WHEN an authoritarian ruler builds a gigantic dark globe, he should not be surprised that people call it the “Death Star”. But whereas the Death Star from “Star Wars” was a tool for wiping places off the map, the Kazakh pavilion at Expo 2017, which opened in June in Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital, is supposed to put the Central Asian country of 18m on the map, especially for investors. The Death Star celebrates traditional forms of Kazakh hospitality, such as giving guests a warm coat, or a sheep’s head for supper. A shopping mall named after the old Silk Road offers fancy souvenirs.
Kazakhstan is at a crossroads, both literally and figuratively. Geographically, it is sandwiched between Russia, China and the Middle East, astride once and future trade routes. The president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, is eager to turn this location to Kazakhstan’s advantage, by joining China’s “Belt and Road” programme of new transport links between Asia, Europe and Africa. Over the past two...Continue reading
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