- The hydropower plant construction project is an economic business project, and there will be no political consequences in the relations between Russia and Kyrgyzstan due to changes in its implementation. CPI experts decided to calculate and see what kind of relationships existed - investment, sponsorship, or others? For example, Turkey, according to publications in local media, provides assistance to Kyrgyzstan amounting to billions of dollars through educational and trade ties. Or, according to the former Secretary of State under the first president of Kyrgyzstan, and now a professor at a Turkish university in Bishkek, Osmonakun Ibraimov, who states that "Russian politicians do not want to understand that for almost a quarter of a century, when Russia was practically absent here, Turkey invested billions, built universities, opened schools and lyceums, launched factories and workshops...". Such tales about "billions" from Turkey and the USA in aid to Kyrgyzstan are very common on social networks.
At the same time, many forget or deliberately downplay the fact that over the years of Kyrgyzstan's independence, it was Russia that provided the most extensive and comprehensive support for the establishment of Kyrgyzstan's sovereignty. This support was expressed in direct financial support for the budget, humanitarian aid, and other forms of interaction. And this is primarily stated by scholars studying the real situation.
Whatever is said, it must be acknowledged: Russian influence in the region is conditioned by three factors: geographical proximity; the experience of cohabitation in a single state; and the interaction that has persisted in the most difficult years and is developing today. Although the third factor is questioned by some.
But what about the facts? In 2014, 6.4 million citizens from Central Asia entered Russia, and most of them found work. And what about the remittances from labor migrants from Russia? Even in the context of crisis and economic difficulties in Russia in 2014, remittances accounted for 49% of Tajikistan's GDP, 31.5% of Kyrgyzstan's GDP, and 11.7% of Uzbekistan's GDP.
Russia occupies the position of the largest investor in the region, investing not only in economic projects of the countries but also in the social sphere, education, and human development. One should not forget the fundamental nature of Russia's activities in ensuring the security of the region.
But the issue is not even about comparing who helps Central Asia more or less. It is about the quality of this assistance, in promoting the development of the countries in the region. Since 2008 until October 2015, Russia provided assistance to the countries of Central Asia amounting to 5.6 billion US dollars.
In addition, the Russian-Kyrgyz Development Fund was established in the form of an international organization with a charter capital of 500 million dollars and borrowed funds of the same amount. Loans were provided to two Kyrgyz banks amounting to about 9 million dollars each. A project for the expansion and modernization of the poultry farm of LLC "Brid" is being financed for a total of 9.4 million dollars.
Thus, it is important not to belittle the role and contribution of various countries to the development of Central Asia, but to consider the real picture of international assistance to the development of the country, in which Russia's role is key.
It is time to move away from the involuntary opposition of countries to each other on the large continental space, a habit that developed in the 1990s. The most important factor is that the countries of the region and Russia together belong to a single Eurasian civilization (not pan-Turkic or pan-Slavic). This historical reality is hard to refute.
Non-repayable financial assistance from Russia to the countries of Central Asia included:
- more than 3.5 billion dollars on a bilateral basis;
- over 570 million dollars through the UN;
- more than 1.3 billion dollars through the World Bank and other structures (OSCE, etc.) as well as the EAEU, including part of Russia's contribution to the Anti-Crisis Fund of the Eurasian Economic Community amounting to over 592.3 million dollars.
Humanitarian assistance is constantly being provided to the countries of Central Asia. The difficult situation in Kyrgyzstan has required special attention since 2010.
In 2010, through the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia, about 3,000 tons of humanitarian cargo (food, clothing, tents, essential items, medicines, medical equipment) were delivered to Kyrgyzstan to eliminate the consequences of the interethnic conflict, along with 37 units of automotive equipment, 20,000 tons of diesel fuel, and 2,500 tons of grain seeds. The total amount of assistance was over 11.5 million dollars. In Uzbekistan, 120 tons of humanitarian aid were delivered for refugees from Kyrgyzstan, totaling over 3 million dollars.