Among the millions of workers abroad in precarious conditions, hundreds die every year. Returning their bodies home is a complex procedure, and local authorities do not always cover the costs. The story of 30-year-old Tajik Džamila, killed in Russia by her employer, went viral, prompting an online fundraiser.
A survey by the Currentime website has outlined the problem in the former Soviet countries. In none of the five Central Asian countries is the concept of ‘femicide’ included in the Penal Code, despite the prevalence of domestic violence. The war between Russia and Ukraine has also led to a significant increase in crimes against women in both countries.
The mining industry is the main contributor to growth, but positive indicators are also being recorded in the transport sector. Analysts forecast a 5.6% increase in GDP by the end of the year. However, experts believe that “the model remains vulnerable, overly dependent on raw materials and subsidies, and lacks stability”. Wage and pension growth ‘eaten up’ by inflation.
Baku is one of the first candidates to form a decisive link in this new chain. US interest in the post-Soviet region has increased since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Washington wants to forge an anti-Chinese axis stretching from Israel to India. An economic, political and even military alliance to counterbalance the anti-Western axis of Moscow and Beijing.
Over two hundred IT experts discussed the prospects for artificial intelligence and technological entrepreneurship in the region. The ambition is not only to be users, but to develop local skills capable of competing in the innovation market.
The trade agreements signed at the White House on rare earths and other sectors seem to focus more on US economic interests than on geopolitical balances. And even the Kremlin, which in the past had shown some impatience with these contacts, this time expressed great acquiescence.
