Blog
Crossroads Asia
Central Asian Governments React to the Israel-Palestine Conflict
By Colleen Wood
To what extent have religious ties or geopolitical ambitions shaped Central Asian governments’ responses to growing violence in Gaza?
In Samarkand, USAID Head Power Announces New Funds for Central Asia
By Catherine Putz
USAID Administrator Samantha Power announced an additional $14.3 million in regional programing, plus $18.7 million to boost collaboration in Uzbekistan, specifically.
Kyrgyz ‘Foreign Representatives’ Bill Passes First Reading in Parliament
By Catherine Putz
The bill must be passed in three readings before heading to the president, but time is growing short for amendments to be made.
Water Security Woes in Mongolia’s Capital
By Elena Gordillo Fuertes and Nomundari Erdene
The pressures of rapid population growth, mismanagement, and climate change are jeopardizing Ulaanbaatar’s water supply.
Ulaanbaatar’s Cultural Diplomacy Strengthens France-Mongolia Ties
By Bolor Lkhaajav
For Mongolia, 2023 has been a breakthrough year for the country’s cultural diplomacy.
What’s Driving the France-Mongolia Rapprochement?
By Bolor Lkhaajav and Mathieu Droin
Just five month after the French president's historic visit to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa paid a state visit to France.
In Uzbekistan, a Nascent Push for Green Energy
By Zhanaiym Kozybay
Amidst the energy and electricity crisis, Tashkent’s pursuit of renewables is as much about addressing the threat of climate change as it is about shoring up its energy security.
Another Summit to Watch: Commonwealth of Independent States Heads to Gather in Kyrgyz Capital
By Catherine Putz
Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to attend. It will be his first trip abroad since the ICC issue an arrest warrant in March 2023.
A Fourth Karakalpak Released From Detention in Kazakhstan
By Catherine Putz
While the releases in Kazakhstan have been welcomed by the Karakalpak community, it’s clear that a sense of unease remains.
A Brief Chronicle of Enforced Disappearances in Tajikistan
By Catherine Putz
When a government captures, imprisons, or kills a detainee and refuses to acknowledge the person’s whereabouts, it generates a very specific kind of terror for other dissidents and their families.
Voices of Doubt: Unraveling the Ambiguities Surrounding Kolbaev’s Killing
By Aksana Ismailbekova
The Kyrgyz public’s doubts and questions about the Kolbaev killing are the expression of what they cannot see for lack of a transparent legal system amid the state’s apparent fight against criminality.
Kyrgyzstan Undermines Constitutional Court With New Avenues to Revise Decisions
By Colleen Wood
Two years after re-instituting the Constitutional Court, Japarov has approved a law that opens its decisions to presidential interference.