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Authors
Paolo Sorbello

Paolo Sorbello

Paolo Sorbello is a journalist and researcher from Italy. He is a PhD candidate at the University of Glasgow, studying state-business relations in Kazakhstan.

Paolo’s work has also been published by The Conway Bulletin, Newsbase’s FSUOGM and Energo, openDemocracy, Eurasianet, Milano Finanza, and L’Indro. While his main focus is energy, his writings span across political and business matters. You can follow Paolo on Twitter or connect via LinkedIn

Posts by Paolo Sorbello
Tajikistan's President Makes Historic Visit to Uzbekistan
August 21, 2018
Tajikistan's President Makes Historic Visit to Uzbekistan
Seventeen years after his last official visit, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon visited Tashkent and Samarkand.
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Tajikistan's President Makes Historic Visit to Uzbekistan
Kazakhstan's Top Bank Prepares a Bid to Enter Uzbekistan
July 23, 2018
Kazakhstan's Top Bank Prepares a Bid to Enter Uzbekistan
After buying out its main competitor, Kazakhstan's largest lender could plan to establish a subsidiary in Uzbekistan.
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Kazakhstan's Top Bank Prepares a Bid to Enter Uzbekistan
Chinese Investor Disappoints Kazakhstan's National Oil Company
July 09, 2018
Chinese Investor Disappoints Kazakhstan's National Oil Company
China's troubled CEFC will pass on a deal to buy a majority stake in KMGI, a subsidiary of Kazakhstan's Kazmunaigas.
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Chinese Investor Disappoints Kazakhstan's National Oil Company
Nazarbayev Won't Be Kazakhstan's Next President...Or Will He?
June 22, 2018
Nazarbayev Won't Be Kazakhstan's Next President...Or Will He?
Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, head of the Kazakh Senate, suggested Nazarbayev won't run in 2020 -- then walked the comment back.
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Nazarbayev Won't Be Kazakhstan's Next President...Or Will He?
Copied Free Birds: Plagiarism Allegations Hit Kazakhstan's Government Again
May 30, 2018
Copied Free Birds: Plagiarism Allegations Hit Kazakhstan's Government Again
Complaints about plagiarism and a thirst for free press go hand in hand in Kazakhstan.
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Copied Free Birds: Plagiarism Allegations Hit Kazakhstan's Government Again
Kazakhstan's Small Lenders Suffer Financial Crunch
May 11, 2018
Kazakhstan's Small Lenders Suffer Financial Crunch
Strongly criticized by the president, some small banks in Kazakhstan are asking for help from the state to withstand a liquidity crisis.
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Kazakhstan's Small Lenders Suffer Financial Crunch
Kazakhstan's Energy Company Continues to Borrow to Survive
April 30, 2018
Kazakhstan's Energy Company Continues to Borrow to Survive
A recent Eurobond issue piles up on Kazmunaigas' debt, signaling just how dependent Kazakhstan's oil and gas giant is on borrowed capital.
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Kazakhstan's Energy Company Continues to Borrow to Survive
Kazakhstan's Elderly Opposition Tries Something New
April 18, 2018
Kazakhstan's Elderly Opposition Tries Something New
Behind the mecenatismo of a former prime minister, Kazakhstan’s opposition figures find a new platform in Brussels.
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Kazakhstan's Elderly Opposition Tries Something New
Kazakhstan’s Financial Restructuring Continues Despite Failed Mergers
March 22, 2018
Kazakhstan’s Financial Restructuring Continues Despite Failed Mergers
After two expected mergers failed, Kazakhstan's banking sector remains profoundly unbalanced, with the Halyk-Qazkom tandem as a hegemon.
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Kazakhstan’s Financial Restructuring Continues Despite Failed Mergers
Uzbekistan Makes Up With Tajikistan Over Electricity
March 12, 2018
Uzbekistan Makes Up With Tajikistan Over Electricity
For over two decades, the Uzbek-Tajik relationship has been marred by tension, but a recent bilateral visit may mark a true thaw.
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Uzbekistan Makes Up With Tajikistan Over Electricity
Uzbekistan Pushes for Bond Debut Before Privatization
February 24, 2018
Uzbekistan Pushes for Bond Debut Before Privatization
Uzbekistan is preparing coupons for up to $300 million to reap the benefits of the investors' widespread hunger for high yields.
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Uzbekistan Pushes for Bond Debut Before Privatization
Telia's Exit Consolidates State Ownership in Kazakhstan Telecoms Sector
February 20, 2018
Telia's Exit Consolidates State Ownership in Kazakhstan Telecoms Sector
Hit by scandals across Central Asia, Telia to sell its stake in Kcell, the largest mobile operator, to state-owned Kazakhtelecom.
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Telia's Exit Consolidates State Ownership in Kazakhstan Telecoms Sector
The Sorrows of Kazakhstan's Generation Z
January 30, 2018
The Sorrows of Kazakhstan's Generation Z
The young generation most comfortable with technology is faced with a mix of old and new problems in Kazakhstan.
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The Sorrows of Kazakhstan's Generation Z
Lawsuits Threaten Kazakhstan's Oil Money
January 12, 2018
Lawsuits Threaten Kazakhstan's Oil Money
A business venture gone awry could have major repercussions for Kazakhstan's oil fund.
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Lawsuits Threaten Kazakhstan's Oil Money
Attacks on Press Freedom Show Central Asia’s Authoritarian Side
December 20, 2017
Attacks on Press Freedom Show Central Asia’s Authoritarian Side
Media freedom continues to be a weak point in Central Asia.
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Attacks on Press Freedom Show Central Asia’s Authoritarian Side
Miners Strike in Central Kazakhstan, Protesting Bad Work Conditions and Pay
December 15, 2017
Miners Strike in Central Kazakhstan, Protesting Bad Work Conditions and Pay
The company reacted by suing the workers after three days of stalled talks.
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Miners Strike in Central Kazakhstan, Protesting Bad Work Conditions and Pay
Tajikistan Keeps Selling Debt Amid Macroeconomic Wasteland
November 27, 2017
Tajikistan Keeps Selling Debt Amid Macroeconomic Wasteland
Hungry investors may have another chance to buy Tajik debt soon, but the IMF thinks the situation is far from stable.
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Tajikistan Keeps Selling Debt Amid Macroeconomic Wasteland
Leaks Unveil Kazakh Officials with Offshore Links
November 17, 2017
Leaks Unveil Kazakh Officials with Offshore Links
The Paradise Papers leak shows that Sauat Mynbayev, a key in Kazakhstan's energy sector, could have conspired to hide millions in offshore havens.
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Leaks Unveil Kazakh Officials with Offshore Links
Tajikistan's Presidential Family Ousts Competitor in the Fuel Market
November 01, 2017
Tajikistan's Presidential Family Ousts Competitor in the Fuel Market
Tajik police detained a prominent businessman, leaving room for the president's son-in-law.
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Tajikistan's Presidential Family Ousts Competitor in the Fuel Market
Fuel Crisis Exposes Kazakhstan's Energy Contradictions
October 23, 2017
Fuel Crisis Exposes Kazakhstan's Energy Contradictions
For the past month, lack of gasoline, price increases, and public discontent highlighted Kazakhstan's infrastructural and institutional impasse.
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Fuel Crisis Exposes Kazakhstan's Energy Contradictions
Working Conditions and Ethnic Relations Ignored in Kazakhstan
September 11, 2017
Working Conditions and Ethnic Relations Ignored in Kazakhstan
Social tensions boiled in Kazakhstan as three died in a coal mine and hundreds of workers and locals fought in Astana.
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Working Conditions and Ethnic Relations Ignored in Kazakhstan
Central Asian Central Banks Play with Rates to Boost Growth
August 29, 2017
Central Asian Central Banks Play with Rates to Boost Growth
Sliding out of crisis, how are regional central banks handling their monetary realities?
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Central Asian Central Banks Play with Rates to Boost Growth
What’s All the Fuss About Terrorism in Central Asia?
August 16, 2017
What’s All the Fuss About Terrorism in Central Asia?
Reports from Central Asia about a future doomed to violent Islamic extremism in the region are thin on evidence.
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What’s All the Fuss About Terrorism in Central Asia?
EXPO Astana: Behind the Glitz
August 01, 2017
EXPO Astana: Behind the Glitz
An expensive billboard for Kazakhstan's slow transition to clean energy.
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EXPO Astana: Behind the Glitz
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Interview
IMF Interview: Opening Up Critical for China’s Future
September 11, 2018
IMF Interview: Opening Up Critical for China’s Future
But fully opening depends on how much free-market competition is allowed.
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