The grant is part of the COVID-19 Emergency Support from Germany 2020 which includes a 5.8 million euro grant and a 15 million euro subsidised loan.

The ex-Soviet country's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 13.1 percent year-on-year in April-June and by 17.4 percent compared to the first quarter of this year.

Azerbaijan’s Energy Ministry welcomed the decision and is now scheduled to produce 661,000 bpd in January.

Kazakhmys has key assets concentrated in mining and non-ferrous metallurgy.

Between 2022 and 2026 Uzbekistan will build 21 large hydropower plants with a total capacity of 740 megawatts.  Seven projects with a total capacity of 170 MW are expected to start next year.