and have a promising future. From China, from the West, from India and others. A true, strong, magnet.

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#Uzbekistan: Powering Up for the Future #TIIF #Tashkent 2 May 2024 #Uzbekistan is making bold strides towards a diversified, sustainable, and technologically advanced future. Here's a glimpse into some exciting developments announced during the Third Tashkent International Investment Forum #TIIF: • Launch of Trade Connect Central Asia + (#TCCA+), a groundbreaking initiative led by #ITFC. #TCCA+ will be a game-changer, fostering intra-regional trade and investment. #TCCA+ launch brought together key decision-makers: ministers, policymakers, international organization heads, and International Financial Institutions. Together, they charted a course to unleash intra-regional trade and investment in #CIS. • Green Giant: By #2030, #Uzbekistan aims to be a regional leader in renewable energy, generating over 20 gigawatts through wind and solar power. Strategic #partnerships with #Masdar, #Gezhouba, #ChinaEnergy, and #ACWAPower are already underway, with impressive 1.4 GW plants launched in 2023. Public-Private Partnerships (#PPP) are fueling this green revolution. • Financial Transformation: Uzbekistan's banking sector is poised for growth with the planned #privatization of #Asakabank, a leading national bank, in collaboration with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (#EBRD). • Unearthing Opportunities: #Uzbekistan boasts rich reserves of gold, copper, tungsten, silver, and uranium. The country is actively exploring rare-earth minerals and will be adopting a new, EBRD-supported subsoil law to streamline resource management. • Digital Silk Road: In partnership with #DataVolt of Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan is building green energy-powered data centers, fostering a digitally-driven economy. • Connecting the Continents: Strategic railway projects like #ChinaKyrgyzstanUzbekistan and #UzbekistanAfghanistanPakistan are underway. These game-changers will transform Central Asia into a global transit hub, connecting north to south, east to west. This is a pivotal moment for #Uzbekistan and Central Asia's economic future. Stay tuned for exciting developments! #CentralAsia #TIIF #Uzbekistan #GreenEnergy #Infrastructure #DigitalTransformation #EconomicDevelopment #PPP #Privatization #Partnership4Impact #TCCA+

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