BISHKEK (TCA) — Economic growth has slowed to a two-decade low in the Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA) region, owing to the large and sustained decline in commodity prices, wide-ranging spillovers from Russia’s recession, and the slowdown and rebalancing of China’s economy, says the IMF Regional Economic Outlook April 2016 for Middle East and Central Asia.
DUSHANBE (TCA) — School bakeries installed by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in two schools in Norak and Roghun in Tajikistan will benefit around 3,600 children in schools throughout the two districts, the WFP said.
DUSHANBE (TCA) — During the period of November 2015-March 2016, average per capita real income in Tajikistan fell across all subgroups (urban, rural, bottom 40 percent, and top 60 percent of the population), resulting primarily from declining remittances, and reduced self-employment and agricultural income over the winter season, according to the World Bank Listening2Tajikistan Survey of Wellbeing. Since November 2015, average real per capita income fell by about 24 percent, but climbed slightly for the bottom 40 percent of the population between January and March.
BISHKEK (TCA) — This time the clash between Kyrgyzstan’s authorities and the operator of the country’s largest gold mine and core moneymaker Kumtor Gold seems to be more serious than previous ones. At stake is close to $200 million in dividends paid by Kumtor to its parent company in Canada back in early 2013 and withheld by the latter to its shareholders citing a “charge” for “de-recognition” of mining assets during the summer of the previous year. Perfectly legal, the mining company argues. A corporate kickback in the eyes of the Kyrgyz prosecutors, though.
BISHKEK (TCA) — As Russia is facing an economic downturn, it may constrain Moscow’s military aid to Central Asian countries. Here below we are republishing an article originally published by Stratfor, entitled “China will undermine Russia’s military influence in Central Asia”, on Beijing’s expanding military influence in the region.
A Kazakh food store in Moscow (Kazakh Embassy photo)
MOSCOW (TCA) — On May 3, with the support from Kazakhstan’s Embassy and Trade Representative Office in Russia, a store of Kazakhstan’s food products opened in downtown Moscow. It is a fifth outlet of the Baursak retail chain, the Kazakh Embassy said.
