KMENT P., KOCMÁNKOVÁ L., KREPL V.
Abstract
The objective of this study is to provide an overview of the development assistance realized by the Czech Republic in Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan since its beginning in 1998. We especially report on the environmental sphere, where main development
problems of Central Asia can be found. The values of ecological footprint of countries of Central Asia are relatively low in world
comparison (highest Kazakhstan 4.45 and lowest Tajikistan 0.90 hectares per capita), however, strongly polluted localities can be
found there. The highest value of the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita (USD 11 800 in 2009), and therefore the highest value
of the human development index (HDI) (0.807), is shown by Kazakhstan. If we compare years 1998 and 2008, the total offi cial
development assistance (ODA) provided by the Czech Republic to fi ve Central Asian countries increased almost fi ve times. The
main focus of the Czech Republic’s ODA in Central Asia has been recently redirected from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan. According
to offi cial statistics of Czech Development Agency, ministries of the Czech Republic and other governmental organizations, 4
projects (total budget CZK 24.5 million) of the Czech Republic’s ODA were realized in Kazakhstan, 5 projects (total budget CZK
38.47 million) in Kyrgyzstan, and 3 projects (total budget CZK 31.296 million) in Uzbekistan from 2004. The main importance of
the environmental sector in development assistance in Central Asia is also underlined by a fact that some projects of other sectors
(such as agriculture and health) contain works that can be characterized as environmental ones. Inhabitants of development projects
localities benefi t signifi cantly from environmental activities and they also fi nd suitable work opportunities.
Key words:
development assistance; environment; Central Asia; Czech Republic