Handing over the airports and ports of Kazakhstan to Europe; Don’t be bitten by the same “hole” twice!

“Sergei Kozhmyakin” expert on regional issues, in a note that he provided to the regional office of Fars news agency, examined the possible consequences of Kazakhstan’s decision to hand over its airports and seaports to companies European payment.

This note states: By handing over airports and seaports to European companies, Kazakh authorities are taking the risk of dragging the country into dangerous geopolitical adventures. If this happens, the political circles of the western powers will acquire the means of influencing the whole of Central Asia through capital and will be able to put more pressure on China, Russia and Iran.

Such a worrying message a few days ago at the “Global Getaway” investment meeting in Brussels. The capital of the European Union was proposed. Marat Karabayev, the Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan, announced his country’s readiness to hand over 22 airports to the private sector under the management of European investors. According to this Kazakh official, such an action will turn his country into a transit center between Europe and Asia.

This Kazakh minister did not reveal the details of the possible deals, but from his previous statements, It follows that very broad powers will be given to foreign investors. For example, in December 2023, Karabayev talked about the actions to be taken by private companies and mentioned things like repairing airport runways, developing passenger and cargo terminals, building fueling complexes, buying special equipment, etc.

In other words, foreign businessmen can have complete control over To acquire the transportation centers of this country. At that time, the minister mentioned the airports of “Turkistan”, “Aktobe”, “Qizil Orda” and “Karaganda” as priorities for privatization.

But the generosity of this Kazakh official only Airports are not limited. In a meeting with “Adina Velian”, the European Union Transport Commissioner, Karabayev raised the issue of transferring the sea ports of “Aktau” and “Korik” in the Caspian Sea to European companies under the conditions of “trusted management” and their subsequent privatization.

As ​​in the case of airports, this Kazakh minister did not improvise his words either. Last year, the Kazakh government talked about transferring port infrastructure to the private sector and attracting foreign investment. For example, it was said that “Astaneh” is negotiating with foreign shipping companies, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will help in finding partners.

Obviously, this issue It’s not just big business, it’s also big politics. “Aktau” and “Korik” are important points in the emerging Trans-Caspian transportation route. The creation of this corridor has been actively lobbied by the United States and the European Union, and it is clearly stated that the purpose of this project is to carry out transportation by bypassing the territory of Russia and Iran and strengthening the influence of the West in Central Asia.

Perhaps “Astaneh” does not understand all the risks associated with this idea (or does not want to understand). “Kazakhstan President Kassem Jomart Takayev has determined and targeted a five-fold increase in the volume of cargo traffic through the Trans-Caspian Corridor in the medium term.

In addition to the issue of Kazakhstan’s oil, which is transported through the oil pipeline “Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan” has increased from 250,000 tons to 1.4 million tons in the last one year, and the issue of ammonia, hydrogen and container cargo is also discussed.

Maybe Some authorities cannot understand which parties will use the benefits provided. Apart from that, some officials of this country are doing all their efforts to strengthen the position of the West in the region. In the aforementioned Brussels meeting, the Ministry of Transport and the Development Bank of Kazakhstan signed memorandums with the European Investment Bank on the use of funds related to the strengthening of transport connections between Europe and Central Asia. Only for the first stage, an investment portfolio of 1.5 billion euros has been considered, and in total, the European Union plans to invest 10 billion euros for the Trans-Caspian corridor in the coming years.

In addition, the aforementioned Kazakh official invited European partners to prepare and sign an agreement between the participants of the Trans-Caspian transport route and the European Union. Doing such an action will connect the region more to the west.

Kazakhstan authorities are actually going too far in trying to realize their foreign policy of “multilateralism” and playing on the differences of world powers with the aim of gaining benefits. They have forgotten that the transfer of strategic assets to private owners, especially foreign owners, is accompanied by great risks. In fact, these risks are very real in the sense that the geopolitical rivals of Russia and China (two countries with which Kazakhstan shares a border and considers them as its allies) are entering the role of investors.

In fact, the “threshold” provides a springboard for the enemy, who can use the transportation centers and routes for their own purposes, i.e. reconnaissance operations, transfer of necessary cargoes, blocking of transportation lines, instability, etc.

Apparently, lessons have not been learned from the January 2022 unrest in Kazakhstan. and it is possible that they will be bitten again from a hole.

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