The total cost of the project is more than 147 million euros, of which the remaining 29.9 million euros will come from project beneficiaries and 17 million from the government.

The investments will help Uzbekistan to launch 282 large and more than 9,000 regional projects.

Azerbaijan exports natural gas to Turkey and Europe through the Southern Gas Corridor and continues to make inroads into an energy market which until now has been dominated by Russia.

The government expects to privatise the United Mining and Chemical Company (OGHC), the Centrenergo, and the Odesa Port Plant this year.

While Kazakhstan’s future remains unclear, it is important to already consider what further fallout these events and the resulting uncertainty may bring for policymakers and businesses near and far.