Central Asia

Central Asia

Postby behappyalways » Sun Jul 08, 2018 5:09 pm

Turkmenezuela

Turkmenistan finds a novel solution to mass emigration

It is simply stopping people from leaving


CITIZENS of Turkmenistan are definitely allowed to leave the country, its immigration service insisted in a statement in mid-April. The declaration came in response to reports that men under the age of 30 were being prevented from boarding international flights.

But in recent weeks reports have begun emerging again of men as old as 40 not being allowed to travel abroad. The authorities are so desperate to stem emigration, it seems, that they are simply stopping their countrymen from getting on planes.

With the world’s fourth-largest gas reserves and a population of just 5m, Turkmenistan should be prosperous. But its rulers have fallen out with both Iran and Russia, leaving China as their sole customer for gas. Much of the revenue from sales to China goes towards repaying the loans taken out to build the pipeline through which the gas flows.

Some of the rest has been squandered on white elephants, such as a vast, empty, falcon-shaped airport and a ritzy but ghostly beach resort on the Caspian Sea. And a good chunk of the money has been stashed away abroad.

Data from the Bank for International Settlements show that $23bn from Turkmenistan has accumulated in accounts in Germany, although the data do not reveal who the account-holders are.

Back home, the economy is in crisis. The government fixes the exchange rate of the local currency, the manat, at 3.5 to the dollar. The black-market rate, however, is closer to 25. To maintain this regime, the government has resorted to strict currency controls, including severe restrictions on international transfers.

The amount Turkmen citizens abroad can withdraw from their bank accounts at home via cashpoint machines—the only way to benefit from the official exchange rate—is limited to as little as $12 a day.

The shortage of foreign currency prevents firms from importing much, which has sparked inflation. There are long queues for food at state-owned supermarkets, where prices are fixed. Cashiers demand identification to confirm that buyers live in the area.

For foreign firms, the hard-currency drought makes collecting payments difficult and repatriating profits almost impossible. Reuters, a news agency, reported in June that Turkish companies operating in Turkmenistan on government contracts have not been paid in years.

The government has also resorted to layoffs, even in the all-important gas industry, to make ends meet. Foreign analysts estimate unemployment to be 50-60%, with many Turkmen doing odd jobs, such as driving taxis, to scrape together a livelihood.

The underpaid police have found a way to capitalise on this trend, by levying fines on anyone driving a dirty car. No wonder hungry, jobless Turkmen are trying their luck elsewhere—or would be, if the government would let them.

Source: The Economist
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Re: Asia - Economic Data & News

Postby behappyalways » Mon Jul 23, 2018 4:30 pm

how-kazakhstan-brought-the-aral-sea-back-to-life
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/2018071 ... ck-to-life
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Central Asia

Postby behappyalways » Thu Jan 06, 2022 11:21 am

Kazakhstan government resigns amid massive protests over high fuel prices

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=23MCFabV6Nk
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Asia - Economic Data & News 02 (Jul 16 - Dec 22)

Postby behappyalways » Sat Jan 08, 2022 8:08 pm

Russian troops arrive in Kazakhstan as president issues ‘fire without warning’ order
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9rEKWUu9un8
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Re: Central Asia

Postby winston » Mon Jan 10, 2022 7:08 am

Why The Kazakhstan Crisis Is A Much Bigger Deal Than Western Media Is Letting On

BY TYLER DURDEN

Roughly one-quarter of the population of Kazakhstan is ethnic Russians. Kazakh nationalists are overwhelmingly Muslims, who resent the Orthodox-Christian Russian minority.

Uranium from Kazakhstan is enriched in Novouralsk, Russia and then returned to Kazakhstan for use in Chinese nuclear-fuel assemblies.


Source: Zero Hedge

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/ ... ia-letting
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Re: Central Asia

Postby behappyalways » Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:59 pm

162 Kazakhs monopolize 55% of wealth

哈薩克162人壟斷55%財富 墨西哥通膨創20年新高|十點不一樣20220110

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_tepMQwXBc
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Re: Central Asia

Postby behappyalways » Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:18 pm

Army bullets unsheathed, Kazakhstan’s biggest riot in 30 years ended
軍隊子彈出鞘 哈薩克建國30年最大暴動落幕 TVBS文茜的世界周報- 歐洲版 20220115 X 富蘭克林‧國民的基金
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KlswOIiajGg


Gorgeous World Expo Astana 2022 Bloody Suppression of Nur-Sultan
2017華麗世博阿斯塔納 2022腥風血雨鎮壓努爾蘇丹 TVBS文茜的世界周報- 歐洲版 20220115 X 富蘭克林‧國民的基金
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xZC9VmqI2Zk
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Re: Central Asia

Postby behappyalways » Tue Feb 08, 2022 12:06 pm

The starting point of China's global dream China pays close attention to the situation in Kazakhstan

中國全球夢的起點 中方密切關注哈薩克局勢 TVBS文茜的世界財經周報 20220206 X 富蘭克林‧國民的基金

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xZatUXimrQU
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Re: Central Asia

Postby behappyalways » Sun Sep 18, 2022 12:09 pm

Does Putin rely on Xi Jinping for help? Russia and Mongolia talk about natural gas pipelines. The "heart theory" of Eurasian integration will land powers overturn sea powers?

普丁要靠習近平幫一把?俄蒙談天然氣輸送管道 歐亞整合"心臟論"陸權國家將翻轉海權國家?| 20220917| @王志郁Plus

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XwwRTcPSETQ
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Re: Central Asia

Postby behappyalways » Sun May 21, 2023 2:40 pm

China announces US$3.8 billion Belt and Road expansion in Central Asia
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YeZ9n0_xeGo
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