IFPRI CA NEWS DIGEST (OCTOBER 28 – NOV 2, 2015)

News and Analysis

US Secretary of State, John Kerry Visits Central Asia

In a historic visit (Oct 28 – Nov 4), Secretary Kerry’s first visit to Central Asia and the first-ever visit by a US Secretary of State to all five Central Asian republics on the same trip, Secretary Kerry will hold bilateral discussions with senior government leaders in each country.  In Bishkek, the Secretary will participate in the opening of the new campus of the American University of Central Asia and dedicate the new chancery of the U.S. Embassy. In Samarkand, the Secretary will participate in a joint meeting with the foreign ministers of all five countries to discuss regional and global opportunities and challenges. This meeting, a new format for dialogue between the United States and the Central Asian republics known as the “C5+1,” will allow the Secretary and ministers to discuss regional and global opportunities and challenges. Secretary Kerry’s opening remarks can be read here.  In Astana, the Secretary will participate in the fourth meeting of the U.S.-Kazakhstan Strategic Partnership Dialogue and deliver remarks on Central Asia’s role in addressing global issues. While in Ashgabat and Dushanbe, the Secretary will discuss a range of bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest with senior government officials.

New U.S. assistance programs in Central Asia

(AKIpress, 02 Nov 2015) The U.S. Department of State says the United States of America is strongly committed to the prosperity, sovereignty, stability, and security of the five Central Asian countries as well as a vision of regional economic connectivity through its New Silk Road initiative. The United States has provided approximately $8.8 billion in assistance to programs supporting its partners in Central Asia since they (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) gained independence in 1991. New U.S. Assistance will be in the following areas: Competitiveness, Training, and Jobs; Central Asia Trade Forum; Climate Adaptation & Mitigation Program for the Aral Sea Basin; Smart Waters; American University of Central Asia; Professional and Educational Exchanges; Central Asia Regional English Language Initiative; and Cultural Preservation.

Japan funds anti-locust efforts in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Afghanistan

(Asia-Plus, 02 Nov 2015) Locust outbreaks periodically devastate precious food crops in Central Asia, jeopardizing both the food security and livelihoods of rural people. Improved locust management capacity is the goal of three-year, US$ 5 million project being financed by the Government of Japan in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan. According to the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Ms. Jamila Saidova,  in Tajikistan, three out of the four provinces of the country are regularly affected by locust infestations -  the southern province of Khatlon is the first and most infested, followed by Sughd and then by the districts subordinate to the center.  According to Saidova, it is important that the project will enable improvement and strengthening of the country’s technical capacity for addressing locust. Of the total project value, it is expected that about $2,270,471 will be allocated for Tajikistan.

Kerry ties Uzbekistan’s human rights record to cooperation on many fronts

(The Washington Post, 1 Nov 2015) Secretary of State John F. Kerry sat down Sunday with the leader of Uzbekistan to discuss the potential for cooperation on trade, security and the environment if it improves its human rights record. Kerry and Uzbek President Islam Karimov met for two hours before Kerry joined separate talks with foreign ministers from the five nations in Central Asia. According to a summary ­provided by the State Department, human rights was among a host of issues he discussed with Karimov.  Uzbekistan was Kerry’s second stop in a tour of the five former Soviet republics in Central Asia, where he is seeking to broaden and deepen relations.

US Embassy opens in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

(24 News Agency, 31 Oct 2015) At the opening ceremony of the new building of the US Embassy in Kyrgyzstan, the Ambassador of the United States to Kyrgyzstan, Sheila Gwaltney, emphasized their investment in the future of bilateral relations between the two countries.  According to her, one of the key ideas of the EEU is that entrepreneurs, registered in one state of the Union, may work throughout its territory. "This has led to a situation when the governments really started to remove barriers for business," she said.

Kyrgyzstan improves its position in Doing Business 2016 ranking

(24 News Agency, 30 Oct 2015) According to the Minister in charge of Development of Integration and Macroeconomics of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), Tatyana Valovaya, improvement of the position of Kyrgyzstan in the new World Bank’s Doing Business ranking is partly connected with its accession to the Eurasian Economic Union EEU). According to her, one of the key ideas of the EEU is that entrepreneurs, registered in one state of the Union, may work throughout its territory. "This has led to a situation when the governments really started to remove barriers for business," she said.

Active participation of women in farmers’ movement discussed

(UzDaily, 30 Oct 2015) The Executive Committee of Political Council of UzLiDeP, faction in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis and Council of farmers of the Republic of Uzbekistan under the party project “Women-farmers” organized the republican practical seminar on “Active participation of women in farmers’ movement”. Special attention at the event was paid to the priority program objectives of UzLiDeP as deepening of reforms in agriculture, support of farmers’ movement, formation of required effective infrastructure and providing farmers with even more privileges and preferences.

UN Population Fund supports training on methodologies of demographic analysis

(UzDaily 30 Oct 2015) The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in Uzbekistan, the Tashkent Branch of Russian Economics University (REU) named after Plekhanov, as well as Tashkent State University of Economics jointly organized 4-day training on demographic analysis. The training led by Professor Tomas Kucera of Charles University in Prague will gather demography experts and teachers from higher educational institutions of Uzbekistan. The 4-day training covered various aspects of population and development, including issues like demographic education and methodologies of demographic analysis, sources of data on population, global and regional population trends and prospects and many others.

Publications

Doing Business 2016: Measuring Regulatory Quality and Efficiency (World Bank, Oct 2015)

The World Bank released its 2016 edition of Doing Business Report: Measuring Regulatory Quality and Efficiency. Two Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, were among the top ten economies that improved the most in 2014/2015 in areas tracked by Doing Business. Together, these 10 top improvers implemented 39 regulatory reforms making it easier to do business.

Education in Asia: By the Numbers (ADB, Oct 2015)

According to 46^th (2015) edition of the Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific published by ADB, education and skills are keys to a smarter future and growth in the Asia and Pacific region.  The publication includes the latest available economic, financial, social and environmental indicators for the 48 economies of Asia and the Pacific, including 5 Central Asian countries.  A Special Chapter, A Smarter Future: Skills, Education, and Growth in Asia, suggests that improving the quality of education, as defined by higher cognitive abilities, can help gain high dividends for economic growth in developing Asia in the future. The report also presents the latest MDGs trends, as well as regional and country indicators tables. For these highlights, click here.  

Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report 2015: Supporting Participation in Value Chains (UN ESCAP, Nov 2015)

The Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report (APTIR) is a recurrent publication prepared by the Trade and Investment Division of the United Nations, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. It provides information on and independent analyses of trends and developments in: (a) intra- and inter-regional trade in goods and services; (b) foreign direct investment; (c) trade facilitation measures; (d) trade policy measures; and (e) preferential trade policies and agreements. It provides insights into the impacts of these recent and emerging developments on countries’ abilities to meet the challenges of achieving inclusive and sustainable development.  For a summary brief on North and Central Asia, click here.