UNifeed: UNDP ASIAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT

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UNDP ASIAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT

A report by the United Nations Development Programme said the five Central Asian republics could as much as double their incomes over the next 10 years by strengthening regional economic cooperation. UNDP

Duration:00:00Date:07 December 2005

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United Nations Development Programme

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Full Script

STORY: CENTRAL ASIA HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT
TRT: 2.50
SOURCE: UNDP 
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: CH 1: RUSSIAN / ENGLISH / NATS
RUSSIAN / ENGLISH / NATS 
DATELINE: SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2005, CENTRAL ASIA
SHOTLIST:
UZBEKISTAN, SAMARKAND
1. Med shot, building 
2. Med shot, mosque
3. Wide shot, city 
KAZAKSTAN, TEMIRTAU
4. People in street 
KYRGYSTAN
5. Med shot, port, container being unloaded
6. Med shot, worker at port
7. Wide shot, crane unloading cargo at port
8. Med shot, machinery
UZBEKISTAN, SAMARKAND
9. Med shot, railway station 
TURKMENISTAN
10. FaÃ§ade of factory
11. Close up, cotton roll
12. Wide shot, factory workers in cotton factory
13. Med shot, spindle with cotton in motion
TAJIKISTAN
14. Workers tending dry land
15. Med shot, drainage
KAZAKSTAN
16. Various shots, social workers distribute needles to drug users 
TAJIKISTAN
17. Med shot, building in local square, pigeons flying around 
18. Med shot, people in street 
19. Wide shot, women clean streets 
KAZAKSTAN
20. Med shot, old factory 
21. Med shot, pensioners sitting on park bench 
22. Meds shot, old women sitting in park 
 
UZBEKISTAN, SAMARKAND
23. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Ulmas Bozorov, Merchant:
"We are 'shapochniki', we make hats. This is our craft for over 200 years. Our grandfathers and great-grandfathers sold their goods in Afghanistan and Iran. They went by camel. There were no borders back then."
KYRGYSTAN
24. Wide shot, snow capped mountains 
25. Wide shot, train 
26. Pan right, market
27. Wide shot, mountain pass 
28. Med shot, mountain pass
29. Med shot, mountain pass
30. Wide shot, people crossing road 
KAZAKSTAN
31. SOUNDBITE (English) Craig Steffensen, Head, ADB's Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Unit:
"Unfortunately, these are landlocked countries and by the time these products reach markets outside, they are so expensive that they really can't be sold." 
32. Med shot, officer checks truck
33. Wide shot, trucks in line
34. Wide shot, social workers sort condoms
35. Close up, condoms
36. Med shot, sorting out condoms
37. Med shot, condoms in hand
KYRGYSTAN
38. SOUNDBITE (English) Chris Lovelace, World Bank Senior Manager, Bishkek:
"HIV/AIDS is a rapidly developing epidemic in Central Asia. From almost being nonexistent in 1995, when there were only 100 cases reported, today there are over 9,000 and the real number is probably closer to 90,000."
39. Wide shot, marketplace
40. Med shot, marketplace
UZBEKISTAN, SAMARKAND
41. Wide shot, people bustling in marketplace
42. Med shot, comedian in market square, people
KYRGYSTAN
43. Wide shot, donkey cart
TURKMENISTAN
44. Wide shot, camels crossing desert

STORYLINE:

According to a report released today by the the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the five Central Asian republics could as much as double their incomes over the next 10 years by strengthening regional economic cooperation. 
There has been recent progress towards regional cooperation, but the Report shows that the barriers created by borders negatively affect peoples' lives.

The cost of non-cooperation is continued deterioration in income distribution, social services and general living conditions, and according to the Report, possibly a descent into the vicious cycle of economic crisis and corrupt governance that often leads to social unrest.  
The Report focuses on the challenges facing the region, which include high trade costs, environmental devastation, and the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS. 
The break up of the Soviet Union removed barriers between borders in Central Asia and brought countries closer to the rest of the world. But the birth of national borders made travel between the republics more difficult. 
SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Ulmas Bozorov, Merchant:
"We are 'shapochniki', we make hats. This is our craft for over 200 years. Our grandfathers and great-grandfathers sold their goods in Afghanistan and Iran. They went by camel. There were no borders back then."
Boosting trade is vital, but it could only happen if regional transport networks are improved and tariffs are reduced between Central Asia's borders. Easy access between borders will help traders and farmers to move their goods more cheaply across the region. 
SOUNDBITE: (English) Craig Steffensen, Head, ADB's Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Unit:
"Unfortunately, these are landlocked countries and by the time these products reach markets outside, they are so expensive that they really can't be sold."
But opening borders has caused problems for Central Asia. Trafficking in illicit drugs, weapons and human beings require monitoring by law enforcement officers. The spread of disease such as HIV/AIDS is cause for concern. 
SOUNDBITE: (English) Chris Lovelace, World Bank Senior Manager, Bishkek:
"HIV/AIDS is a rapidly developing epidemic in Central Asia. From almost being nonexistent in 1995, when there were only 100 cases reported, today there are over 9,000 and the real number is probably closer to 90,000."

The five Central Asian republics are home to almost 60 million people. Located at the centre of the Eurasian continent, these landlocked countries became independent with the end of the Soviet Union in 1991.

One of the poorest regions of the world, Central Asia has been the focus of intense international attention because of the region's geopolitical importance and long-term economic potential, including from large hydrocarbons reserves and other natural resources.

The Report calls on the regional organizations and international donors to help the five countries to reduce the barriers that separate them and create "borders with a human face", so that people can travel, trade and invest across borders without undue delay, harassment and cost.

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