BISHKEK (TCA) — The Publisher’s note: Central Asia is an important geopolitical area between Europe, Russia and China. It is in Central Asia that world powers have confronted each other for centuries; it is here that China needs to succeed with its new Silk Road Belt for direct access to the Western markets; and it is here that a large wealth of raw materials has its origin. Every week thousands of news appears all over the world in printed and online media and it is quite understandable that many of them may escape the attention of busy readers. At The Times of Central Asia, we strongly believe that more information can better contribute to peaceful development and better knowledge of the region, and for this reason we are presenting this Weekly Digest of Central Asia which compiles what other media have reported during the past week.

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BISHKEK (TCA) — On February 2, leaders of Kyrgyz opposition parties harshly criticized the Government at the parliamentary meeting that discussed results of Kyrgyzstan’s membership of the Eurasian Economic Union. Omurbek Tekebayev, leader of the Ata Meken opposition parliamentary faction, said the Government of Prime Minister Sooronbai Jeenbekov did nothing to improve the economic situation in the country and to create favorable conditions for local businesses to enter the EEU market.

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BISHKEK (TCA) — The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) supported the Kyrgyz Tourism Department’s participation in the International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR) Madrid exhibition from January 18-22. FITUR is a leading European tourism fair and a total 9,500 tourism companies from 165 countries participated in this year’s event, the US Embassy in Kyrgyzstan said on February 1.

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TASHKENT (TCA) — The International Labor Organization (ILO) says the Government of Uzbekistan is making progress in reforms to address risks of forced labor in its cotton industry. In a report released on February 1, following its independent monitoring of the 2016 cotton harvest season, the ILO concludes organized child labor is now socially unacceptable in Uzbekistan and the practice has been phased out, the World Bank said in a press release.

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SHYMKENT, Kazakhstan (TCA) — The Kazakh-Turkish business forum, along with a conference on “Investment potential of the South-Kazakhstan region”, is taking place in Shymkent from February 1 to 3, the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan reported on its website.  

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TASHKENT (TCA) — The Uzbekistan-US annual business forum was held in Tashkent on February 1 with the participation of some 30 major US companies and representatives of Uzbek government agencies and companies. They discussed the current state and priority directions of economic and investment cooperation between Uzbekistan and the United States, the Jahon information agency reported.

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