Resource information
The five countries of Central Asia
expanded their trade significantly since beginning their
transition with exports quadrupling to almost USD70 billion
between 2003 and 2008 but without substantial
diversification. These countries achieved this by promoting
private investment, property rights, trade liberalization,
and transport infrastructure in varying degrees. This study
focuses on three countries of Central Asia-Kazakhstan, the
Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan-and applies the framework
used by the World Development Report (WDR 2009). These
countries agreed to participate in the study, but the
results of this work are also relevant for others in the
Central Asia region. The global crisis reduced trade and
exports of the three countries in 2009 as it did for the
world. The study recommends that Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz
Republic, and Tajikistan anchor their export diversification
and growth strategy on three spatial scales.
