Sergei Gretsky
Sergei Gretsky is the Chair of Central Asia Area Studies at the Foreign Service Institute of the US Department of State.
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Articles by Sergei Gretsky
Is Kazakhstan Inching Toward a Multiparty Democracy?
The early elections to the Mazhilis, the lower house of Kazakhstan’s parliament, and the maslikhats, local governments, held on March 19, marked another important step in reforming the Kazakhstani political
Kazakhstan Emerges as an Important Center for Track Two Diplomacy
The 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, a triennial event hosted by Kazakhstan, was held in Astana on September 14 and 15 (Astanatimes.com, September 22). This event,
Central Asia Comes Together
Central Asia took its first steps toward regional integration soon after independence in the region in 1991. Yet, for several reasons, this integration failed. Even so, with the change in
Central Asia and Russia Sanctions: Threats and Opportunities
International sanctions imposed on Russia in the wake of its massive re-invasion of Ukraine present both challenges and opportunities for Central Asian economies, which are spread asymmetrically across the region.
China’s Debt-Trap Diplomacy and Central Asia
On January 25, China and Central Asia celebrated 30 years of diplomatic relations. In his speech, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged $500 million in grants for socially important projects in
Kazakhstan Seeks to Avoid Resource Curse
Kazakhstan, as other natural resource-rich countries, faces a difficult task of diversifying its economy and avoiding the resource curse. Indeed, the share of natural resources rents in GDP, which is
Kazakhstan’s Next Economic Boom: The SME Sector Prepares to Take Off
It is a well-known fact that small- and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) have been the engine of economic growth of the developed economies and the source for creating most new jobs.
Kazakhstan’s Economy: Planning for the Future
Kazakhstan is well known for the successful transformation of its economy following the country’s independence more than twenty years ago. Its leadership has consistently set ambitious goals to solidify the
Doing Business in Kazakhstan: Two Thumbs Up from the IFIs
The latest World Bank (WB)/International Finance Corporation (IFC) Doing Business 2013 (DB) report reveals remarkable progress achieved by Kazakhstan in creating a business-friendly environment: it ranks 49th out of 185