Migrant money from Russia a lifeline for Central Asia | AFP

In a remote town in southern Kyrgyzstan, a library, conference hall and sports centre for women are being built, with construction mostly funded by Kyrgyz emigrants sending money home from Russia. An all‑time high of $3 billion flowed into Kyrgyzstan from migrant workers living abroad last year, accounting for around 25 percent of the country's GDP. In neighbouring Tajikistan, the $6 billion made up almost half its GDP – the highest level in the world.