Speeches Shim
Kazakhstan enjoys the largest economy in Central Asia while serving as a link between fast-growing markets in Asia and those of Russia and Western Europe by road, rail, and a port. At the same time, Kazakhstan continues to have below-average rates of employment, tax revenue and an underdeveloped private sector. Despite institutional and legal reforms, concerns remain about the protection of law enforcement and investors rights in court. Investors have repeatedly cited the need for improved regulations since almost all disputes previously resolved were in favor of the state.
The U.S. Embassy’s Chargé d'Affaires John Ginkel participated in an online close-out event celebrating the accomplishments of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Dignity and Rights project, implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The Dignity and Rights project greatly contributed to countering trafficking in persons and promoting the rights of vulnerable migrants in and from Tajikistan. Throughout the event, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and other partners discussed achievements, lessons learned, and best practices to prevent trafficking in persons and protect the rights of migrants and trafficking survivors.
Today, the United States in partnership with the Central Asian Association of People Living with HIV marked the successful completion of its LEADER for People Living with HIV program funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Over the past six years, in addition to strengthening service delivery, the program addressed two major obstacles to HIV prevention, care and treatment: stigma and discrimination.
Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced the winners of the three-day Startup Ecosystem Program Competition, held jointly by the USAID Enriching Youth for Tomorrow project, the USAID Future Growth Initiative, and the Union of Economists of Turkmenistan.
The Central Asian region includes Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, but the region is inextricably linked to neighboring Afghanistan by a vital resource: water. More than a third of Afghanistan falls in the Aral Sea basin, which it shares with Central Asian nations. Transboundary rivers like the mighty Amu Darya, Syr Darya, the Pyanj, the Murgab, Kunduz, Kokcha, and others are integral to all countries whose borders they cross.
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