Crossroads Asia

Sadyr Japarov’s rise to power and a return to presidentialism demonstrate the limits of democracy promotion in Kyrgyzstan.

The first president’s daughter is on the list of 76 deputies Nur Otan aims to seat in the new parliament.

Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan have all suffered in recent months from shortages and blackouts, their citizens experiencing cold nights and darkened lights.

In addition to electing Sadyr Japarov to the presidency, Kyrgyz voted by a huge margin to shift back to a strong presidential government system. 

The new Kazakh parliament will, at least numerically, look very much like the previous iteration.

Japarov soared past 16 other candidates with 79 percent of the vote in the January 10 election.

While the result is not in doubt, the elections could mark the next stage in Kazakhstan’s ongoing transition of power.

The January 2021 World Bank Global Economic Prospects report is out, heralding a “subdued” recovery for the world. How fares Central Asia?

2020 was not the first time Tajikistan experienced the sharp costs of being a remittance-dependent country, but the lesson is important to heed.

A pair of Russian lawmakers last month said Kazakhstan’s territory was a “gift” from Russia, resurrecting an old offensive tune.

A bottleneck on the Kazakh-China border has left thousands of wagons waiting to cross for weeks on end.