Via The Diplomat, an article on the decision of another investor to leave Kazakhstan, highlighting the worsening business climate: At the end of December, OMV Petrom sold its assets in Kazakhstan, marking the exit of yet another investor from the Central Asian country, which is still embattled in court spats with other foreign entities. The sale […]
Read more »Via The Journal Pioneer, commentary on Kazakhstan’s economy: At 2.7 million square kilometres in area, Kazakhstan, one of the former central Asian republics of the Soviet Union, is the ninth-largest country in the world. It encompasses an area roughly as big as Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria combined. Until two years ago, everyone […]
Read more »Via The Diplomat, an article on Beijing’s pursuit of shifting its trade and energy dependencies from sea to land: In the long term, Kazakhstan is the most important partner for China’s strategic priority to shift trade and energy dependence from sea to land. Both sides are enthusiastic about deepening cooperation, especially in trade. But an overwhelming […]
Read more »Courtesy of The Financial Times, an insightful look at a secret scheme to skim millions off central Asia’s pipeline megaproject: A Gazprom director profited from a secret scheme linked to the construction of a multibillion-dollar gas pipeline between central Asia and China, according to documents seen by the Financial Times. The documents indicate that staff and consultants […]
Read more »Via Eurasianet.com, a look at how Beijing has adopted a new economic model for Central Asia, investing less in major infrastructure and spreading its risk: Roads, pipelines, coal-fired power plants: not so much anymore. Beijing has changed course. It now rarely funds major infrastructure projects in Central Asia. Instead the People’s Republic has shifted to manufacturing: […]
Read more »Via Development Bank of Kazakhstan, commentary on Kazakhstan’s agricultural potential: The lack of quality food is now seen as the main impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The alarm is sounded not only by WHO and WTO experts, but also by the leaders of world powers such as China. According to them, restrictive measures on food […]
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