TCA
KABUL (TCA) — Afghanistan’s recent economic recovery may be at risk, according to the World Bank’s latest Afghanistan Development Update released on August 7.
TCA
DUSHANBE (TCA) — Human rights groups have called on the Tajik government to lift a “politically motivated travel ban” on an independent activist’s family, and put an end to its “vicious campaign of intimidation” against dissidents’ relatives, RFE/RL reported.
EurasiaNet
DUSHANBE (TCA) — It has become a routine practice for Tajikistan authorities to block internet services in efforts to prevent any opposition-minded online activity in the country. We are republishing this article on the issue, originally published by Eurasianet:
TCA
KABUL (TCA) — Seventeen years after the Bonn Agreement under which a new interim administration was established, Afghanistan still faces widespread insecurity and violence. Over half of the population lives in poverty. Unemployment rates are high. The country’s rapid population growth places pressure on service delivery and the number of young Afghans joining the labor force far outstrips the number of available jobs, says the World Bank’s new report “Afghanistan to 2030”.
TCA
ASHGABAT (TCA) — The international rally Amul–Hazar 2018 initiated by the Turkmen leader will take place from September 9–14 along the Silk Road route in Turkmenistan. That was announced at a media forum dedicated to the preparations for the international rally held in Ashgabat on August 5, State News Agency of Turkmenistan reported.
Foreign press at the media forum was represented by journalists from Russia, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Romania, China, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Jean-Louis Schlesser, the General Director and organizer of the famous motor rally Africa Eco Race, said that “It is a great honor for me and my team to be co-organizer of the rally, which would run across great Turkmen desert. At first, we thought it would be a complicated and hard task to organize such competition within a short period. However, having started the work with the Turkmen team and inspired by personal example of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, we have achieved great results as for today.”
The rally will be held from the east to the west of Turkmenistan along the route of the ancient Silk Road. Total distance of the race running across the big desert is more than 1,500 kilometres.
Jean-Louis Schlesser explained that the route is divided into 5 stages and every speed part has a number of surprises for the pilot and navigator. Therefore, Karakum Desert is the heart of the project giving huge experience to true adventurers. Turkmen desert is not that homogeneous as the African one and generously gives unusual impressions, which are able to surprise anybody, as it is a living ecosystem not affected by human activity impact, Schlesser said.
The race will finish in Avaza National tourist zone, located on the Caspian coast.
Organization of International rally Amul–Hazar 2018 will be important for the development of international tourism along the Silk Road in Turkmenistan and in the region in general.
TCA
DUSHANBE (TCA) — Commercial flights have resumed between the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, and the Uzbek city of Bukhara amid improving ties between the two Central Asian neighbors, RFE/RL reported.
