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Paper short abstract:

This paper will provide an analysis of the old and new investment patterns of the major players in the energy sector in Uzbekistan and examine whether such investments enable processes of economic and social transformation.

Paper long abstract:

The energy sector is huge in Central Asia and gas represents a strategic export commodity for Uzbekistan. Many international players are involved, including China, Russia, Middle Eastern countries, and the US. Natural gas is a strategic source of energy worldwide and Uzbekistan ranks 11th in the world for mining and 14th for reserves. That is why the gas and energy sector in Uzbekistan provide good examples of the shifting geo-economic matrix of energy-led accumulation in the region. This paper will provide an analysis of the old and new investment patterns in the major source of energy provided by the major players in Central Asia and examine whether such investments enable processes of sectorial upgrading. Along these lines, it will assess how sich new and old investments affect domestic social inequality. Using the SRA framework, it will develop a relational analysis that inserts old (i.e. Russia), global (i.e. IFIs), and new (i.e. BRI) players into a matrix that challenges path-dependency in relation to structural transformation. It will show that the state holds a crucial role to: first, leveraging international power to improve its bargaining position in financial and commercial agreements. Second, coordinating strategic and co-dependent policies for social and economic objectives linked to energy security, ecological innovation through renewables and gas processing for upgrading. It is argued that a coordinated institutional and industrial strategy coming from the Uzbek state remains a necessary condition for the structural transformations of the sector and of the economy at large.

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Paper long abstract:

By the beginning of the 1990s, a negative appraisal of the health care system was shaped in Soviet society. Both citizens and healthcare providers were dissatisfied with the poor quality and efficiency of medical industry. These issues required fundamental changes in the health care financing system. Desire to expand sources of funding was the main factor of choosing insurance medicine as a direction for changing the healthcare financing system as insurance schemes have been shown to be powerful tools for securing the access to medical care by population and serving as a source of reliable income for health care providers. In this regard, the process of the transition to the compulsory health insurance model in Kazakhstan is not only relevant, but also has great social significance. Moreover, the willingness of population to support and accept the insurance program might help to accelerate the process of this transition. The development of measures to assess the readiness of the population to support insurance programs, the preparation of effective recommendations for governing bodies for policy in the health sector is an urgent task for any state.

The purpose of the research is to assess the possibilities of introducing additional drug insurance system in Kazakhstan. Based on the results of survey conducted across all regions in Kazakhstan in 2021, we propose a quantitative methodology for assessing the relationship between socio-economic status of the population and its willingness to support the drug insurance program. This drug insurance program would help reimbursing costs for the health care sector and prevents people from facing high drug costs.

Our results show that the socioeconomic status of an individual is a significant factor in Willingness to join (WTJ) the drug insurance program. We show that age, living standards, health self-assessment, medical expenses, and presence of chronic diseases play a vital role in the behavior of population towards the acceptance of the drug insurance program. If the patients’ charges are introduced, the lower paying capacity and willingness to pay of vulnerable groups should be addressed through well-developed exemption criteria and by linking co-payment rates to income.

This research has been/was/is funded by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Grant No. AP09259811)

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Paper short abstract:

This article discusses the efforts made in Central Asian countries from a resource economy to an innovative economy.

Paper long abstract:

The Central Asian states were considered to be the fastest growing developed countries. The role of foreign investment in increasing the standard of living in the region is significant.

However, these countries, like many developing countries, have been providing economic growth through the sale of resources. Foreign investment in these countries was mainly in the extractive sector, with a very low level of diversification by industry and country. This, in turn, has shown that the role of a small number of donor countries in the economies of Central Asian countries is growing. This article discusses the investment policy pursued by Central Asian countries in recent years to promote innovation.

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Paper short abstract:

The paper analyses the growing competition between the two alternative-to-Russia transit routes in the transcontinental railway trade through Central Asia and the Caucasus as the ongoing war in Ukraine shapes the railway cargo flow from China to Europe.

Paper long abstract:

Central Asian railways are usually mentioned as part of the Belt and Road initiative, and most texts deal with the main railway line at the heart of this grandiose China-backed project. The war in Ukraine put the railway routes through Central Asia, bypassing Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, into the attention of cargo companies despite their time and cost disadvantages.

Central Asian states have the unique chance to use their position based on landlocked countries' theory. Two principal railway routes can partially replace the ceased traditional routes through Russia and Eastern Europe - the Middle Corridor through Kazakhstan and the Southern (eventually South-Eastern) corridor through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Through the landlocked countries' theoretical approach and analysis of available statistics, the paper focuses on the weaknesses and advantages of both routes and their eventual readiness to replace the traditional Trans-Siberian railway and Northern corridor through Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus/Ukraine. However, the paper does not deny the partial continuity of both routes.

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Paper short abstract:

The Sardoba dam accident led to many economic and social consequences. This paper questioned whether dam failure effected the prices and external trade in the region, if yes, how severe was the impact of the catastrophic event.

Paper long abstract:

The Sardoba dam accident led to many economic and social consequences. In this paper questioned whether dam failure effected the prices and external trade in the region, if yes, how severe was the impact of the catastrophic event. Furthermore, this thesis tries to answer how well-being changed in the damaged area because of the dam accident. In order to evaluate this impact, the paper uses quasi-experimental approach to the questions and uses multiple group interrupted time series analysis, combining conversational interviews in Sardoba district. Navoiy region is selected as a counterfactual to Syrdarya region, as it has the second biggest dam in its territory and demonstrates highest correlation of the pre-intervention data with the Syrdarya. This paper considers using some qualitative tools such as interview and participant observations to explain the Sardoba dam accident effect on well-being of inhabitants. In order to be consistent to quantitative results and counterfactual principles the fieldwork was conducted in Navoiy region too. Findings showed that due to the accident in Sardoba district monthly prices (plov prices) have been increasing by 1217 UZS more than it used to be before the accident. There was no any significant evidence of change in external trade patterns because of the dam failure. Conversational interviews and participant observations disclosed that life in Sardoba changed dramatically after the dam accident. Local victims were provided with new houses or were received free renovations of their old houses. Government distributed financial compensations in the form of 40 million UZS for each family. Moreover, local victims received home appliances for their new houses. One of the most life-changing reforms in Sardoba was provision of natural gas and clean water to each house. Now people can heat their houses in winters not using coal or wood. Children were exposed to better sanitation and women had more time to other activities than keeping house. However, local people in Sardoba repeatedly mentioned about unemployment, which was caused by lack of facilities to keep cattle in new apartments and less peasantry due to not owning land by people. Furthermore, it is worth to mention about the price increase and how people in Sardoba district were facing to several issues related to price increase. This was mostly explained with eater shortage, sand coverage of land because of the flood, lack of land and cattle keeping. Another problem was “sudden urbanization problem”, as people encountered more expenses in order to afford urban life facilities, whereas they were still earning less through rural life. In addition, local people faced to health problems because of the catastrophic event in Sardoba. The fake accident alarm was even more panicking than the actual dam failure. The locals mentioned about how they were witnessing more heart diseases, diabetes and mental issues. Despite the fact that people were open about their challenges due to the dam failure, they were still grateful to everything what they got. They were thankful to government for its support. They were happy