“Uzbekistan GTL, our great achievement in the energy sector of Uzbekistan, which we are going to tell today, will also be one of the swallows of the cluster system to be created in the energy sector of the country.
However, we do not think much about how we achieved this success, what, with what hard work and courage this plant was built. Everything is simple, it seems to be so, to most of us.
Not really. The birth of Uzbekistan GTL, which is located in the heart of the desert and is expected to become the pride of our people and the backbone of our economy, is undoubtedly a product of high and strong political will.
In early January, Interfax reported that Uzbekistan had suspended gas exports to Russia. According to the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in 2022 Uzbekistan does not plan to supply natural gas to Russia.
According to Interfax, in 2018 Uzbekistan supplied 3.8 billion cubic meters of gas to Gazprom, in 2019 increased its supply to 4.9 billion cubic meters, and in 2020 exports were suspended. In the same year, Gazprom began supplying Turkmen gas to Uzbekistan.
Elena Burmistrova, General Director of Gazprom Export, described the situation as “very rapid in Central Asia. This primarily applies to Uzbekistan. We are witnessing a huge increase in consumption in this country. Therefore, of course, the supply of gas to the population will expand, as the state will direct gas for its own needs, ”he said.
In my opinion, the details of this little piece of information can clearly show what stage of development Uzbekistan is currently at.
Yes, economic policy is changing. Diversification of the economy is considered as a key driver of development for the modernization of industries.
Here I would like to mention another aspect that can be a solid foundation for a nation-state; no matter how much a country has natural resources, its dependence on raw material exports is not a way to prosper. This aspect can also serve as a lever in economic and even political pressures, especially if export opportunities are limited.
It is no secret that our region is in a "narrow circle" in terms of energy sales. Russia and China, our two "great" neighbors, remain the region's main exporters. Many experts claim that, in terms of their regional and global perspectives, Central Asia remains a managed area.