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The Russian economy is feeling the effects of sanctions imposed by the United States and allied countries, but their effect seems to be even greater.
Moscow is also losing influence in the former Soviet republics of Central Asia. An important reason for Russia’s influence in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kirkistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan – was the income of migrants employed there from these countries. According to the World Bank, in some cases they were “comparable, or even greater, than exports of goods and services from these countries.”
“In the past, Central Asian countries feared Russia because they knew that (their economic relationship) would change if they offended Moscow,” Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili, director of the Center for Governance and Markets, told VOA. at the University of Pittsburgh. But now, according to her, the balance has changed due to the war in Ukraine and these five countries “already understand that Russia is in great need of labor from Central Asia.”
So they are realizing that they themselves have a lot of influence and can exercise it. “Currently, the expert continues, we are seeing a stronger Central Asia that will have more freedom to choose between the great powers.” According to Murtazashvili, Russia’s weakness opens the door to China to play a bigger role in the region, but also increases opportunities for other countries that want to do business there.
On Tuesday, exactly three months after Russia launched its aggression on Ukraine, China promised $ 37.5 million in “free financial assistance” to Uzbekistan “for the implementation of joint projects of social significance,” according to announcements made by the Uzbek government a day earlier. , Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu led a US delegation on a five-day tour of the region, the Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan.
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