Central Asia Human Development Report

Book excerpt: This report is a comprehensive analysis of the many challenges that confront Central Asia, including high trade costs, environmental devastation, increased inequality, rising migration, the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS and poor governance. There has been recent progress towards regional cooperation, but the barriers created by borders negatively affect peoples' lives. It is contended that increased cooperation among the Central Asian republics, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan would produce substantial political and economic gains, including income increases of 50 percent to 100 percent over the next ten years. The cost of non-cooperation is continued deterioration in income distribution, social services and general living conditions, according to the Report, and possibly a descent into the vicious cycle of economic crisis and corrupt governance that often leads to social unrest.