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Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan’s General Shuffle: Tracing Tokayev’s Military Personnel Changes
By Francisco Olmos
In the wake of Qandy Qantar, Kazakh President Tokayev shook up the military brass. Where do things stand now?
Unpacking Geopolitical Competition and Energy Security in Central Asia
By Catherine Putz
A U.S. Senate subcommittee recently explored U.S. policy toward Central Asia amid the war in Ukraine and intense concern about global energy security.
How, and Why, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan Shut Down the Internet
By Rustam Muhamedov and Dana Buralkiyeva
The national elites in both countries do not shy away from implementing excessive measures in the online sphere, including switching off communications completely.
This Week in Asia: March 3, 2023
The Diplomat’s weekly video round-up of Asia news.
Reforms and Investment Needed to Power Central Asia’s Clean Energy Future
By Tatiana Proskuryakova and Charles Cormier
As Central Asian governments roll out energy sector reforms, private investment is set to play a key role in economic development and the clean energy transition.
Ukraine’s Shadow Over Blinken’s Travels Through Central Asia
By Catherine Putz
The war in Ukraine provided the thematic backdrop for the U.S. secretary of state’s recent trip through Central Asia in a way the U.S. war in Afghanistan once did.
Neither Exciting nor Boring: Kazakhstan Prepares for Parliamentary Elections
By Paolo Sorbello
The announced opening up of the political field still fails to leave room for opposition.
Just Passing Through: Kazakhstan’s Parallel Trade Predicament
By Sophia Nina Burna-Asefi
Amid sanctions on Russia, there is a growing trend of back-door sales via third-party channels in friendly countries – like Kazakhstan.
US Secretary of State Blinken Headed to Central Asia Next Week
By Catherine Putz
Antony Blinken's first trip to Central Asia will involve bilateral meetings with all five of his regional counterparts, plus a convening of the C5+1 format.
The Winds of Change: The Social and Political Cost of Climate Inaction in Central Asia
By Murod Ismailov
Climate change may be an “accelerant” for global cooperation, but it also poses significant social, political, and geopolitical challenges in Central Asia.
Is the Aral Sea a Lost Cause?
By Elena Gordillo
The impacts of the Aral Sea’s desiccation are threatening the lives of millions and hopes for its revival are plummeting.
Kazakhstan’s Uranium Industry and the Middle Corridor Come Together
By Wilder Alejandro Sánchez
Astana is betting heavily on the Middle Corridor as a route to access the international energy market without Russia.