Features

The Importance of Refreshing Cities Along the Eurasian Silk Road

As economic circumstances change and trade is reoriented towards Europe and Asia, it is important to rethink cities along the Eurasian “Silk Road.”

Securing Power Supply in Uzbekistan’s Fergana Valley

The $288 million Namangan 500-Kilovolt (kV) Power Transmission Project will enhance reliability of the power supply to Uzbekistan's Fergana Valley.

Turkmenistan’s Path to WTO Accession

Turkmenistan officially set up a new state commission on joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) as declared by Deputy Chairman of Cabinet of Ministers, Annamukhammet Gochiev, at the weekly meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on 24 January 2013 in Ashgabat.

Roads Paved with Goodwill

Until recently, the 2,400 residents of village Aheer, near Gujar Khan, were often forced to wade through mud, sewage, garbage or whatever else flowed through its winding, unpaved lanes. A paving project made possible with assistance from Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund, supported by World Bank financing, has added a 300-meter network of bricked pathways.

ADB Loan Benefits CAREC Corridor 3, Connecting Shymkent and Tashkent

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a $125 million loan to finance rehabilitation of a 37-kilometer (km), four-lane section of the 99 km Shymkent-Tashkent road.

ADB Provides Technical Assistance for CAREC Transport and Trade Facilitation Strategy Review

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a technical assistance to conduct the midterm review of the Transport and Trade Facilitation Strategy and the Implementation Action Plan of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program.

Kazakhstan, World Bank Sign Loan Agreement on CAREC Corridor 1b Road Project

The Republic of Kazakhstan and the World Bank signed a loan agreement on the East-West Roads Project (Almaty-Khorgos section): the International transit corridor Western Europe-Western China (CAREC 1b) on 10 October 2012. Kazakhstan's Minister of Finance Bolat Zhamishev said the agreement will complete the upgrade of the transit corridor.

Tajikistan Officially Joins the World Trade Organization

The Republic of Tajikistan was officially admitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO) at a session held in Geneva on 10 December 2012. The General Council approved Tajikistan’s accession package, paving the way for the country’s WTO membership.

Roads in Kyrgyz Republic will Help Improve Trade with Neighboring Countries

The Osh-Sary-Tash-Irkeshtam and the Sary-Tash-Karamyk roads were officially opened on 22 November 2012, in a ceremony participated in by Kyrgyz Prime Minister Jantoro Satybaldiev, Minister of Transport and Communications Kalykbek Sultanov, Asian Development Bank's Country Director in the Kyrgyz Republic Rie Hiraoka, and Islamic Development Bank representatives.

CAREC region has favorable growth, but policy challenges remain

CAREC countries, excluding the People's Republic of China (PRC), will continue to post a solid recovery in 2013, based on the “Outlook for the Global Economy and CAREC Countries” presentation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at the 11th Ministerial Conference on Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) on 30 October 2012.