Ukrainian tour operator Join UP! plans to launch franchising in the Baltic States and Kazakhstan in 2024, according to Marina Dayneko, head of the Join UP! sales office, in an interview with the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
“Currently, more than 100 agencies are operating under this model in Ukraine, and four in Moldova, two of which opened this year. We are continuing to develop franchising in Poland and are currently signing agreements with both Polish and Ukrainian partners. This year, we are launching franchising in Kazakhstan and the Baltic states,” she said.
As reported, the travel company Join UP! LLC was established in 2013 with a registered capital of UAH 72.671 million. The ultimate beneficiaries are Yuriy and Oleksandr Alby. According to the OpenDataBot service, at the end of 2024, the tour operator’s revenue decreased to UAH 376,000 from UAH 16,639,000 in 2023, and its net loss decreased to UAH 217,451,000 from UAH 233,341,000, respectively.
The brand’s international expansion covers eight markets: the Baltic states, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic. Preparations are underway to launch operations in Slovakia and Hungary. Last year, the brand also opened its first franchise agency on the international market in Katowice, Poland.
As part of the expansion of transport corridors and the development of international transportation, the first container train from India to Kazakhstan via Uzbekistan was launched.
According to the press service of JSC “Uztemiryulcontainer”, the train, which includes 12 twenty-foot containers, departed from the port of Mundra (India) to the station of Sorokov (Kazakhstan). The route passes through Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, covering 1,585 km by sea and 4,300 km by rail.
Previously, container shipments from India to Uzbekistan (Mundra – Sergeli) have been successfully carried out along this route.
On February 10 this year, the first freight train was sent from China to Afghanistan via a new direct rail route connecting the two countries through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The train, carrying 55 containers of communication equipment manufactured by the Chinese telecommunications concern ZTE, departed from Chongqing’s Tuanjetsun station to Afghanistan’s Hairaton.
The train will cross the border at the Khorgos checkpoint in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and reach its destination in Khairaton via Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
The entire journey is expected to take 12-15 days. “By using the direct rail freight transportation scheme, transportation time will be reduced by 3-5 days compared to road transportation, and logistics costs are expected to be reduced by 15-20%. This will strengthen the safety and efficiency of transportation and supply of goods,” said Liu Jianfeng, a ZTE employee.
The opening of the direct freight route will further strengthen trade and economic cooperation and exchanges between Chongqing and Afghanistan, as well as with other Central Asian countries.
On November 13, as part of the COP29 summit, a ceremony was held to sign the Agreement on Strategic Partnership in the Development and Transmission of Green Energy between Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.
In his speech at the event, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that renewable energy is not an economic goal, but a contribution to the future, the result of a sense of responsibility to future generations.
The environmental importance of the project was particularly emphasized. The energy to be transmitted is wind and solar energy, a renewable and clean resource that will reduce the impact on the climate.
Thus, the parties support joint efforts to protect the climate under the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.
It was noted that the signatory countries, having significant renewable energy resources, can make a significant contribution to the global energy transition.
Touching upon the efforts of Uzbekistan to develop a green economy, the Leader of Uzbekistan focused on the key aspects of large-scale work in this direction.
It was noted that about two gigawatts of solar and wind generation capacity is being commissioned annually in the country. In addition, an additional 2.6 gigawatts of renewable generation and 300 megawatts of energy storage systems will be connected to the grid by the end of this year.
By 2030, it is planned to increase the share of renewable energy sources to 40 percent, as well as to create 4.2 gigawatts of energy storage systems.
It was expressed that the economic effect of this project will be felt by all its participants.
The importance of accelerating the project implementation, including the establishment of a joint venture, development and approval of technical documentation and other procedures, was emphasized.
In conclusion, President Mirziyoyev reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s commitment to the joint implementation of this regional project.
Active Group and Experts Club have conducted a joint study on the attitudes of Ukrainians towards the countries of East Asia and the Middle East. The research was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine news agency in June 2024. The research was presented by Maksym Urakin and Oleksandr Poznyi. The results of the study are as follows:
The results of the survey are as follows:
Completely positive – 9.3%.
Mostly positive – 40.9%.
Mostly negative – 13.2
Completely negative – 2.6
Difficult to answer – 34%.
Positive – Negative – 34.4
On July 22, 1992, the Republic of Kazakhstan and Ukraine established diplomatic relations. The Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Ukraine was opened in December 1994.
A joint study by Active Group and Experts Club on the attitudes of Ukrainians towards East Asia and the Middle East was conducted in April-May 2024. It covers such countries as Turkey, Iran, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia, India, China, Republic of Korea, DPRK, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Syria, and Iraq. Full information on the research is available on the website of the Club of Experts at
Ambassador Darkhan Kaletaev participated in the presentation of the Budinok Mami Resource Center in Kyiv.
The presentation was attended by representatives of the Secretariat of the First Lady, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, UNICEF, Office of the Ombudsman of Ukraine, Kyiv State City Administration, National Children’s Specialized Clinic “OCHMATDIT”, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ukraine, Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and diplomats of European states and CIS countries accredited in Ukraine, Ukrainian businessmen, media representatives, etc. The project is implemented by the Public Foundation “Anaүi” with the support of the Ambassador of Kazakhstan.
The project is realized by the Public Foundation “Ana Uyi” with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Ukraine.
Executive Director of the Public Foundation “Ana Uyi” Azharkul Klyshbaeva during the presentation informed about the first year of work of the resource center “Budinok Mami”. From July 2023 until now 18 women have received the necessary assistance, as a result of which 24 children have avoided institutionalization. The Foundation plans to open similar institutions in other regions of Ukraine.
The project is being implemented in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Malaysia and Azerbaijan.
