... Notably, although Syria’s active inclusion into BRI should have a favorable impact on the country’s reconstruction, building the infrastructure necessary for the project requires subsequent maintenance, i.e. additional costs in the future. Syria’s economy is far from being stable, and whether Damascus can afford this is an open question.
Lebanon: another point on the BRI map
Ruslan Mamedov:
Iraq in the World Dis(Order)
Zhai Jun, the Chinese government’s special envoy on the Middle East,
stated
...
On scenarios and conditions for the development of relations between Moscow and Pyongyang
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea, or the DPRK, which has been under discussion since January 2024, could not only be perceived as a reciprocal visit after the North Korean leader’s visit to the Russian Far East in the fall of 2023 but also as an extremely important step in bolstering relations between Moscow and Pyongyang.
Vladimir Putin visited North Korea in 2020, and along with the...
... example, the e-gov system of Kazakhstan already provides more than 83% of public services and demonstrates the smallest digital gap compared to other Central Asian countries while Uzbekistan is indexed in first place in the development of the digital economy with a 2.8% share in the total GDP of the country.
In the past decade, Central Asian governments adopted their national digitalization strategies and plans. The Concept of Digital Economy in Tajikistan approved in 2019 presents a plan in three ...
On the intertwined interests of regional and external powers in South Caucasus
Caucasus: turbulence in the shadow of Ukraine
These days, the Caucasus has been pushed to the margins of the international agenda and the media narrative by developments in and around Ukraine. However, the importance of geopolitical transformations in this part of Eurasia should by no means be underestimated.
Sergey Markedonov:
Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict: Last Chapter or More to Come?
To begin with, it was here...
... series of expert meetings aimed at elaborating Russia’s perspective on engagement with China.
The speakers included Igor Ivanov, RIAC President; Andrey Kortunov, RIAC Academic Director; Leonid Grigoryev, Academic Supervisor at the School of World Economy, HSE University; Ivan Danilin, Head of the Science and Innovation Department at IMEMO RAS; Artem Pylin, Head of the Sector of Bilateral Ties between Russia and Neighboring States at RAS Institute of Economics; Vladimir Likhachev, Deputy Director ...
The latest wave of sanctions does not bring qualitative changes—their impact on the Russian economy and its relations with foreign partners is unlikely to be fundamental
Amid the second anniversary of the start of the Special Military Operation (SVO) in Ukraine, a number of Western countries and associations launched a new set of sanctions ...
Working Paper No. 83 / 2024
Working Paper No. 83 / 2024
The following working paper presents the results of foreign economic activity of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) following its establishment. The author carefully analyzes free trade zone agreements (FTZs) as a key tool for developing the Union’s foreign economic relations. Additionally, the author assesses the effectiveness of existing EAEU FTZ agreements with third countries, as well as the outlook for new agreements. This research aims...
Report No. 91 / 2024
Report No. 91 / 2024
Owing to contradictions between regional actors, socioeconomic problems, and political instability in some countries, the situation in the Middle East remains tense. Given such circumstances, political and economic trends in the Middle East require a degree of theoretical conceptualization. The authors of this report analyze the current political and economic trends in the region’s Arab countries and non-Arab states, including Iran, Turkey, and Israel....
... towards the region. Among the experts who shared their views on the matter were: Andrey Baklanov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation, Professor at the School of International Regional Studies of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs of the HSE University; Maxim Suchkov, Director at the Institute for International Studies of the MGIMO University; Alexander Lomanov, Acting Deputy Director for Scientific Work of the IMEMO RAS, RIAC Member; Alexey Kupriyanov,...
Russia and Southeast Asia countries are eager to strengthen cooperation despite logistical and financial problems
In the second half of 2023, a series of publications came out in the media on how a number of nations in Southeast Asia—above all Thailand and Myanmar, but also Sri Lanka—took measures to lift any entry restrictions imposed on Russian citizens. In July 2023, Myanmar
allowed
30-day visa-free entries for those who plan to visit the country for tourist or business purposes. In October...
