Kazakhstan
CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: Kazakhs’ loathing of encroaching China rises as Lake Balkhash falls
Beijing’s hopes of persuading the people of Kazakhstan it’s a force for good won’t be helped if China’s upstream water consumption causes a “second Aral Sea” disaster.
Turkey's "crazy" canal would impact Eurasian trade, geopolitics
The project threatens the delicate regional military balance.
Turkey’s TAV seals buyout of 85% stake in Almaty International Airport
Major $655mn FDI project for Kazakhstan will see doubling of airport’s capacity and construction of new international terminal.
Kazakhstan grumbles at Russia breaking trade bloc rules
An intensified inspection regime has led to a line of 300 trucks at the border.
Chinese researchers calculate Central Asia’s water waste, agriculture potential
If Central Asian farmers don’t radically change how they use water, the region will not feed China.
Kazakhstan: Land ban pleases activists but leaves farming with fewer options
Fear of China fuelled the activism, though frustrations had accumulated over stagnant living conditions in the provinces.
wiiw raises 2021 CEE growth forecast to 3.8%
But pandemic has delayed restart of convergence with Western Europe until 2023.
Kazakhtelecom to focus on content
State-run Kazakhtelecom, Kazakhstan's largest telco, plans to produce more of its own content, seeing it as a promising direction of development at a time when regular telecom services are no longer as profitable as they used to be.
CEE reels as third wave of COVID-19 breaks
A third wave of the coronavirus pandemic is sweeping through Emerging Europe. While Russia is expecting to reach herd immunity in the next two months, most other countries of the region have only just started their mass immunisation programmes.
IKEA’s New Europe Empire
Getting an IKEA store is a good guide to how developed a country is. And the Swedish furniture store has an uncanny knack for opening their yellow and blue stores exactly at the beginning of a country's rapid growth phase.
China’s water use threatens Kazakhstan’s other big lake
Climate change, farming and a lack of cooperation risk another Aral Sea disaster.
Perspectives: Turkey and China – can Azerbaijan be the bridge?
Since shepherding Azerbaijan’s military victory last autumn, Turkey has been on a Silk Road charm offensive. The challenge is turning talk into action.
Scotland’s WGPSN to pay £6.46mn after self-reporting bribery in Kazakhstan
Subsidiary PSNA admitted making illicit gains from payments made to Unaoil to secure contracts in chemical, petrochemical, oil and gas industries.
Home Credit plunges to €584mn loss in 2020
Czech-owned consumer lending group adapts to COVID-19 by shifting to smaller loans and pushing digitilisation.
Rising inflation in Emerging Europe poses dilemma for central banks
With economies primed to rebound as pandemic restrictions are loosened, consumer prices could rise even further, reawakening an issue that has long been ignored.
ING: Red hot enthusiasm for copper
Copper prices are approaching their all-time high as investors flood into the market for the red/green metal.
ANALYSIS: Central Asia bond review
Despite the COVID crunch, Uzbekistan’s borrowing has blossomed. Tajikistan appears headed for trouble.
The female voice of change
Emerging Europe has a growing number of female politicians taking a stand against corruption and authoritarianism.
COMMENT: OPEC+ puts off production cut decision for a month
A decision over oil production levels and prices looks to have been delayed for a month following the OPEC+ meeting, between OPEC’s 13 members and 10 other non-OPEC countries, on March 4.
ING: Commodity supercycle calls grow
It has been an exceptional month for commodity markets, with growing inflation expectations increasing investor interest in the assets. Meanwhile, fundamental developments, particularly in the oil market, have only provided a further boost.
