Central Asia

The region has become more connected to Europe and less dependent on Russia and China than when Trump was last in office. 

Astana has emphasized its commitment to strengthening its role as a close partner of BRICS while also stating that it will not seek membership.

Kazakhstan once harbored grand plans for a high-speed rail network. While its neighbors have pushed ahead with such projects, why has HSR fallen out of favor in Astana?

“Let’s write about our country in a positive light and try to focus less on negative news,” Cabinet head Akylbek Japarov said.

Banning domestic vape sales while preserving manufacturing for export may simply serve to expand the shadow market and line the pockets of customs officials. 

The messages provide a glimpse as to what the Central Asian states wish to see from the next U.S. administration and how they aim to position themselves.

The stories of three men jailed this year in Uzbekistan for taking part in Russia’s war in Ukraine together tell a tale of desperation and exploitation.

Although branded as commercial deals, most of the agreements involve a steel and mining company recently acquired and renamed by a state-owned private equity firm in the wake of a tragic mining accident.

Do Russian demands for stricter measures against labor migrants mark a shift in Moscow’s relationship with Central Asia?

Over the last decade, Tajikistan has pursued Group 24 activists around the world.

While it may not yet be a powerful alliance, BRICS has the potential to be an attractive alternative for the countries of the Global South to pursue their national interests.

Despite Moscow’s diplomatic overtures, Uzbekistan announced on October 17 that it will not be pursuing full membership in the Eurasian Economic Union.