Landlockedness Infrastructure And Trade New Estimates For Central Asian Countries

Abstract: This paper assesses the impact of internal infrastructure and landlockedness on Central Asian trade using a panel gravity equation estimated on a large sample of countries (167 countries over 1992-2004). The panel structure of the dataset makes it possible to control for country-pair specific effects (as opposed to the usual importer and exporter effects) that would otherwise be captured by the coefficients of time-invariant variables such as distance or landlockness. Our findings highlight the need to pursue a dual policy agenda. First, transit corridors are regional public goods and should be managed as such through international cooperation. International Financial Institutions can -and do- play a key role in this regard through assistance, coordination and policy dialogue. Second, the Central Asian countries should actively seek diversification of their transit corridors to prevent the creation or maintenance of monopoly positions in transit and bottleneck points such as trans-shipment platforms.

This paper assesses the impact of internal infrastructure and landlockedness on Central Asian trade using a panel gravity equation estimated on a large sample of countries (167 countries over 1992-2004). The panel structure of the dataset makes it possible to control for country-pair specific effects (as opposed to the usual importer and exporter effects) that would otherwise be captured by the coefficients of time-invariant variables such as distance or landlockness. Our findings highlight the need to pursue a dual policy agenda. First, transit corridors are regional public goods and should be managed as such through international cooperation. International Financial Institutions can -and do- play a key role in this regard through assistance, coordination and policy dialogue. Second, the Central Asian countries should actively seek diversification of their transit corridors to prevent the creation or maintenance of monopoly positions in transit and bottleneck points such as trans-shipment platforms.

'The Cost of Being Landlocked' proposes a new analytical framework to interpret and model the constraints faced by logistics chains on international trade corridors. The plight of landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) has naturally received special attention for decades, leading to a specific set of development priorities based upon the concept of dependence on the transit state. Therefore, the standard approach used to tackle the cost of being landlocked has been predominantly aimed at developing regional transport infrastructure and ensuring freedom of transit through regional conventions. But without sufficient attention given to the performance of logistics service delivery to traders, the standard approach is unable to address key bottleneck concerns and the factors that contribute to the cost of being landlocked. Consequently, the impact of massive investment on trade corridors could not materialize to its full extent. Based on extensive data collection in several regions of the world, this book argues that although landlocked developing countries do face high logistics costs, these costs are not a result of poor road infrastructure, since transport prices largely depend on trucking market structure and implementation of transit processes. This book suggests that high logistics costs in LLDCs are a result of low logistics reliability and predictability, which stem from rent-seeking and governance issues. 'The Cost of Being Landlocked' will serve as a useful guide for policy makers, supervisory authorities, and development agencies.

Much of the analysis of infrastructure's impact on trade costs focuses on conditions in developed countries. This book makes an invaluable contribution to our understanding by examining the situation in developing Asia, the world's most populous and fastest growing region. This study analyzes and draws policy implications from infrastructure's central role in lowering Asia's trade costs. Infrastructure is shown to be a cost-effective means of lowering trade costs and thereby promoting regional growth and integration. This book combines thematic and country studies, while breaking new ground in.

This book analyzes the Central Asian economies of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, from their buffeting by the commodity boom of the early 2000s to its collapse in 2014. Richard Pomfret examines the countries’ relations with external powers and the possibilities for development offered by infrastructure projects as well as rail links between China and Europe. The transition of these nations from centrally planned to market-based economic systems was essentially complete by the early 2000s, when the region experienced a massive increase in world prices for energy and mineral exports. This raised incomes in the main oil and gas exporters, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan; brought more benefits to the most populous country, Uzbekistan; and left the poorest countries, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan, dependent on remittances from migrant workers in oil-rich Russia and Kazakhstan. Pomfret considers the enhanced role of the Central Asian nations in the global economy and their varied ties to China, the European Union, Russia, and the United States. With improved infrastructure and connectivity between China and Europe (reflected in regular rail freight services since 2011 and China’s announcement of its Belt and Road Initiative in 2013), relaxation of United Nations sanctions against Iran in 2016, and the change in Uzbekistan’s presidency in late 2016, a window of opportunity appears to have opened for Central Asian countries to achieve more sustainable economic futures.

This open access book features various studies on democratization, transformation, socio-economic development, and security issues in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) geographical region and beyond. Written by experts and scholars working in the field of human dimension, security, transformation and development in Europe and Asia, particularly in post-soviet and communist countries, it examines the connectivity that the OSCE provides between the East and the West. The 2021 edition of this Compilation Series of the OSCE Academy presents studies on peace and conflict as well as political regime development in various member states of the OSCE as well as their economic, security and human rights performance and the challenges countries and society face currently. The OSCE is working in promoting Human Rights and Democratization under the notion of Human Dimension of ODIHR and is enhancing securitization and development policies in Eurasia, Europe, Central Asia and North America since 1991. 2021 marks the 30th anniversary on the tremendous efforts in promoting democracy, security and development. This compilation reviews some of these efforts in light of this anniversary, the achievements and shortcomings.

In this global era, Central Asia must be understood in both geo-economic and geopolitical terms. The region's natural resources compel the attention of rivalrous great powers and ambitious internal factions. The local regimes are caught between the need for international collaborations to valorize these riches and the need to maintain control over them in the interest of state sovereignty. Russia and China dominate the horizon, with other global players close behind; meanwhile, neighboring countries are fractious and unstable with real potential for contagion. This pathbreaking introduction to Central Asia in contemporary international economic and political context answers the needs of both academic and professional audiences and is suitable for course adoption.

The "Belt and Road" initiative announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013 aims at reviving the ancient trade routes connecting China to Europe and Africa: the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road" and the inland "Silk Road Economic Belt". Both maritime and land routes of the New Silk Road meet Europe in the Baltics — a region accounting for some 150 million inhabitants representing 30% of the total EU population. The maritime route enters Europe through the Mediterranean Sea before reaching the largest European seaports of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea up to Saint Petersburg in Russia. The land route starting from West China crosses Central Asia, Russia and Belarus before reaching the shores of the Baltic Sea. This book focuses on the business and economic dimensions of China's initiative: Chinese government objective and policies, the strategies of Chinese and foreign firms along the Silk Road, trade and investment between China and Nordic-Baltic countries, the Eurasia Land Bridge corridors and logistics, the impact of the New Silk Road on the economies of Central Asia, new institutions financing the "Belt and Road", cross-cultural challenges and Sino-foreign joint ventures along the New Silk Road. The direct impact of China's initiative on economic sectors such as logistics services; the shipping, port management and maritime industry; construction and high-speed train; energy and engineering; and e-commerce, information technology and tourism will be assessed. Readers will be provided with an in-depth analysis of the opportunities and challenges for companies and regions along the New Silk Road as well as 17 short case studies focusing on China-led projects currently developed along the "Belt and Road" and 15 maps of the New Silk Road, the Baltic Sea Region and Central Asia to help in understanding China's vision and strategic moves.