Analytical materials
The policy brief “The Influence of Big Power Propaganda on Central Asia Security (in the context of Tajikistan)” was developed by Umed Khakimov on the basis of the IWPR Representative Office in Central Asia and the regional analytical platform CABAR.asia.
In November, foreign analytical articles underscored several noteworthy developments in the region. These encompassed a rise in international engagement of the region’s countries, human rights violations, migrants’ problems, and several top-level meetings that were held in the region last month. (more…)
The transport and infrastructure initiatives of China and the European Union show signs of unfolding strategic competition in the Eurasian region. With Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Europe and China have lost their shortest land trade route, while the importance of the Middle Corridor has increased. Currently, the parties are interested in establishing sustainable trade routes through Central Asia and the South Caucasus, but the tone of recent statements points to the need for constructive dialogue.
(more…)
On 30 November 2023, the annual Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention (UNFCCC) on Climate Change begins in the United Arab Emirates. Central Asia, as a region vulnerable to the effects of climate change, should actively participate in these global climate policy negotiations. The main focus of the region should be to jointly promote commitments to reduce emissions, achieve carbon neutrality, and the region’s access to climate finance. However, countries need to build capacity to realise climate pledges and restructure institutional arrangements for the transition to a green economy. (more…)
The “Russia-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan Gas Union” stands at a pivotal crossroads, symbolizing a significant shift in Central Asian energy dynamics. Initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, this trilateral alliance aims to transport Russian gas to Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan, marking a historical moment as it is the first time Russian gas is pumped toward Central Asia. However, the union faces scrutiny and cautious participation from Uzbekistan, reflecting the complex geopolitical and economic implications of this energy project. This development, arising amidst acute energy challenges in the region, seeks to address immediate needs but also poses long-term geopolitical and economic questions for the involved nations. (more…)
The policy brief “Bridging Horizons: Strengthening Cooperation Between Central Asia and Central and Eastern Europe” was developed by Eldaniz Gusseinov on the basis of the IWPR Representative Office in Central Asia and the regional analytical platform CABAR.asia. (more…)
Following the leadership transition in 2016, Uzbekistan’s foreign policy has undergone a significant shift towards increased regionalism, with a strong focus on enhancing economic cooperation with Central Asian countries. The new leadership has mended strained bilateral relations through a two-step process: firstly, by addressing sensitive issues such as water resource management and border delimitation and demarcation, which had previously strained relations, and secondly, by emphasising the deepening of economic cooperation in the spheres such as mutual trade, investment, tourism both regionally and bilaterally. This paper discusses Uzbekistan’s regional economic activity with Central Asian countries after the leadership transition.
The October analytical pieces in foreign press focused on the devastating accident at an ArcelorMittal mine in Kazakhstan, another controversial law in Kyrgyzstan, repressive tactics in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, power struggles in Turkmenistan, and Russia’s gas shipments in Uzbekistan. (more…)
Turkey’s reorientation towards priority cooperation with China and Russia may complicate Central Asian countries’ interaction with the European Union, according to Eldaniz Gusseinov, a specialist in European and International Studies at the Heartland Expert Analytical Center. Commenting on the prospects of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS), Gusseinov suggested that the OTS needs to look for new niches for cooperation. (more…)