The Digital Silk Road : A Game Changer for Emerging Economies on September 27, 2020Enhanced connectivity is the primary motive of massive Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by China. Since 2013, a bulk of Chinese investments have crowded around physical infrastructure projects under BRI in over 130 countries and involving some 35 international organisations. BRI is a vehicle by which China is restoring the ancient Silk Road through the […]
Pakistan and Wakhan Corridor: Tapping the Dormant Treasure on September 14, 2020The Wakhan Corridor is also called “roof of the world” with its elevation of 5400 meters. It is located in the north-eastern Badakhshan province of Afghanistan and is surrounded on three sides by Pakistan, Tajikistan and China. The Wakhan Corridor, about 350 km long and 13 km wide, is flanked by the exquisite Pamir Mountains […]
Between Life and Livelihood: COVID-19 Conundrum on July 27, 2020During the troubled times of global Covid-19, a painful debate on a choice between ‘life and livelihood’ is widespread. Various questions are being posed. What is more important to a person; staying healthy or being able to feed the family? What is more important to a nation; having a healthy population or ensuring economic growth? […]
Post-Pandemic Business Opportunities on July 20, 2020Every crisis leaves its mark and changes our way of doing and being. Financial crisis of 2008 gave birth to business ventures like Uber, Airbnb and Groupon etc. Similarly, 9/11 incident was followed by heightened security administration; and World Wars also witnessed the creation of International Red Cross and nursing profession. In such situations, certain […]
Post-Pandemic Central Asia: Opportunities and challenges on June 29, 2020Countries world over, were slow to acknowledge COVID-19 as a global pandemic. That is why, in beginning, Central Asian states too appeared to be zero-virus islands without confirmed corona infected cases. Kazakhstan disclosed its early confirmed cases on March 13, Uzbekistan on March 15, Kyrgyzstan on 18 and Tajikistan on April 30. Turkmenistan has not […]
CPEC: a gateway to Central Asia on June 7, 2020Twenty first century is turning out to be an era of regional interdependence and connectivity. Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by China is unfolding infinite vistas of opportunity and growth across the continents. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with investment of over US$ 60 billion is a flagship project of BRI extending multi-faceted regional […]
CASA-1000: Harnessing Hydel Energy of Central Asia on May 12, 2020Energy is essential requirement for economic growth, development, employment and modern life. Without ample energy or electricity, the vicious circle of poverty perpetuates. Two Central Asian countries Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are gifted with most abundant hydropower resources of the world; thereby having surplus supply of electricity during summer times.But the nearby South Asian states Pakistan […]
Landlocked Central Asia en route to Gowadar Port on May 4, 2020Landlockedness is inherent economic limitation denoting lack of access to sea. It is a key challenge faced by the Central Asia Republics (CARs) of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Uzbekistan is, in fact, doubly landlocked for being with landlocked neighbors. Such countries bear high transportation and transit cost for not having admittance to sea […]
Role of Central Asian Banks in the time of Coronavirus Pandemic on April 27, 2020In line with the policies of national governments, the banking sector of Central Asia is also playing its role to battle against coronavirus pandemic that has annihilated even the global economic giants like America, Italy, France, Spain, China and Germany etc. Key policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic by the state authorities led the banking […]
Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Central Asia on April 23, 2020Coronavirus catastrophe has posed a global fatal challenge. National and international governance is subject to acid test. Besides direct impact on health, the fallout has social, economic and political consequences. Central Asian Republics comprising Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kirghizstan and Uzbekistan are also confronting COVID-19 menace with the available state capacity. Let us have a country-wise […]