Karimov's "Gift" to the Kyrgyz or Akayev's Desire for a Statue

In one of his recent interviews, Askar Akayev, the former president of Kyrgyzstan, made an unexpected statement regarding the economic development of Central Asia in the 90s and the policies pursued by Uzbekistan's first president, Islam Karimov.

He noted that Uzbekistan's closed economic position toward the outside world during the era of Islam Karimov provided a vital opportunity for neighboring Kyrgyz and Kazakh entrepreneurs to establish themselves.

"I feared that Uzbek brothers would take over the entire market"

Askar Akayev shared his internal concerns from the early years after the collapse of the Soviet era and the transition to a market economy. He admitted that the Uzbek people are naturally very adaptable to trade and business:

"To be honest, in the 90s, when I was president, I had a doubt: I often wondered if the Kyrgyz could master the market mechanisms and if we could compete with the Uzbeks."

"In my view, with our transition to a market economy, it seemed as if the Uzbek brothers would occupy and control all of Central Asia. This is because they were already prepared for this during the Soviet era."

Karimov's "unexpected gift" and a symbolic statue

However, Akayev says that the leadership of Uzbekistan at the time changed the course of events. Islam Karimov's decision to isolate the economy gave neighboring states time to capture the market.

"We should all be grateful to Islam Karimov. He isolated the Uzbeks from the world. In doing so, he created a great opportunity for the Kyrgyz and Kazakhs. That is why I would have erected a statue to Islam Karimov in Kyrgyzstan! Because he opened the way for us, the Kyrgyz quickly mastered the market mechanisms," says the politician.

If Uzbekistan had been as open then as it is now...

The former president explained the fundamental difference between the foreign policy of that era and today's Uzbekistan, using the reforms led by current president Shavkat Mirziyoyev as an example:

• The closedness of the 90s: Created conditions for Kyrgyz business to build strength in the domestic and regional markets and to study competition.

• Today's openness: If Islam Karimov had opened Uzbekistan to the world and neighbors back then, just as Shavkat Mirziyoyev has, the newly forming Kyrgyz entrepreneurship would have been defeated, unable to withstand the terrible pressure and competition of Uzbek business.

These thoughts of Askar Akayev are an interesting historical analysis of how economic blocks and closed borders can sometimes become an unexpected "positive driver" and growth point for the economies of neighboring states.