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The Regions This Week
May 10, 2019 www.intellinews.com I Page 9
Eurasia
US President Donald Trump ordered new sanc- tions on Iran, targeting metals, Tehran's largest non-petroleum-related source of export revenue. Trump said Tehran "can expect further actions unless it fundamentally alters its conduct".
Uzbekistan's senate approved a new law allow- ing for the privatisation of non-agricultural land for the first time in the nation's history. Given Uz- bekistan’s Soviet legacy, much of the state-owned land in the country has remained in the govern- ment’s hands due to inertia.
Kazakhstan permitted a government critic to run for president for the first time in 14 years. Amir- zhan Kosanov holds no realistic chances of win- ning against Interim President Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, whose victory is guaranteed in the tightly controlled electoral proceedings.
The UAE is interested in investing in Azerbaijan’s renewable energy sector, the Azerbaijani energy ministry said following a meeting between Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov and a business delega- tion from the UAE. Azerbaijan, like other hydro- carbon-rich nations, is looking to develop alterna- tive energy to reduce domestic consumption of its oil and gas reserves and lay the foundations for energy security once these are diminished.
The World Bank provided $50mn to Tajikistan for a disaster risk management project, that will modernise crisis management centres and increasing the capacity of the country's Institute of Geology and Seismology. Over 70mn people across Central Asia are threatened by destruc- tive hazards such as earthquakes, floods, land- slides, avalanches and mudflows, according to the World Bank.
Israeli investors are developing a $60mn eco- tourism project in Georgia’s Dashbashi Canyon. The project will include the construction of a
240-metre long bridge across the canyon, as well as a zip line, restaurant and hotel.
Afghan special forces killed the senior militant leader, Mufti Uzbek, who was in charge of Daesh (Islamic State) activities in Central Asia, Sput- nik news agency reported, citing Afghan media. Islamic State has managed to recruit members from within Central Asia over recent years and even organised a deadly attack on foreign cyclists touring Tajikistan last year.
Iran’s central bank is reportedly working on a mechanism to calm the forex market that has been rattled by sanctions. The news of the latest attempt to get a grip on the market broke as the Iranian rial sank to around a seven-month low against the US dollar by late trade on Tehran’s Ferdowsi Street — the epicentre of free-market foreign currency trading in the country.
The Uzbekistan-based CLICK mobile payment system started a cooperation with Uzbekistan’s recently launched national retail payment system, HUMO. The move made CLICK the first mobile and internet banking system connected to HUMO.
A court in the Kazakh capital Nur-Sultan (formerly named Astana) started issuing jail sentences against protesters detained at May Day rallies who directed their anger at the country’s longtime but recently resigned leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, his family and his ruling Nur-Otan party.
Armenia’s exports in the first quarter of 2019 dropped by 8.6%, or $51.36mn to $542.9mn in value, year on year, driven by substantial falls in shipments of main commodities, the country’s National Statistical Committee said. Exports to Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) member coun- tries declined by 6% to $142.1mn.