News Roundup

News Roundup - April 30, 2008

By SRI ⋅ April 30, 2008 ⋅

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energy:

Kashagan consortium unable to announce investment

(Reuters) - The consortium developing Kazakhstan’s Kashagan oil field is still not able to announce the level of its investments, Eni Chief Executive Paolo Scaroni said on Tuesday…

Eni in talks with Kazakh government on updated Kashagan plan

(Dow Jones/CNN Money) - Eni SpA (E), Italy’s largest oil and natural gas company by volume, is currently holding talks with the government of Kazakhstan on an updated plan for the massive Kashagan oil field, meaning it can’t publish the details yet…

Transparency International includes KazMunayGas in Middle IOC performers

(Interfax) - Transparency International (TI) has issued the 2008 Report on Revenue Transparency of Oil and Gas Companies…

Iran interested in Caspian oil transit to Gulf markets (Interfax/Red Orbit)

Alhambra Resources Ltd. - Year 2007 financial and operational results (CNW Resources)

Naturvernforbundet develops energy activites in Caucasus and Central Asia (Naturvern)

mineral resources:

Kazakh government to auction off 9 non-ferrous deposits

(Interfax) - The regulation was signed by the Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Karim Masimov on April 22 and published in the official press on Tuesday…

business and economy:

EBRD to invest in Kazakh private equity fund

(Reuters) - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) plans to invest up to $94 million into a Kazakh state-controlled private equity fund, the bank said…

Kazakhstan sets up funds to push innovation

(Reuters) - Kazakhstan will team up with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and other big investors this year to set up several funds to promote innovative projects, officials said on Tuesday…

Kazakhstan outlook cut to negative; ratings of 12 banks affirmed - S&P

(Thomson Financial/Forbes) - Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services said it lowered its outlook on the long-term sovereign credit ratings on the Republic of Kazakhstan to negative from stable…

S&P revises Kazakh outlook on bank, funding woes (Reuters/Guardian)

Kazakh bank Nurbank repays $150 million Eurobond

(Reuters/Yahoo! News) - Mid-size Kazakh bank Nurbank has repaid a $150 million Eurobond, or more than half of all outstanding foreign debt it is scheduled to repay this year, it said on Tuesday…

Net profit of Sberbank’s subsidiary in Kazakhstan increased in 2.5 times (AK&M)

Netherlands is recognized as largest investor in Kazakhstan in 2007 – Ambassador (TREND)

IMF considers authorities of Kazakhstan tackle well consequences crisis on international capital markets (Kazakhstan Today/Gazeta.kz)

Kazakhstan seeks investors to build 1,000 kilometers of roads (Kazinform)

Indicators - Kazakhstan - April 29

(Reuters) - Kazakhstan’s economic indicators based on data provided by the State Statistics Agency, government institutions, the central bank and exchanges…

politics:

Medvedev to visit Kazakhstan, China after inauguration

(RIA Novosti) - Russian president-elect Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday that he intended to pay his first official foreign visits in the capacity of president to Kazakhstan and China…

Ex-minister of finance appointed secretary of the ministry

(Interfax) - Natalia Korzhova has been appointed secretary of the Kazakh Finance Ministry…

society:

Safe water? Lessons from Kazakhstan

(Science Daily) - Despite significant efforts to improve access to safe water and sanitation, a new report co-authored by an expert at The University of Nottingham, argues that much more needs to be done…

Kyrgyz protest against concessions to Kazakhstan

(Neweurasia.net) - As we already reported earlier, the long-running dispute between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan over ownership of resorts on the shores of Lake Issyk Kul has been resolved in favor of Kazakhstan. But far not everyone in Kyrgyzstan is happy with the compromise…

regional news:

Freedom House media reoprt paints bleak pocture for Central Asia, Caucasus

(EurasiaNet) - The news is bleak for media outlets in the Caucasus and Central Asia, according to an annual report released by Freedom House on April 29. And the forecast calls for periods of repression, heavy at times…

analysis:

Will it be a long, hot summer in Central Asia?

(Roberts Report) - Central Asians have been through a lot over the last century. They are not strangers to famine and hardship, but that does not mean that they will just be able to brush off what is turning out to be a global crisis in food prices…