It appears that Berdymukhamedov is taking full account of lessons in nearby Kazakhstan – plunged into deadly riots last month two years after a managed transfer of power.

Global growth is expected to moderate from 5.9 in 2021 to 4.4 percent in 2022—half a percentage point lower for 2022 than in the IMF's October forecast.

The World Bank forecasts that economic growth in Europe and Central Asia will slow to 3 percent in 2022, as domestic demand stabilises, and 2.9 percent in 2023, as external demand plateaus and commodity prices soften.

The growth forecast for the region was increased to 4.7 percent in 2021 from a previous projection of 4.1 percent in September.