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Connectivity

Stories related to telecommunications and transport links. 

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News
EU Commissioner Síkela visits Central Asia to promote development projects in the region

EU Commissioner Síkela visits Central Asia to promote development projects in the region

Between 12 and 18 March, European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela will visit the five Central Asian countries to strengthen the EU-Central Asia partnership ahead of the EU-Central Asia Summit and scale up Global Gateway, the EU’s investment strategy to boost jobs and sustainable economic growth. 
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News
Scammers based in Georgia conned savers out of $35m using fake celebrity ads

Scammers based in Georgia conned savers out of $35m using fake celebrity ads

An organised network operating from Georgia has scammed thousands of savers from the UK, Europe and Canada out of $35m after they fell for fake celebrity adverts on Facebook and Google. According to a report in The Guardian, Deepfake videos and fictional news reports featuring the money expert Martin Lewis, the radio DJ Zoe Ball and the adventurer Ben Fogle were used to promote fraudulent cryptocurrency and other investment schemes. The scammers are understood to have still been contacting victims in recent weeks.

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Analysis
Analysis: Can Arctic routes provide an alternative to the Suez Canal as a major east-west trade route?

Analysis: Can Arctic routes provide an alternative to the Suez Canal as a major east-west trade route?

The recent blockage of the Suez Canal by the 400-metre-long 'Ever Given' container ship exposed the vulnerability of global trade routes. It reopened the debate about alternative routes, including the opening of the Northern Sea Route via northern Russia, and the Northwest Passage via northern Canada. These routes, however, are not without their problems. Maximiliaan van Lange analyses the background and current thinking in this article for commonspace.eu.
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 World Bank supports Egypt's railway safety

World Bank supports Egypt's railway safety

The World Banks approved this week a US$440 million loan to support Egypt's initiative for railway safety and service. The Railway Improvement and Safety for Egypt (RISE) will utilise the fund along with other financial support from the Egyptian National Railways (ENR).
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Commentary
Commentary: Post-war Armenia – New remedies for old maladies

Commentary: Post-war Armenia – New remedies for old maladies

Armenia's asymmetric dependence on Russia has cost it dearly, especially during the recent Karabakh war, argues Alexander Petrosyan in this commentary for commonspace.eu. Two projects – the Iran-Armenia railway, and the Iran-Armenia-Georgia gas pipeline – can help restore the balance, he contends.
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Bahrain looks forward to reopening of King Fahd Causeway to ease post-Covid economic recovery

Bahrain looks forward to reopening of King Fahd Causeway to ease post-Covid economic recovery

Bahrain expects a quick return to pre-pandemic levels in tourist arrivals when the Gulf island nation reopens the King Fahd Causeway which links it to Saudi Arabia. The causeway was scheduled to open on 31 March, but that has now been delayed to 17 May. The causeway has been closed since 8 March of last year. 
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Historic agreement on Caspian Sea co-operation between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan

Historic agreement on Caspian Sea co-operation between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan

After years of negotiations, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have reached a preliminary agreement on the joint exploration of a disputed section of an undersea hydrocarbons field in the Caspian Sea believed to hold extensive energy reserves. President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, attended online the signing by their foreign ministers of a memorandum on the mutual intention to jointly explore and develop the Dostlug (Friendship) undersea field.