Crossroads Asia

Uzbek citizens interested in getting to the United States are confronted with a confusing miasma of regulations, made all the more murky by disinformation and scammers. 

It's taking residents' livelihoods, too

Despite opposition, both foreign and domestic, Kyrgyzstan continues to push forward a law that would enact further restrictions on organizations receiving funding from abroad.

As Astana moves from crisis management to long-term planning mode, the challenge will be whether the government can stick to its economic reform plans. 

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov pledged to order a “complete modernization” of the plant after a February 2 explosion.

It’s a timid reshuffling that is unlikely to shake things up.

Corruption has been a perennial issue for Mongolia, but public outrage has sparked a new anti-corruption strategy from the government.

Kyrgyzstan’s next presidential election isn’t due until 2027, but Central Asia doesn’t always stick to schedule – making early chatter about a second term interesting. 

Thousands were imprisoned under the regime of Islam Karimov, unjustly convicted on religious extremism and other charges. Many have been freed, but they remain unexonerated. 

The Uzbek Forum's findings from monitoring the 2023 cotton harvest point at some instances of forced labor when voluntary workers were scarce. 

Transparency International notes a “troubling picture” in the region as countries struggle with “dysfunctional rule of law, rising authoritarianism, and systemic corruption.”

The EU and Central Asia have a critical opportunity to strengthen their collaboration in the face of evolving geopolitical challenges affecting global trade routes.