Helvetistan 3

Over the last ten years, Switzerland has been helping three of Central Asia’s republics – Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan – cope with their newfound independence. All three countries adopted a free-market economy after the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s. However corruption, bureaucratic interference and massive government debt are undermining the transition. Several Swiss projects in Kyrgyzstan – which is one of the region’s poorest countries – are teaching new entrepreneurs how to establish and run successful businesses. Swiss Radio International’s Jacob Greber reports.