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KABUL (TCA) — The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says Afghanistan is experiencing a “large influx” of returning refugees that is severely testing the country’s ability to absorb so many displaced people, RFE/RL reports.
Maria Levina
BISHKEK (TCA) — The capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, is playing an important role in the country’s economy, accounting for 38.6% of the national GDP and 15.5% of industrial production. Foreign direct investment in Bishkek was 58.7% of the country’s total FDI in 2016, Vice Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Oleg Pankratov said on January 25 at the Bishkek municipality’s meeting to review the city’s socio-economic results for 2016.
ASHGABAT (TCA) — December 2016 marked an important anniversary for Turkmenistan: ten years since the country’s autocratic ruler Saparmyrat Niyazov passed away in December 2006, giving the way to power to the current president, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov. During the last decade he has tried to change, at least on a propaganda level, Turkmenistan’s place within the international system, but failing to achieve the main objective: diversification of Turkmen gas export routes.
TCA
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.
EurasiaNet
ASTANA (TCA) — As Kazakhstan’s longtime President Nursultan Nazarbayev has announced a constitutional reform aimed at redistribution of state power in the country, we are republishing this article originally published by EurasiaNet.org:
TCA
ALMATY (TCA) — At a ceremony on January 27 in Almaty, the U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan handed over a Huey II Helicopter worth $7 million to the Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan. This is the fourth Huey helicopter provided to Kazakhstan through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales Program. U.S. Ambassador George Krol, U.S. Consul General Mark Moody, U.S. Defense Attaché Colonel Ron Hogan, and leadership of the Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan participated in the ceremony, the U.S. Consulate General in Almaty said.
