Facing various and always changing economic circumstances but also a trade reorientation towards Europe and Asia, will the cities on the Eurasian platform be able to adapt to markets and to different demands? Will some of these cities benefit from more flexible rules or from cooperation strategies necessary for an adequate economic growth? The World Bank has recently published a report which answers certain insistent and imperative questions for the decision makers of Eurasian cities and of national governments.
As the cities on the Eurasian platform develop differently, we can however notice certain similar challenges, state the representatives of the World Bank in the recently published study. Decision makers have a major role in the support of their restructuring, especially as regards the approach of different information received, but also a coordination of failures for their avoidance in the future. The authors of the study consider that the decision makers can support an even better and a more efficient development of the Eurasian cities by reconsidering them or by “reinventing” them, a better territorial planning and their connectivity, as well as by taking into account the eco-friendlyness of cities and finding new ways for financing the projects, especially those on the public transport improvement. Although they were once thriving, in the period of the intense practice of trade along the Silk Road, at present most of the cities of the Eurasian platform need to rethink the strategies in order to be competitive in the market economy but also to be able to emerge again as main development engines.
“The strategy planners of these cities understood on the one side the idea of the city development by improving the access to public transport, as well as by other facilities offered to the inhabitants, such as the implementation of some metropolitan areas, but did not manage to be aware of the importance of economic markets as a sustainable development engine. In order to become sustainable, on the long run, the Eurasian cities must find the right ba-lance between markets and institutions”, considers Indermit Gill, World Bank Chief Economist for Europe and Central Asia.
The World Bank has analysed for this report cities from 12 Eurasia states, all being states from the former communist bloc – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Republic of Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
At present, the most important cities from these 12 states are being reorganised, mainly based on some recent economic, political or demographic developments.
“Modern cities must be the main sustainable development engine and this can also be made by the insurance of an integrated mobility for inhabitants and of an efficient connectivity. Therefore, the cities on the Eurasian platform will be able to respond flexibly and dynamically to all changing economic circumstances”, mentioned Souleymane Coulibaly, World Bank Se-nior Economist lead author of the report published by the World Bank.
For a better connectivity, the authors of this project recommend several changes necessary to enhance trade and transport corridors, further promote information and communications technology. Specific recommendations given by the World Bank include: standardizing transit fees, harmonizing border procedures for road and rail transport, simplifying customs procedures, improving regulations and strengthening the capacity of institutions governing the transports.
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