July 15th, 2019
Via Seeking Alpha, a positive look at Uzbekistan: Summary Uzbekistan is poised to be a leader in Central Asia and is a standout country among other frontier markets. Market reforms that were recently implemented in 2016 will support private sector-led growth. Uzbekistan stands out in particular for its relatively lower minimum wages, as well as […]
Read more »Crushed by U.S. Sanctions, Iran Pins Economic Hopes on Mall Developer
July 13th, 2019
Courtesy of The Wall Street Journal, an interesting look at the potential of the business might of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to stabilize Iran’s teetering economy: Faced with a U.S. campaign to choke Iran of capital and investment, Saeed Mohammed is trying to find ways to keep the lifeblood of his country’s economy flowing. […]
Read more »July 13th, 2019
Via Project Syndicate, an interesting look at how – amid bleak GDP-based forecasts of Africa’s economic performance – some investors are tempted to write off the entire continent, but those who seize opportunities to gain an accurate and nuanced picture of Africa’s economic performance and prospects could reap vast rewards: Gross domestic product has been […]
Read more »Chinese Private Security Moves Into Central Asia
July 8th, 2019
Via The Diplomat, a look at the expansion of private Chinese security companies in Central Asia: As Kyrgyz President Soornbay Jennbekov pushed efforts to make the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway a reality, a private Chinese security company signed deals to protect the contested project for China Railway Group. The 2016 Chinese embassy bombing in Bishkek heightened risk perception among […]
Read more »July 8th, 2019
Via The Geopolitical Monitor, a look at the geopolitics around the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB): In June 2015, the creation of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) was agreed to by representatives of 50 countries in Beijing, China. The Bank started operating in January 2016 and its first four loans – totaling USD 509 […]
Read more »Uzbekistan: Rapidly Overhauling Its Economy
July 7th, 2019
Courtesy of The Economist, a report on Uzbekistan: The light and airy chaikhana, or teahouse, had been built to take advantage of the traffic between two of the biggest cities of the Fergana Valley, a fertile region at the heart of Central Asia. After the break-up of the Soviet Union Andijan and Osh had found themselves […]
Read more »