As the global community experiences a turbulent and unpredictable period, Kazakhstan, alongside other countries, faces a range of challenges and risks. A timely reorientation and adjustment of both its external and internal policies may enable the country to effectively cope with these challenges and even extract benefits from them. For example, the Ukraine war exposed … Read more
Neitbay Urazbayev, a leader among the Karakalpak diaspora in Kazakhstan, died in an Almaty hospital this week at the age of 54 after suffering a heart attack, according to reports from fellow activists. His death marks a sudden end to a particularly difficult period of pressure that saw him tried and convicted in absentia by … Read more
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the United States, the European Union, and other countries around the world have imposed a wide range of sanctions on Russia, forcing Moscow to use Turkey and neighboring Central Asian countries to route trade of sanctioned goods. Many countries did not join the sanctions against Russia outright, but nevertheless … Read more
Of all the many bits and pieces to parse from Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s recent interview with the state-run Egemen Qazaqstan newspaper, his comment in response to a question regarding a system of “dual power” stands out as an almost Freudian slip. Tokayev said that at some point after the January 2022 unrest he “openly … Read more
Chinese President Xi Jinping chose to visit Central Asia in the fall of 2022 for his first official trip abroad since the pandemic. A year later he hosted all five Central Asian leaders at a summit in Xi’an, China, reinforcing the sense of deepening relations between China and the region. In addition, Beijing marked the … Read more
In the wake of Western sanctions, Huawei has pivoted toward emerging markets, including within Central Asia. The invasion of Ukraine has further underscored the need for adaptability, prompting Huawei to strategically relocate some of its Moscow office staff to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to avoid secondary sanctions while still maintaining research and development (R&D) offices across … Read more
The COP28 climate summit in Dubai produced an agreement that aims to triple the use of renewable energy, double energy efficiency, and “speed up the transition to a cleaner and healthier economy” by 2030, so the world can meet its Paris Agreement goals to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. This energy transition cannot … Read more
In late November, the World Bank published an economic analysis on the potential of the Middle Corridor to develop over the next decade. The report estimates that by 2030, travel times between the western border of China and Europe will halve, and freight volumes will triple to 11 million tons. This comes on the heels … Read more
In the last few months, several horrific cases of violence against women broke onto headlines in Central Asia. In September, it was Asel Nogoibaeva, tortured by her ex-husband for hours in front of her 10-year-old son in Bishkek. Nogoibaeva survived the attack, but her ex-husband — who was on probation from a rape charge at … Read more
An interesting development is occurring in Central Asia. Over the past year, leaders from Western states have visited the region to meet with representatives from the five Central Asian states. Others welcomed Central Asian delegations to their countries. These events occur at a time when there may be a power shift in the region. Since … Read more