27.04.2020-03.05.2020 No 257

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF REGION

The key indicators of the socio-economic graduates fail to enter a university. This that provide cultural and recreational development of affect the living suggests that students have not had full services in the Turkistan region. Among standards of local people in different parts access to quality education. them are various hobby groups, of the country. In this regard, the state of In the field of healthcare, the level of performance groups, clubs, amateur social and cultural infrastructure in the chronic and infectious diseases in the region associations, training courses, etc. In 2019, regions has not yet been fully addressed. ranks high in some indicators, which the number of participants in the Accordingly, the measures taken within the indicates the lack of healthcare performance groups was 11,900 and scope of the programs aimed at improving professionals and healthcare institutions in participants in the children’s groups – 7,700. public welfare and living standards cannot the Turkistan region. The parks also play a significant role as a fully solve the problems accumulated over The service and catering sector in the place where people can spend their spare the years in the regions. These problems are Turkistan region is well developed, as can time. In this regard, there are 27 parks across related to the state of social and cultural be observed in every part of the region. If we the region. In 2019, 123 mass cultural events infrastructure in the regions. consider the city of Turkistan, the quality were organized in these parks. In general, In this context, the situation in the Turkistan and diversity of the service sector are high. 59,700 people spend their free time in these region is of particular interest. To describe This may be due to the traditional economic parks annually. These figures in the the social and cultural infrastructure of the system of the population. For example, statistics show that the impact of cultural region, it is necessary to review its main markets, shopping malls, hotels, and infrastructure on the social environment is spheres. The social infrastructure of the restaurants bear clear traces of medieval high. region includes housing, education, traditions. Moreover, the application of the Despite these figures, 37% of respondents of healthcare, the service sector, catering, medieval architectural style in the the survey conducted in Turkistan in 2019 financial services, etc. The cultural construction of the city continues the stated that it was difficult to live in the city. infrastructure includes museums, libraries, historical heritage. It is evident from the rise This is because the population is dissatisfied recreation areas, performance groups, of such complexes as the Eastern Market with the quality of healthcare, sports, and theaters, community centers, parks, etc. and the Eastern Bath. In addition, in supplementary education organizations in One of the most important issues of social Turkistan, various services such as notaries, the city. In contrast, 59.3% of respondents infrastructure in the Turkistan region is the law offices, and mediation are also available. stated that they were completely satisfied housing issue. For the region with a rapid On the contrary, the level of the financial with their life in the city. Furthermore, when population growth, the housing issue will services sector in the region remains low. asked about the spheres that require changes, always be high on the agenda. In particular, The main reasons for this are the insufficient 30% of respondents emphasized the need to in the city of Turkistan, after it became the service of the second-tier banks, the lack of focus on traffic regulation, 28.3% – on regional center, new residential buildings specialized units, etc. The transportation is urban cleaning and ecology, 25.7% – on are being built and put to use, and new well developed in the region and at the public service, 25.3% – on business microdistricts are being opened. This interregional level. In particular, the development and tourist attraction, and 24% indicates that the housing issue of the city’s schedule of routes in the direction of , mentioned quality education. The answers population has begun to be solved. However, , Taraz, Kyzylorda is of respondents point to the basic needs of the since 2000, approximately 25,000 people conveniently established. social and cultural infrastructure of have been on a waiting list to obtain land in The cultural infrastructure of the Turkistan Turkistan. It is also possible to see that the Turkistan. Moreover, the increase in rental region is directly related to the development situation in Turkistan is reflected throughout prices in the city in recent years means that of tourism in the region. The natural the region. the demand for housing has increased. landscape features of the region and its To conclude, it can be stated that the social Currently, the housing issue has become a historical and cultural monuments play here and cultural infrastructure of the Turkistan serious problem for young families and an important role. Besides, the development region is just developing. New residential professionals who have moved to the of Turkistan as a regional center contributes houses, schools, clinics, theaters, museums, regional center. to the strengthening of its cultural recreation areas, parks, and entertainment The situation in the field of education in the infrastructure. Currently, there are 27 centers in the city of Turkistan will serve Turkistan region is one of the main museums across the region as well as 358 interests of city residents in the future. Apart problems of the social infrastructure, which historical and cultural monuments in from that, the results of state-run social is evident through the statistics. Due to the museum-reserves. In 2019, 1,915,200 programs implemented in the region should daily increase in the number of school-aged people visited the museums of the region. ensure that local people receive quality children in the region, there is a shortage of The number of libraries reached 390, and the education and medical services. This will school places. For example, in 2018, due to total number of their readers is 489,900 3.2 assist the Turkistan region to continue to the shortage of places some schools had to % of them, or 15,400 readers, access increase its influence as a leading region in operate in three shifts for 35,466 students in information in libraries via the internet. In terms of economic activity in the southern the Turkistan region. Along with the addition, as of 2019, four theaters operate in part of the country. Moreover, the construction of new schools, this requires the region. In 2019, the theater repertoire development of the social and cultural improvement in the quality of education. included 65 performances and 12 new plays. infrastructure in the Turkistan region will For example, more than 50% of high-school Apart from that, there are 251 organizations increase its tourism potential.

Written by Daulet Zhailybayev, Eurasian Research Institute, Kazakhstan

Politics, Foreign Affairs, and Security Economy, Finance, and Energy Society and Culture

• The Eurasian Economic Commission ap- • Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin • Pakistan officials handed over to the Em- temporarily relinquished his duties after he proved the Eurasian Economic Union’s (EAEU) macroeconomic policy draft bassy of Kazakhstan in Islamabad 60,000 tested positive for COVID-19, while his tablets of hydroxychloroquine, which is first deputy Andrey Belousov was ap- guidelines for 2020-2021 aimed at pre- serving macroeconomic stability in the used in the treatment of patients infected pointed the acting Prime Minister. During with coronavirus. The drugs will be deliv- a video call, Mishustin assured President EAEU states. The idea to draft such a doc- ument was put forward by the heads of the ered to Nur-Sultan for further distribution Vladimir Putin that the government would EAEU member states during their online among medical institutions. President continue to operate normally in his ab- summit held on April 14, 2020 in order to Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev and the For- sence. The prime minister also appealed to take coordinated measures to prevent the eign Ministry of Kazakhstan expressed Russian citizens asking them to take the spread of the coronavirus infection, gratitude to the government of Pakistan spread of coronavirus “as seriously as pos- strengthen economic cooperation, and and personally Prime Minister Imran Khan sible” (Kommersant, 30.04.2020). overcome negative consequences of the for providing the humanitarian aid (MFA • President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart pandemic (The Astana Times, of Kazakhstan, 28.04.2020). Tokayev had a telephone conversation 01.05.2020). • The OSCE Program Office in Bishkek with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mir- • Retail food trade in is under- handed over technical assistance to the ziyoyev following a dam breach at the Sar- going transformation due to the corona- State Agency for Local Self-Government doba water reservoir in Uzbekistan’s Sir- virus pandemic as supermarkets are set to and Inter-Ethnic Relations under the Gov- daryo region. The parties discussed ongo- gradually replace bazaars. The United ernment of Kyrgyzstan. The assistance ing efforts to eliminate the consequences Arab Emirates-based Majid Al Futtaim, was in the form of COVID-19 protection of the disaster, which had also affected which operates Carrefour stores under a equipment, namely 400 H-95 reusable several settlements in Kazakhstan’s Turki- franchise deal, plans to open three super- masks, 200 nitrile gloves, 50 protective stan region. The Uzbek leader suggested to markets and one hypermarket in goggles, 10 protective overalls, and 2 con- take joint measures to quickly restore the in 2020. The company will earmark about tactless thermometers. The agency and the areas damaged by the flooding (Akorda, $11 million for its market entry and invest OSCE office also cooperate in preventing 02.05.2020). $10 million a year for future expansion interethnic conflicts (Kabar, 30.04.2020). • While detaining four Azerbaijani citizens (Reuters, 30.04.2020). • The ministers of health of the member and suspected of poaching on the Caspian Sea, • According to Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Prime observer states of the Turkic Council held Kazakhstan’s coastal guard used firearms Minister Erkin Asrandiyev, Bishkek is in a video-conference meeting with the par- killing one and injuring two suspects. Fol- talks on debt restructuring with the Ex- ticipation of the Regional Director for Eu- lowing the incident, Ambassador of Ka- port-Import Bank of China, which owns rope of the World Health Organization. zakhstan to Azerbaijan Serzhan $1.7 billion of the country’s external debt The parties discussed ways of interaction Abdykarimov was summoned to the coun- totaling about $4 billion. Earlier the Kyr- in the fight against COVID-19 and in the try’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The gyz side made a request for debt relief in post-pandemic period and decided to set Azerbaijani side expressed serious con- light of the coronavirus pandemic, which up multilateral cooperation mechanisms to cern in connection with human casualties, found understanding from Beijing. In par- exchange information, experience and best emphasizing that the use of firearms did ticular, Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeen- practices in the prevention, diagnosis and not correspond to the spirit of friendly and bekov had a phone call with his Chinese treatment of dangerous infections (Turkic fraternal relations between the two coun- counterpart Xi Jinping and asked him to consider “easing and prolonging pay- Council, 28.04.2020). tries (Trend, 02.05.2020). • The Board of the Eurasian Economic • The Foreign Ministry of Kazakhstan com- ments” (Rappler, 29.04.2020). • According to the World Bank’s outlook on Commission approved the interstate coop- mented on the false information spread in eration program of the EAEU member foreign and domestic media regarding bi- the macroeconomic situation in Tajikistan, the country’s GDP will decline by 1.7% or states in the field of the provision of space ological laboratories in Kazakhstan. The and geographic information services based ministry refuted allegations that the coun- lower in 2020, while the budget deficit will increase to more than 5% of the GDP. on Earth’s remote sensing data. The pro- try is involved in the development of bio- gram scheduled to be implemented in logical weapons. According to the com- The outbreak of COVID-19 and the risks to growth in , which is the main three stages during 2021-2025 is expected ment, the Central Reference Laboratory in source of migrant labor remittances, has to improve the quality of relevant infor- Almaty built through funding provided by led to a significant deterioration in Tajiki- mation services provided to users from the U.S. Department of Defense is fully stan’s macro-fiscal structure (Avesta, various economic sectors of the EAEU owned by Kazakhstan, and its activities 28.04.2020). countries (Eurasian Commission, are aimed at ensuring biological safety and • The European Bank for Reconstruction 28.04.2020). security (MFA of Kazakhstan, Representatives of the government of 02.05.2020). and Development (EBRD) is ready to in- • vest more than $250 million in the diversi- Turkmenistan and the UN Development • Permanent representatives of the Shanghai fication of Azerbaijan’s economy. The po- Program (UNDP) participated in a Cooperation Organization (SCO) member tential sectors for investment include re- roundtable held at the UN Building in states held a series of meetings at the SCO newable energy, infrastructure, telecom- Ashgabat. The main theme of the event Secretariat in Beijing. The meetings were munications and agriculture. In particular, was the draft of the Country Program of aimed at coordinating the final documents the bank is interested in assisting to im- Cooperation between Turkmenistan and for the organization’s upcoming summit in prove the country’s power grid, launch the UNDP for 2021-2025. The parties dis- St Petersburg scheduled for July 2020. clean energy projects, provide distant ar- cussed priorities for further expansion of Noting that the coronavirus pandemic af- eas with broadband internet access, stimu- cooperation in such fields as the rule of fected the SCO’s operation, SCO Secre- late agribusiness and privatize state- law and diversification of economy, as tary General Vladimir Norov called for a owned enterprises (Caspian News, well as the quality of statistical data (MFA more active involvement of permanent 01.05.2020). of Turkmenistan, 28.04.2020). representatives in order to agree the docu- • The EBRD and the Green Climate Fund • According to the State Statistics Commit- ments in a timely manner (SCO, will allocate €75 million for the rehabilita- tee of Uzbekistan, the country’s popula- 27.04.2020). tion of the subway in Georgia’s capital tion reached 34.03 million people, increas- • NATO Secretary General’s Special Repre- Tbilisi to increase its reliability, safety and ing by 131,600 since the beginning of sentative for the Caucasus and Central efficiency. Funds will be spent on acquir- 2020. As of April 1, 2020, 30.8% of the Asia James Appathurai outlined the alli- ing approximately 40 new comfortable population were under working age, ance’s upcoming steps for increased sup- and environmentally friendly metro cars 58.7% were of working age and 10.5% port for Georgia as a response to security (10 train sets) to replace existing obsolete were older than working age. The largest challenges in the Black Sea region. Ac- trains, as well as on rebuilding metro sta- share of Uzbekistan’s population resides cording to Appathurai, Georgia will par- tions and the tunnel. It is expected that the in the region (11.4%), fol- ticipate in the NATO’s “hybrid defense” modernized metro will encourage people lowed by the Fergana (11.1%), Qashqa- doctrine involving cybersecurity, energy to use public transportation, which will daryo (9 7%) and Andijan (9.2%) regions industry and clandestine intelligence, significantly reduce air pollution (Anadolu Agency, 27.04.2020). among other measures (Agenda.ge, (Novosti-Gruziya, 30.04.2020). 30.04.2020).

Prepared by Dauren Aben and Kanat Makhanov.